The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-19 00:00:00

had been laid on the table, the cost of carrying out which
was another ingredient of the increase. If they put together
these different causes, they would find that they caused a de-
crease to the extent if 1,120,000/. With regard to the obser-
vation of the hen. and learned member for Devonport, that
English capitalists were deterred from embarking theirmoney
in Indian undertakings by the policy of the East India Com-
pany, he seemed to forget that British capitalists were most
reluctant to let their money out of their sight. The hon. and
learned member had referred to the case of the two great
Indian trunk lines as failures, because, with thirty four
miles opened, they were on, y paying 9ne per cent. ; but who
ever thought, of a bit of a railway paying. It could not be
expected that they would pay while they ran only into
the jungle, and before their termini were connected.
Now, with respect to both these undertakings, the East India
Company was most anxious to render them productive, and
had raised money by a guarantee of 5 per cent, to promote_
them. They had tried to get capitalists to advance their,
money at a smaller guarantee, but without effect, and that
was a proof that they were not quite so willing as the hon.
and learned member had represented them to be, to embark
in Indian enterprises. A railway from Calcutta to the Panjaub
would be of the greatest national importance, especially when
combined with the electric telegraph, of which Dr. O'Shaugh-
nessy, a name never to be mentioned without respect, had
already laid down in India 3,500 miles. The hon. and learned
member, leaving finance and war, took up his favourite topics
—annexation and adoption—and he (Sir J. Hogg) should have
been happy if he had fixed on any particular case, and asked
the opinion of the house as to its just ce, its propriety, and
expediency. The hon. and learned gentleman had adverted
to the opinion of Lord Dalhousie, but he had not read the
whole of what that noble lord had said on the subject, Who
laid it down that, in the event of the failure of heirs direct,
and other contingencies, Government was bound to extend the
benefit of its administration, and tha:, a prince or chief of a
feudatory state was not at liberty to adopt au heir without the
consent of the lord paramount. Hon. members were much in
the habit of complaining that princes who had, through a long
succession of ancestors, ruled over the states of India, were
deprived of their territories ; but those ideas of ancient family
were purely ideal, for, with the exception of the rajpoots,
there was not in India a sovereignty older than their own.
The hon. member for Bridport bad alluded to the case of Nan-
pore. Now, in that State, not only was there a lapse, by reF -
son of the failure of direct heirs male, but there was not a
single heir in existence. The East India Company had twice
constituted that State, and the hon. gentleman could hardly
think that they ought to de so a third time. Did the house
know what would be the consequences of their doing so ? The
prince, or whoever they might set up, would receive the whole
of the revenue of the territory, while Great Britain would have
to defend him in the exercise of his rule. Well, then, they
had made these annexations, and he should like to know if
the undoes were anywhere so happy as under the rule of the
British Government. (Hear, hear.)
An Hox. MEMBER intimated his dissent.
Sir J. HOGG was surprised at that, for it was the first time
he bad ever heard it questioned that the Hindoos enjoyed
more happiness under the rale of Great Britain than under
that of their native princes. He had now endeavoured to
reply to the hon. and learned gentleman, a task he had un-
dertaken to do without the slightest preparation, as he had
not expected that those matters would be at all gone into, and
in doing so he had stated nothing which he had not documents
there to prove, for he thought that, where he could not speak
with precision, it was much better for him to hold his tongue.
With regard to the case of Oude, he (Sir J. Hogg) hoped
that it would be made the subject of a separate discussion,
for it would be made manifest from the evidence collected by
Col. Shereman and Col. Outram, that Government had no
other course to follow than what they had done, and that if
they were to be blamed at all it was not for having sooner
annexed it. The hon. member for Devouport (Sir E. Perry)
had cited the authority of Sir J Malcolm, who supported his
views; but what were the principles upon which he proceeded?
He said. " ion% take a lapse ; it is good policy to have the
native States interspersed with yours, for while they offer a
good opportunity for disposing of your spirits, they show the
superiority of British over native rule." The hon member
bad also relied upon the authority of Sir T. Munro, as one of
the greatest men upon Indian affairs; but he was the very
man who had introduced the ryotwarry system which had
been so strongly condemned. He (Sir J. Hogg) hoped that
an improvement would be effected in the tenure of land in
Madras, and a reduction in the taxes, by bringing into cul-
tivation a greater portion of the lands, for he understood
that at the present time three-fourths of the land in Madras
was uncultivated, With regard to the Marquis of Dalhousie
—whose apologist ho had always been, and would continue
to be—who was about to return to his native land, after
many years of most arduous service, having left India
amid all tho expressions of gratitude and honour which the
people of India could show, when he came—he trusted not
broken in spirit, though be grieved to say shattered in con-
stitution—he hoped that he would not be greeted with many
salutations like that which had come from the hon. member
for Devonport (Sir E. Perry), but that by that house and by
the country his administration would be regarded as honour-
able to himself and honourable to his Sovereign, and as tend-
ing to the advancement and prosperity of that country, to
whose resources he had so ably administered. (Hear.)
After a few words from Mr. PHILLIMORE, the subject
dropped.