The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-17 00:00:00

only repeat that he would carefully consider the matter
The bill .was...tban read a second time..
COMMONS ENCLOSURE BILL.
This bill was read a second time.
GENERAL BOARD OF HEALTH BILL.
T1:118 bill was read a second time.
MILITIA ACT CONTINUANCE BILL.

This bill was read a second time.
EUROPEAN COLONISATION IN INDIA.
Mr. E WART moved for a select committee to inquire
into the progress and prospects, and the best means to
be adopted for the promotion of European colonisation
in India, and the formation of military stations, especi-
ally in the hill districts and healthier climates of that
country, as well as for tise extension of our commerce
with Central Asia. Hie object, he said, was to hear
fully what could be said on both sides of this important
question. He owed an apology to the house for bring-
ing forward the question, and the best defence he could
offer, was the interest he felt in the subject, and the
plea, which was as old as Demosthenes, that in a delibe•
rative assembly it was competent for any person, who
honestly thought himself acting for the public good, to
propose that which he thought was useful to the state.
Committees which had sat had slightly touched on this
subject; but it had not, to any great extent, engrossed
the attention of any committee ; and now, therefore, be
proposed a committee for this single question. No one
could read the evidence ou this subject, without being
struck with the difference between the colonisation of
India and our other dependencies. In our other depen-
dencies, new British empires, as it were, might be seen
rising up; but in India, beyond the military and the
executive, there were not more than 22,000 Europeans.
(Hear.) The climate was urged as an objection; but in
some districts the climate so far from being unfavourable
was highly favourable to European constitutions. It
might also be objected that the ground was occupied,
but there were suitable districts where this was not the
case. It might be objected that the East India Com-
pany had made the experiment and failed; but railways
and other facilities for inter-communication would bring
about a totally different state of things. He quoted the
opinions of two governors-general (Metcalfe and Ben-
thick), who were strongly in favour of the European
colonisation of India. Of late years the East India
Company itself bad been favourable to it, though
formerly it was not so. The tenure of land might be
urged as an objection, but the company denied that
there were grounds of complaint, and declared that
there was no objection to any person holding the fie
simple of land. The hon. gentleman then went at con-
siderable length into the reasons why he thought that
the bill districts of the Himalayas, and some other parts
of India, were suitable both with respect to soil and
climate for European colonisation. But there was some-
thing more important than military occupation, and
that was settlement and colonisation. Armies could
conquer a country, but it was only by settlers and colo-
nists that it could be retained. He would now advert to
what might be called the Indian view of the question, or
the effect on the natives. It could nct be denied that it
would be a vast boon to India, if English gold could be
made to flow freely into it, and that could only happen
by facilitating the admission of colonists. The couutry
was rich in the varied products that did not invite else-
where the attention of the cultivator. In the hill coun-
try there was abundance of Indigo and cotton, and in
Assam there had been a great increase in the cultivation
of tea. It appeared that in 1854.5 the weight of the
Assam tea crop was 538,0001b5., in 1855-6 it had in-
creased to 638,0001 be., and in 1856-7 to 700,0001b5.
Until now the inhabitants of the Himalayas had been
supplied with tea from Thibet, but a supply of it from
Assam would be of infinite benefit to them, while it would
be of great importance to trade. The existence of the
bill stations was of great importance to India, and that
importance was daily augmenting. Dr. Harker said
that Darjeeling had doubled itself during the last two
years, while trade had made immense progress.
Dr. Campbell, too, stated that thousands of natives were
attracted to them from all quarter., and these state-
ments were amply confirmed by Mr. Wellby Jackson.
And now he would turn from the Indian to the English
view of the question. They heard it said on all sides
that these hill stations, having an European climate,
could be rendered great centres t f European civilisation,
by the establishment of colleges and schools of law, and
it bad been seriously proposed, in consequence of the
advantages which arose from the extension of telegraphs,
to establish the central government more in the northern
part of India. If they had places of education in those
regions one great use of them would be to extend the
knowledge of the English language among the native
tribes. In the 7th chapter of his first book, Gibbon
pointed out the importance which the Rosrians attached
to the influence of language in their colonising efforte,
and the language of Virgil and Cicero, not in its purest
form, perhaps, took root in Africa, Gaul, Pannonia, and
Britain. Another important means of colonisation,
which should be borne in mind, was in the establish-
ment of free municipalities. In the ancient cities which
the Romans founded on the frontiers of Gaul, and which
were still to be met with in the south of France, were
still to be found the last lingering beams of their civili•
sation, and their example was well worthy of imitation
in India. Another view of the question was the great
value f opening up their trade with Central Asia. As
long ago as the year 1783, under Warren Hastings, we
leatra trade with Central Asia, across the Himalayas,
but Russia now supplied a large extent of that region,
poor indeed, but well worthy of attention, and
of some effort to roue their dormant energies. (Hear.)
Capt. Turner, who was sent to Thibet by Warren
Has, ings, and whose statements had been confirmed by
those of the .A.bbst Hue, Thibet had rock salt, wool, and
many other valuable products in great abundance. More-
over, there was a large quantity of gold, and unless he
(Mr. E vvart) were mistaken, Thibet was the California
of Asia. The Abbe Hue said the finding of gold 'A as so
common that the shepherds amused themselves by purl.
Eying the gold which they found while watching their
flocks. He thought, therefore, the possibility of opening
up an extensive trade with Central Asia was a fair All,-
j4let for inquiry. There was, however, another question
far more momentous, namely, the extension of Chris-
tianity in these regions. (Hear.) He could conceive no
better means of promoting that object than the establish-
ment in districts where the climate was European a
European population, which would from age to age teach
the precepts and exhibit the example which distinguished
a Christian community from every other. He trusted
there was reason to hope that tranquillity would soon be
restored to India. Might they not believe that through
such means as he bad suggested a new era would dawn
upon that country 1 They won it—not always by the
fairest means—by arts and arms ; but he hoped they
would soon be able to say, in the words of Shakspere—
" I won thee by the sword,
And gain'd thy hand in doing thee injury;
But I will wed thee in a softer key,
With peace, with freedom, and with equity."

In the name of commerce and civilisation, and in the
name of Christianity itself, he asked the house to assent
to his motion.
Mr. H. BAILLIE said that the motion of the hon.
member for Dumfries was, doubtless, oneof great import-
ance, but he would forgive-him for saying he thought the
time he had selected for bringing it forward was inoppor-
tune. The hon. gentleman was aware that in a few days
they would be cared on to legislate for India, and to form
a government for that country, and he thought he
would have done better to have waited, in order to s'2B
what f rm of government it might please that bo'ase to
determine upon.. He must express his surprise, too, at
the sanguine views as to the colonisation of India which
the hon. gentleman had announced, since all authorities
were said to be agreed that, even in the hill stations of
India, Earopeane could not live beyond the third gene-
ration. But the hon. gentleman did not appear to anti•
cipate that those colonies would be self-supporting, for
be proposed that the Indian Government should apply
the revenues of India to these three objects—the estab-
lishment of schools and colleges, the construction of rail-
ways to the districts where the colonies were to be
located, and the establishment of military stations for
the benefit of the colonists. Now, first, with respect to
military stations in the hills ; that was a favourite
theory with many gentlemen, but he was sure that if
the plan were adopted, it would turn out most ii.ju-
dowdy for the troops themselves ; for though whilst in
the hills they would be in an agreeable climate; yet
they would not become acclimatised, and, whenever re
quired for service in the plains, they would soon become
unserviceable. Further than that, they should wile
whether it would be just to the people cf India to make
them pay for thwee colonies. India was a highly peopled
country, and did not want colonists, and, therefore, the
coutitry that sent them out ought to pay for them. If
he could not convince the hon. gentleman of that, he
hoped he could at least show him that, if the attempt
were made, it would prove impracticable. The hon.
gentleman must, in the first place, expect the colonist
to take out a certain amount of capital, for labour in
India was cheap. But what Eeglishman would do so
far from home, and invest his money
in a comparatively
unknown country, without having some reasonable pros-
pect ofa return
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hills,
and the expenditure of no amount of capital would ren-
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tion of 17,000 feet above the level of the sea, but Simla
was situated en the f .ce of a steep and rugged moun-
tain. Simla might do well enough for invalids, and
there was a large population there, but that population
was constantly fluctuating, and it was not such a one as
was likely to realise the views which the hon. gentleman
had explained to the house. He was told that the Go-
vernment of India was opposed to colonisation and
against Europeans acquiring land. But he believed that
of late years land had been offered to Europeans on very
fair terms. So much delusion existed on this subject
that he would remind them that the laud of India did
not belong to the Government. It was private pr )-
peety, subject to a land tax, and some of the titles of the
natives were very old. Whatever belonged to Govern
meat was offered to colonists, but offieirs and pen-
sioners could not be induced by such offers to accept it.
Neither in New Zealand nor in Australia c,u'd land be
offered on more liberal terms. A complaint had been
made against the operation of the 'and-tax by hon. gen
t!emen connected with Manchester who were interested
in the cultivation of cotton ; but in Bombay the land-
tsx was fixed at a rate for 30 years, and a change in the
levying of that tax was going on in Madras. As to the
motion of the hon. member, the Government did not
wish to prevent icquiries, and if his hon. friend would
be satisfied at present with getting all the information
on the subject which could be afforded, he could next
year, when the government of India was remodelled,
renew his motion ; but if he persisted in moving for ti e
committee of inquiry at present, Government would not
,brow any obstructions in his way.
Mr. W. E WART, in reply, intimated his intention
of proceeding with his motion.
Colonel SYKES said the East India Company had
anticipated the wishes of the hon. member byeending out