New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-28
THE BLACK ACT IN INDIA


When Mr.. Bright SAYS that India is tho great
problcm of the future" nc expresses thought
that il uppermost in Englishmens minds.
There are no signs of instruction in that pOpu-
lous empire British rule seems to be accepted
by the natives as not only inevitable, but useful
and benefcent. The volume Of trade is stead
ily expanding, and there are indications OF pros
perity in many branches OF Indian adminlstra-
ton. Yet there is prevailing feeling of un-
easness in regard to what are known az " ulu-
mate" difficulties. Possibly Englishmen can
not accustom themselves to the thought that
$50. 600, 900 subjects can I've governed with
security by a few thousands OF officers and CIV
ilians. There is a secret dread of some sudden
movement on the part OF the Impoverished
Bengal cultivatOrs, or OF some new frenzy OF
desperation in the broad reaches of the NAH
rata country. Tho enormous pressure OF the
RAPIDLY increasing population, the exhaustion oil
debt-paying resources in certain districts, the
cultivators' grievances under what seems an
irremediaDle land system, and the standing
menace of a recurrence of famine years, are
economic conditions which excite apprehension
among the most experienced officials. The
necessity of ayerting the "ultmate " dangers
nv timely concessions and well ordered systems
of land tenure aud finance is readily admitted.
But 20 sensitive are the minds of British resi-
dents in India to vague impressions Of impcnd-
ing evil that the prospect of any marked change
in the relations of the garrison Of officials and
traders to the subject races creates panic.
What is now denounced by these British
residents as the "Black Act" is proposal to
give the native tribunals jurisdiction over Euro
haur ra1
sucgestion which was warmly advocated 1y
Lord DalhOuse in India and by Lord Macaulay
in England as long ago as 1910. AS he has ex-
planned the Act, il would confer jurisdiction
over Europeans on only two natives, and the
number of additional officials who could cxer-
else the same privilege during the next few
years would be only four or five. The princi-
pie that there should be no exemptions
on the score of nationality is applied on
an extremely limited scale. A great deal
has been written in regard to the improvement
of the native civil service under system OF
British regulations Introduced by Lord Lytton.
The privilege of trying cases In which Euro
peans may be personally concerned would be
conferred on not more than six native magis-
trates during the present decade, and these
would be the flower of that highly-praised civil
service This does not seem startling inno-
walton yet it has been anIiously discussed in
British circles and is meeting with bitter OPP
position from the main army of officials. In
Bombay the proposed measure has been en-
phatically condemned by the Chamber of Com
merce. In Calcutta European Defence AS
ISOLATION has been organized, with picked
body Of representative men to act as Wig
lance committee. Officers in the British army
are quoted as saying that it would be impos-
| sibe to control their men, if comrade were
sentenced by native Judge; and the wives OF
prominent officials have angrily condemned the