The Calcutta Correspondent of the Times states that the Government
of India intend to recommend the Secretary of State not to appoint a military officer as Minister of Public Works, thinking the military element in the Council strong enough. The recommendation may be supported by evidence of which the public is unaware, but at first sight it appears open to very grave objection. The Member of Council for Public Works is required, first of all, to con- trol an immense department, in which every one outside the Itailways is an " engineer " of some sort, very unlikely to obey a mere civilian. The Government has no civil engineer at its disposal of the necessary professional rank, and if it imports a civil engineer from England, he will use up his five years in acquiring local experience, besides being tempted to sacrifice economy to the desire of making a great reputation. No engineer, civil or military, without experience of India could attempt to stop the present waste of public money, or to decide what could or could not be safely attempted in irrigation.
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