Lord Cranborne brought forward the Indian budget on Thurs- day,
in a speech which, if not what Mr. Stansfeld would have delivered, was short, clear, and sensible. The revenue of India for the year ending 30th April, 1866, was 47,041,0001., and the expenditure 47,021,0001., showing a surplus of 20,0001. Among the charges, too, are 5,352,0001. expended on public works, many of which could in time of need be discontinued, a sum which may- be regarded, in part at least, as a reserve. The land revenue is in- creasing slowly, and the repayments from railway profits very rapidly (500,0001. in one year), the military expenditure is sta- tionary at 13,000,0001., and Lord Cranborne intends to preserve peace and develop material prosperity. He is a little afraid of some- body growing opium somewhere and cutting India out, a thing about as likely as the supersession of Bass's beer by some Belgian article, and he doubts if the revenue is truly elastic, because the yield from Customs rises very slowly indeed. But upon the whole he was cheerful, flattered the old men in the Council of India very adroitly, and sent away the dozen or so of members who took the trouble to listen to him very fairly content.
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