INDIA AND THE NAVY.
[To THY EDITOR OP TEE " SPECTATOR]
gm,—Your interesting article on an Indian Navy (" Under- pinning the Empire," Spectator, April 9th) comes at rather an inopportune moment. The suggestion that any further charges can be laid upon the Indian Budget at the present time is impracticable. As a matter of fact, what with the gradual extinction of the opium revenue and the maturing of the many schemes for greater efficiency launched during Lord Curzon's day, the financial situation for some years to come must be one of extremely close and economical manage- ment if we are to avoid large additions to taxation. In the present political temper of India there is only one means of increasing revenue which could be adopted without danger, and that is the raising of the tariff. At the same time, the end you have in view could easily be secured by the elevation of the Royal Indian Marine into a combatant force. This oonrse I have several times advocated, and I send you a copy of the paper in which the idea is developed.—I am, Sir,
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