10 JANUARY 1874, Page 2

A very large body of Hindoos, said to be 16,000,

have peti- tioned the Viceroy to double the excise duty on spirits. The Calcutta authorities have always been averse to this plan, as they think that in so vast a country illicit stills would soon be at work,. but we question this as regards spirits, and even tobacco. The public opinion is so dead against dram-selling, that any severity of punishment would be borne, and no informer would be re- garded as having betrayed his duty. In all Mohammedan countries death has been occasionally inflicted for rum-selling without any resistance from the people. We must exempt the Punjab, because the Sikhs drink, but even there opinion con- demns illicit sale to Hindooa and Mussulmans.