The Secretary of State for India has restored the old
age for admission to the Civil Service. From 1892, a candidate must be above twenty-one and under twenty-three on April 1st of the year in which the competition takes place. This is a step backward, but in the right direction. The early age recently adopted in order to prevent the excessive competition of Bengalees, sent out men too immature, gave an nviair " pull " to Irishmen, who develop quicker than Englishmen or Scotchmen, and seriously injured the lads who competed, and who were forced to cram themselves too early. Nothing is said in the notification of the extremely difficult problem, the admission of natives to the Service. Bengalees can com- pete at the later age, and if they can compete, will beat Englishmen, their specialty being admirable capacity for acquiring a book-knowledge of any subject whatsoever. They would get all the Mandarinships if they were admitted to the competition at Pekin. Nevertheless, as the warrior-races of India do not intend to be governed by Bengalees—we say nothing of the Englishmen in India, for Englishmen have no rights left—it is necessary to make restrictions, and their kind and extent present a problem that puzzles statesmen.
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