Sir Auckland Colvin produced the Indian Budget on the 14th
inst. It is fairly satisfactory. The actual ontturn of 1883-84 —it is called the "revised estimate," but that is only a phrase— was a revenue of £70,569,000 and an expenditure of £70,298,000, leaving a small surplus of £271,000. For the year 1884-85 the revenue is estimated at £70,560,000, and the expenditure at £70,241,000, leaving a surplus of 2319,000. The opium revenue is falling, but the consumption of salt has increased by 10 per cent., and the Railways are paying well, the net gain after the pay- ment of interest on capital having been £3,270,000 in five years. Trade is rapidly increasing, the total movement having been £135,580,000 in 1882-83, against £98,737,000; and the export of grain in particular has almost trebled in three years. It was 8,477,000 cwt. in 1882-83, and was 19,500,000 in the first ten months of the current financial year.
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