Mr. Gladstone sustained a curious defeat on Thursday. A body
-of members, led for the nonce by Mr. Fawcett, are very anxious for a committee of inquiry into Indian finance, and Government promised one, so taking the matter out of Mr. Fawcett's hands. Mr. Fawcett was satisfied, but the India House for some reason or -other disliked the inquiry, and induced Mr. Gladstone to propose that it should be entrusted to a joint committee of both Houses. Accordingly, on Friday he proposed it, avowedly on the ground that the Lords would send a greater number of Indian officials Ethan the Commons could. This was not what the inquirers -wanted at all, as most of the peers selected would be sure to defend their own official acts, and the committee would be a mere sham ; and so strong was the feeling in the House, that Mr. Disraeli rose to oppose the motion, and Mr. Gladstone was obliged to give way, and allow the committee to be selected from the Commons alone. The Premier was clearly in the wrong. There is something wrong somewhere in Indian finance, and the officials ought to be witnesses, not judges, in their own trial.
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