It is very doubtful whether a General Order directing the
Government of India to substitute native for European officials would be a wise one. The competent natives must be ready first, and even then there will be a difficult political question to be settled. It is not doubtful, however, that to pretend to issue such an order, and then nullify it, is very foolish, yet this seems to have been the course taken. The Government has issued a circular, says the Calcutta correspondent of the Times, pro- hibiting the appointment of any officer, not being a member of the Civil Service or of the Staff Corps, or a native, to any office above £240 a year. The effect of this would be to give to natives all offices not reserved to what are called the Covenanted Services, but immediately after, the Financial, Educational, Forest, Opium, Salt, Customs, Survey, Mint, Public Works, and Police Departments are excepted. What, then, is left, except the Judiciary, which has always been open, in a country where all military, diplomatic, and revenue work of the higher kind is confided to the European Services ?
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