Cannot the India Office get out of its habit of
dealing with the figures of three years ? It complicates the Budget speech almost beyond bearing. What people want to know is how much was spent and received last year, and how much will be received and expended in the next ; and all beyond that might- be circulated in a paper. Lord George Hamilton, on Thurs. day, swam in statistics, which may for practical purposes be reduced to this. Owing to the economies effected, chiefly in Public Works in 1894.95, there will probably turn out to have been in that year an Indian surplus of Rx.1,230,000. This will probably disappear in 1895.96, giving place to a deficit of Rx.1 212,000, because the expedition to Chitral has cost about Rx.2,570,000. There are, however, hopes of less loss by exchange, and of improvements in revenue, so that possibly an equilibrium will be attained. That is not very satisfactory, especially as Lord G. Hamilton sees no end to the losses by exchange, and clearly does not object to the great increase of military expenditure which has marked the decade ; but still the revenue does increase, the credit of India stands amazingly high—too high—and the experiment of limited guarantees for railways is to be tried. The Import-duties on cotton goods are, it appears from the subse- quent discussion, to remain until they can be dispensed with, either through a rise in silver, or an increase in the revenue, or the discovery of some preferable tax. The closing of the Mints has almost stopped the import of silver, but has brought out the hoards of old rupees.
Previous page
