46 



in regard to our great Indian dependency. Mr. Bythell was for 

 many years president of the Bombay Chamber of Commerce, 

 and also a member of the Legislative Council of the Governor 

 of Bombay. In his address Mr. Bythell stated that during the 

 present century India had been visited by ten famines. There 

 were no returns as to the loss of life of the first four, but Ill- 

 million of people were shown to have died of starvation as the 

 result of the last six. Mr. Bythell contended strongly that most 

 of these lives might have been saved if India had possessed 

 better railway communication. The intimate connection between 

 railway communication and trade is strikingly shown by the 

 following return from the address : — 



Year. Miles of Trade in 



Railways opened. Rupees. 



1852-53 21* 385 million. 



1859-60 836" 695 



1869-70 4,766 1,003 „ 



1885-86 12,376 1,520 „ 



The passengers carried in 1881 amounted to 65,000,000; in 

 1885, 81,000,000, classified as follows: first-class, 364,037; 

 second-class, 1,845,100; third-class, 3,262,224; fourth-class, 

 75,393,418; total, 80,864,779. The goods carried in 1885 

 amounted to 18,925,385 tons. In conversations I have had 

 with a gentleman who has travelled largely in India, I have 

 been informed that improved railway communication is the 

 great want of the country. My friend said he had seen again 

 and again trains leave the stations in different parts of the 

 country leaving behind them great numbers of people who could 

 not be taken for want of additional rolling-stock. I am strongly 

 of the opinion that every encouragement should be given to the 

 development of the railway system of India. If this were done 

 there cannot be any doubt that the large trade we are doing 

 with India would become still larger, as experience has shown 

 that better railway communication has always led to increased 

 trade. Time will not permit or much more might be said on 

 this part of my subject. In conclusion, I beg to make the 

 following suggestions : First, the people of Lancashire should 

 strongly urge upon the Government the desirability and import- 

 ance of having a Minister of Commerce ; second, that our 

 consuls should be instructed to look more after the trade of the 

 country than they have hitherto ; third, that strong representa- 

 tions should be made to the Government in favour of the de- 

 velopment of the Indian railway system ; fourth, that Chambers 

 of Commerce should be established in all the large manufacturing 

 towns of the country : fifth, that we should not underrate or 

 despise our competitors, but adopt every legitimate means to 

 cheapen the cost of production, as it is only through being able 



