NEW POLICY. 249 



The mail of the 12th December brings in- 

 telligence that a new policy has been inaugm^- 

 atecl in Oudh, and I rejoice at it as a step in 

 the right direction. The Governor- General, 

 acting on the recommendation of the Chief 

 Commissioner, has appointed half a dozen of 

 the most intelligent and influential of the Ta- 

 lookdars of Oudh, acting collectors of the re- 

 venue, responsible only to the Commissioner and 

 his deputy for the territories of which they are 

 the proprietors. The success of this judicious 

 experiment must entirely depend on the quali- 

 fications of the parties selected to fill those ap- 

 pointments. If the choice be judicious, the 

 plan will, I have no doubt, work well, as show- 

 ing the native chiefs that we wish to identify 

 their interests with our own ; but if favour and 

 afi'ection have at all influenced those appoint- 

 ments, the measm-e will be completely neu- 

 tralized. 



Some years ago the late Mr John Sullivan, a 

 very liberal-minded member of the civil service, 

 who was a sincere well-wisher to the native 

 community, procured the appointment of his 

 head Sheristadar to a situation that had never 

 been held previously by any but a European 



