49 



doubt that the archives of the Indian Government 

 could pour forth folios of reports, replete with most 

 valuable information regarding the natural products 

 of India, called for, but never used. Hence it is 

 that the same blunders, as remarked by Dr. Royle, 

 are committed over and over again and the Go- 

 vernment in time of need, is so often found running 

 here and there for information, which sometimes it 

 has paid very large sums of money to obtain, and 

 which might be found c shelved ' in the dusty pigeon 

 holes of some Secretary's office close by. Under all 

 circumstances there surely ought to be some one at 

 hand, better informed on these matters than any one 

 else in the country, whose business it should be to 

 counsel and advise the Government. As I write 

 the Calcutta Chamber of Commerce is deliberating on 

 its reply to a solicitation from the Government of 

 India for advice regarding the packing of seeds and 

 cultivation of cotton. I doubt not that the Cham- 

 ber's reply will contain as much information as could 

 be expected from any respectable body of ten or 

 twelve Englishmen of common sense whose business 

 is buying and selling, and not one of whom possibly 

 may have ever cultivated an acre of ground with 

 any staple whatever. Were there a Minister 

 specially charged with this duty, it would be proper 

 for him in all matters of national importance, to 

 obtain every information from private sources avail- 

 able, throughout the length and breadth of the land, 

 to analyse, and condense it, estimating the opinions 



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