50 



of all at their proper value ; and this risume, embody- 

 ing 1 also his own conclusions, he would submit to the 

 Head of the Government, who would then be in a 

 position to pass a final order. But I cannot help 

 thinking- that the Government of a country in the 

 circumstances of India, that has not such an officer, 

 and is dependent wholly on desultory sources of in- 

 form ation ; is altogether disqualified from efficiently 

 carrying 1 out any experimental operation of commer- 

 cial importance whatever ; and but very ill qualified 

 to render those private individuals whom it invites 

 to take on themselves the trouble, the risk, and the 

 cost of these undertaking's, that assistance which 

 they have a rig-lit to expect. 



Eng-land has her Board of Trade with its Presi- 

 dent, a Minister of State. Almost every Govern^ 

 ment in Europe of any respectability, has its Minis- 

 ter of Commerce. And until India has her 

 Minister, with an efficient staff competent to take 

 charge of the vitally important and responsible duties 

 which in this country attach to such an office, I do 

 not think that the undirected and desultory efforts 

 of Government officials, or private individuals, will 

 effect a tithe of what mig-ht be accomplished in this 

 direction, with better management, in a quarter of 

 the time, thoug-h it is quite possible that they may 

 do a great deal of mischief. 



We have seen what an able Minister in a very 

 short time has effected in Finance j* yet the work 



* Mr. Samuel Laing. 



