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16th March, 1859, had addressed the Viceroy in 

 these terms : 



' 1 observe it stated in the papers which accom- 

 pany your letter under reply, that the extent of 

 culturable land in the Punjab, at the absolute dis- 

 posal of the Government, is very limited. With 

 reference to applications which may be made in this 

 country for grants of land under such conditions as, 

 after considering my despatch of the 22nd Decem- 

 ber last, No. 2, you may be prepared to recommend, 

 it is very desirable that Her Majesty's Government 

 should be informed of the extent of land capable of 

 cultivation at the disposal of the Government, not 

 only in the Punjab, but throughout British India, 

 and I desire that you will take such steps as may 

 be necessary for obtaining* that information- } T OU 

 will then submit it to me in a condensed form, ac- 

 companied by a statement of the conditions which, 

 having* regard to the difference in the systems of 

 revenue administration prevailing- in the respective 

 localities, you would recommend for disposing* of 

 such lands, either for terms of years or in perpetuity, 

 to persons desirous of bringing 1 them into cultivation. 

 Your report should distinguish, as far as possible, 

 the present state of these culturable tracts ; whether 

 they are covered with timber forests, or consist of 

 grass plains interspersed with j heels, capable of 

 being 1 drained, or if they are tracts requiring- expen- 

 sive artificial means to make them productive. Her 

 Majesty's Government will then be enabled to afford 



