438 



INDIA. 



eral Stewart's division marched through the 

 Ghawaja pass, and General Biddulph's division 

 crossed the Khojuk pass. The two columns 

 met at the point of junction of the two passes 

 on January 6 or 7, 1879, dispersed a force of 

 Afghan cavalry, and marched through the city 

 of Oandahar on the 8th. The campaign for the 

 winter was finished. Ghalam Hussein Khan 

 was appointed Civil Administrator of Canda- 

 liar. 



The Chancellor of the Exchequer stated in 

 the British House of Commons, February 13, 

 1879, that the expedition to Afghanistan might 

 be said to have accomplished its purpose, and 

 satisfactory arrangements for the protection of 

 the northwest frontier, while preserving the in- 

 dependence of Afghanistan, were now possible. 

 Earl Beaconsfield, making a similar statement 

 in the House of Lords, added : " The object of 

 the Government's interference in Afghanistan 

 has been completely accomplished. We now 

 hold the three great highways connecting Af- 

 ghanistan and India, and I hope we shall al- 

 ways retain them. We have secured a frontier 

 which I hope and believe will render India in- 

 vulnerable, and which will trench as little as 

 possible on the independence of Afghanistan." 



The Viceroy of India reported, with refer- 

 ence to the flight of Shere Ali, that before 

 leaving Cabool the Ameer held a durbar, when 

 it was considered by the chiefs that after the 

 fall of Ali Musjid and Peiwar no further reli- 

 ance could be placed in the troops or resistance 

 'offered. The Ameer thereupon resolved to 

 seek Russian assistance and place his case be- 

 fore a European Congress. Yakoob Khan was 

 released and left in charge at Cabool, with trea- 

 sure and the remaining troops, an oath being 

 administered to him that he would do as the 

 Ameer might direct. Shere Ali left Cabool De- 

 cember 13th, his authority having almost dis- 

 appeared. 



A remarkable criminal trial, which excited 

 public attention to a degree exceeded by no 

 recent case except that of the Guicowar of 

 Baroda, was the trial of the Eajah of Pooree 

 in Cuttack, the hereditary guardian of the tem- 

 ple of Juggernaut, for the murder of a gos- 

 tain, or holy man, an ascetic of great sanctity, 

 who enjoyed a special reputation for curing 

 diseases. The Rajah was the secular head of 

 the Hindoo religion in Orissa, and was wor- 

 shiped by the Ooriyah people as the visible 

 incarnation of Vishnu. The murdered man, 

 who knew of no offense which he had given 

 the Rajah, had been taken before him and tor- 

 tured for three hours, after which he was thrust 

 out to exist for fifteen days longer in great 

 agony. On the trial, the assessors voted to 

 acquit the Rajah, but the judges convicted him 

 nnd sentenced him to transportation for life. 

 The Rajah appealed from this sentence to the 

 High Court, which met in May to consider his 

 appeal, but did not grant it. The Rajah was 

 twenty-two years old, and previous to this 

 event had led a blameless life. 



INDIANA. 



An important case concerning the constitu- 

 tional right of the Crown to cede Indian terri- 

 tory without the consent of Parliament was 

 argued before the High Court of the Northwest 

 Provinces in July. The case related to the 

 cession of a number of villages to the Na- 

 waub of Rampore for distinguished services 

 rendered during the mutiny, and involved the 

 questions : 1. Has the Crown the power of 

 ceding territory in any portion of its domin- 

 ions without the consent of Parliament? 2. 

 Has the Queen, as Empress of India, the power 

 to make a cession of Indian territory on the 

 ground of being the successor of the Emperors 

 of Delhi ? It was argued on behalf of the Gov- 

 ernment that the power to cede land was an 

 inherent prerogative of the Crown, and not to 

 be questioned by municipal courts. The Court 

 decided, July 19th, that the cession was valid, 

 and that the Crown is competent to cede terri- 

 tory in the Indian dominions without the in- 

 tervention of Parliament, and simply with the 

 advice and through the agency of responsible 

 ministers. 



The Indian Government about the 1st of 

 June occupied the island of Socotra off the en- 

 trance of the Gulf of Aden. The chiefs of 

 this island had been taken under British pro- 

 tection nearly two years before, but the Brit- 

 ish flag was now hoisted there, so that in the 

 event of war a small force could be thrown upon 

 the island to prevent the enemy from seizing a 

 position of such advantage for attacking the 

 communications with India. The produce of 

 the island is not of much account, but it is 

 fitted for the growth of coffee. 



A new order of the Indian Empire has been 

 instituted, to consist of her Majesty as Sover- 

 eign, the Viceroy as Grand Master, twenty- 

 three Councillors of the Empress who are ex 

 officio Companions, and fifty Companions. Fu- 

 ture nominations to the order are not to ex- 

 ceed twenty in any one year, exclusive of ex 

 officio appointments. Ex officio members are 

 Companions for life. 



INDIANA. The debt of the State of Indi- 

 ana amounts to $4,998,178. Of this sum $3,- 

 904,783 consists of bonds held by the school 

 fund. The total value of taxable property in 

 the State in 1877 was $855,190,125 ; in 1878, 

 $850,616,987. The total number of taxable 

 polls in 1877 was 297,931; in 1878, 300,000. 

 The receipts of the general fund during the 

 last fiscal year amounted to $1,860,777.61 ; the 

 disbursements, $1,497,356.20 ; leaving a balance 

 of $363,421.41 on the 30th of October. The 

 State tax is twelve cents on the hundred dol- 

 lars. The proceeds of this levy, with delin- 

 quent taxes, docket fees, and taxes otherwise 

 collected, and amounts reimbursed by counties 

 and received from prison contractors, have been 

 sufficient to defray the State expenses. The 

 county and township taxes are double, and 

 in many instances three times, that of the 

 State. 



Joint resolutions proposing nine amendments 



