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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 available, through- 

 out the length and breadth of the laud, to analyse, 

 and condense it, estimating the opinions of all at 

 their proper value; and this resume embodying 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 infor- 

 mation, is altogether disqualified from efficiently 

 carrying 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 undertakings, that assistance which 

 they have a right to expect. 



England has her Board of Trade with its Presi- 

 dent, a Minister of State. Almost every Government 

 in Europe of any respectablity, has its Minister 

 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 



