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mercial banking establishments, undoubtedly it would 

 confer a lasting obligation on the people could 

 it, by any means, alleviate the evils of the pre- 

 sent system of advance, it would be doing much 

 good. But to do either, in present circumstances, 

 seems almost impossible; and the wisest thing, 

 therefore, that Government can do, is, instead of 

 attempting to substitute one evil for another, to 

 take the best measures for making the peasant- 

 proprietors of India, altogether independent of 

 money lender*, European or Native, at the very 

 earliest possible date. 



To enter into details as to the proper mode of 

 carrying out agricultural or other great national 

 experiments is not my object. Such are invariably 

 best worked out after first principles are fixed; 

 and the same wisdom that shall determine that 

 India shall no longer be inactive in developing 

 the resources of her own wealth ; but active, not 

 spasmodically, but as a rule will doubtless also, 

 suggest measures that will insure far more complete 

 and accurate information on each subject, being 

 placed before those intrusted with the duty of carry- 

 ing out the policy of the paramount authority, than 

 I can possibly command. There are certain principal 

 points, however, connected with the present con- 

 dition of circumstances, and with past experiments, 

 especially those undertaken to compass the cultiva- 

 tion of tea, that bear so directly on the whale 



