202 



N. W. Himalayas, and Coffee cultivation in the 

 Wynaad district of Madras,hadmade considerable pro- 

 gress, and were found to offer, not only safe, but high- 

 ly profitable investments for capital. It was, moreover, 

 essential to the success of these undertakings, that 

 the operations should be carried on under the super- 

 intendence of Europeans. Enquiries, also, had, 

 from time to time, been made of Her Majesty's 

 Secretary of State for information regarding these 

 lands; and Lord Stanley on the 16th March 1859, 

 had addressed the Viceroy in these terms : 



( I 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 22d December 

 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 ; 

 you will then submit it to me in a condensed form, 

 accompanied by a statement of the conditions 

 which, having regard to the difference in the sys- 

 tems of revenue administration prevailing in the 



