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jspective localities, you would recommended for 

 disposin g of such lands, either for terms of years 

 or in perpetuity, to persons desirous of bringing 

 them into cultivation. Your report should distin- 

 guish, as far as possible, the present state of these 

 culturable tracts; whether they are covered with 

 timber forests, or consist of grass plains inter- 

 spersed with jheels, capable of being drained, or if 

 they are tracts requiring expensive artificial means 

 to make tbem productive. Her Majesty's Govern- 

 ment will then be enabled to afford to applicants in 

 this country an amount of information respecting 

 the facilities offered to persons proposing to settle 

 in India for agricultural purposes, which they are 

 not now in a condition to furnish. All such appli- 

 cants will, of course, be required to make their 

 arrangements with regard to the occupation of land 

 with the local authorities.'* 



On receipt of these orders, information was imme- 

 diately called for from the different Governors and 

 Lieuts. of Provinces by the Governor General. The 

 local Governors, again, called for reports from all 

 commissioners of Revenue and other officers of 

 experience under their authority, and a variety of 

 )pinionSj with details of considerable interest, were 

 collected, and submitted to the Supreme Govern- 

 tent for consideration. In the mean time, a second 

 lespatch from the Secretary of State sanctioned 



* Despatch of the Secretary of State dated 16th March 1859. 



