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fcion had farther given power to all holders of grants 

 which had already been given for a term of years 

 at progessively increasing rents, to redeem the 

 future land revenue at the highest rate fixed during 

 the currency of the grant, provided it did not exceed 

 the rate fixed as the price in fee-sirnple of \vnstes; 

 but the latter provision Her Majesty's Govern- 

 ment considered, fixed the price for such lauds within 

 too narrow limits, and disallowed it. 



For the rest, the orders of the Governor General 

 were allowed to stand. All waste and unassessed 

 lands at the absolute disposal of the Government of 

 India, therefore, may now be put up to auction at 

 an upset price of 5,9. an acre and sold in fee-simple 

 to the highest bidder, the purchaser being called 

 on to pay 10 per cent, of the purchase moiiey 

 down, and being permitted to pay the balance by 

 instalments within 10 years, subject to an annual 

 charge of 10 per cent, on the portion of the pur- 

 chase money unpaid, until the whole is liquidated. 



The proposal to sell out-right 100,000,000 acres, 

 more or less, of land, an area far exceeding in extent 

 many principalities of Europe, would, at any time, 

 aud in any country, be a question requiring very 

 serious consideration ; but when such a question 

 arises in a country the main source of the revenues 

 of which is the rent derived from land, the necessity 

 for thought aud reflection is much intensified. Lord 

 Canning, doubtless, conceived that in introducing 



