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advisable or expedient to sanction this measure, 

 though possibly suitable for large capitalists, are 

 very much less favourable to the great majority of 

 Europeans already established in Assam, Cachar, 

 and the Himalayas, and any that under present 

 circumstances are likely to go to these places, than 

 those previously in force. Under former rules, a 

 developer, or his agent, proceeded with his little 

 capital to the spot on which he wished to settle, 

 and looked out for a bit of land suitable for the crop 

 he wanted to grow. Having found it, he applied 

 for it and the moment the Board of Revenue's 

 sanction was obtaned, he was put in possession of 

 it. He was not hampered in any way there was no 

 survey, no advertizement, no auction. One-fourth 

 of his grant was rent-free for ever. For the remain- 

 der, he was not asked to pay a single six-pence to 

 Government, or to any one else, for fifteen years, and 

 then only about 6d. an acre per annum, for eighty-four 

 years to come. By this arrangement he was enabled 

 to expend the whole of his means, minus the cost 

 of his own support, on his land, and double, or, 

 in tea, quadruple his little capital before the Govern- 

 ment asked him for one farthing of revenue. 



And in what position I would ask have his friends 

 placed him ? He now goes to the spot, and, after con- 

 siderable labor and trouble and some loss of time, 

 having selected, to the best of his judgement, a plot of 

 laud suitable as regards soil, climate, and position, for 



