251 



the consent of the Sovereign ; that it be cultivated ; 

 and that revenue be paid for it. Failing the first 

 of these conditions absolutely, or the latter two 

 within the limits defined, the Sovereign can take the 

 land away, and give it to another. 



The prominent feature of the English system, I am 

 afraid, is, that it does not clearly define any prin- 

 ciples. The collector is informed that where there 

 exist c rights of property or of exclusive occupancy 

 either active or latent/ or other exclusive rights, the 

 land cannot be sold ; but what constitutes a right of 

 property, or what a right of occupancy, the 

 public and the collector the latter probably a young 

 military officer, but a few years emancipated from 



jgimeiital duty, are left in unhappy ignorance. No 

 limit defines the extent of land over which a right 

 >f occupancy may exist. No bounds limit the 

 period within which a proprietory right can keep 

 laud out of cultivation, within which the power of 

 the occupant or proprietor, to debar the State from 

 obtaining its just dues, is restrained. Yet, without a 

 knowledge of what constitutes a valid right, how shall 

 a developer select his land how shall a collector 

 satisfactorily decide disputes? without a revenue, 

 how shall the Government discharge those func- 

 tions which, converted by its own act from expedient 

 into obligatory,, such developers as do settle, will 

 have a right to compel it to observe ? I cannot 

 clearly see how these difficulties can be got over, 



