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British rule, has for a considerable time been tolera- 

 bly firm over the greater portion of Hindoostaii, 

 proper, it is only within the last few years i. e. since 

 the year 1858, it can be said that the work of con- 

 solidating the Empire has commenced. Up to this, 

 day then, no Government of India has been in a 

 position to assert those rights which legally belonged 

 to the Crown, and hence it has been, that in 

 different forms, and under varying conditions, 

 many have been appropriated by the subject. These 

 rights have been allowed to exist, to use the expres- 

 sion of Earl Canning, in a ' rude form/ because 

 the Government itself has existed only in a rude 

 form ; and the real question is, how shall the 

 Government, now that it finds itself in a position to 

 assert its authority over the whole of its Empire, deal 

 with rights, which, though its undoubted property, 

 it has, from its own weakness or inattention, silently 

 permitted others to possess themselves of? The 

 rights of property in the soil viewed from europeau 

 and native points of view, are so different, and foreign 

 conquerors, changes in dynasties and laws, local cir- 

 cumstances, &c., have created so many and so great 

 a confusion of tenant rights throughout the country, 

 that questions liable to arise out of such a situation 

 involve some nicety. They ought not, therefore, to 

 be left to be decided by young collectors, or indivi- 

 duals, buyers or sellers, native or european. My 

 endeavour has been to disencumber the position of 



