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of population to those places where there is a 

 superabundance of land ready to absorb it, would 

 seem to have been unknown, or altogether set 

 aside in Bengal. It is singularly to be regretted 

 that this very serious question, involving as it does 

 considerations of the highest national importance, 

 was not, from the commencement, treated philoso- 

 phically : and taking into account the great in- 

 crease to our knowledge of the true principles of 

 colonization within the last quarter of a century, 

 it seems almost incomprehensible, that, with such 

 very willing helps as the tea planters of Assam 

 and Cachar, no attempt whatever should have been 

 made to take advantage of the opportunity to put 

 them into practice. 



But it would answer no useful purpose to pursue 

 inquiries after the clay for them has gone by. The 

 Planters have suffered ; the coolies have died ; 

 a dynasty has passed away ; another has succeed- 

 ed ; -Bengal has been born again. 



The first act of the present head of the Govern- 

 ment of Bengal, was to visit the tea districts of the 

 provinces under his control; to go amongst the 

 planters and the people ; to listen to their repre- 

 sentations ; in fine, to satisfy himself, of the true 

 circumstances and wants of the whole province ; 

 and while acknowledging it to be the duty of the 

 ruling authority to discharge faithfully its trust by 

 the people, to warn and counsel all, that in remind- 



