(vi) 



rapidly still. That the standard of living generally has 

 risen very con'siderably during the last 40 years, must indeed 

 be patent to every impartial observer, and the Government 

 fully concurs with the conclusions at which the author has. 

 arrived. Ih discussing the pressure of population upon the 

 soil, the author points out that it is precisely in those districts, 

 such as Tan j ore, where the population is most dense, that 

 air classes, not excepting the lowest, are the most prosperous, 

 and he calculates that the area at present under cultivation is 

 ample for the maintenance of the population and that the 

 area still left for extended cultiva-tion is very considerable. 

 He quotes Sir James Caird that " it is possible to obtain such 

 a gradual increase, of production in India as would meet the 

 present rate of increase of population for a considerable 

 time." Here, however, the author wisely remarks that the 

 increase of production has its limits, and for a permanent 

 improvement in the standard of living- and the general condi- 

 tion of the masses a change in the habits of the people in 

 regard to early marriages is a necessary requisite. The next 

 question discussed is " one which, for some time past, has 

 engaged public attention, viz., "whether the greater portion 

 of the population suffer from a daily insufficiency of food." 

 Upon this question, after inquiring in this connection how much 

 is sufficient, thfe author, who finds that as to certain broad facts 

 there can be no doubt, states his conclusions as follows :^— 

 (Ij the great majority of the population is very poor when 

 judged by a European standard ;' (2) compared with the con- 

 dition of the people fifty years ago there has certainly been 

 improvement in the material condition of the population, the 

 advance consisting mainly of a rise in the standard of living 

 of the upper strata of society and a reduction in the percen- 

 tage which the lowest grades bear to the total population ; (3) 

 the very lowest classes . still live a hand-to-mouth existence, 

 but, not being congregated . in towns, they have a better 

 physique than one would expect to find in them, considering 

 their resourcelessness and the frequency of crop failures, on 

 which occasions they have to pick up a scanty subsistence as 

 best they can; and (4) the economic condition of the country, 

 as a whole, though improving, is at. best a low one and is such 

 as to tax the energies and statesmanship of Government to 

 the utmost in devising suitable remedies for .its amelioration. 

 From these conclusions the Government is by no means 

 disposed to dissent ; they recall, however, the recorded obser- 

 vations of Sir Thomas Munro, made nearly a century ago, 

 whereby he cautions the governing authorities of that day 

 against expecting to effect in a generation a revolution in the 



