HAPPY INDIA 153 



coke-oven works, but, of course, only in small quan- 

 tities at present that is to say, quantities small in 

 proportion to the enormous demands of India. Basic 

 slag is a valuable manure. It is quite possible that 

 the Indian Government might be able to secure large 

 quantities of basic slag from England and other 

 European countries at a moderate price for large 

 quantities, which the Indian Government would 

 take whenever it could be delivered and could stock 

 it in India, and the Indian Government might set 

 up machinery for grinding the basic slag to the 

 most suitable fineness. 



As regards the cost of all this work, I have dealt 

 with it before. Of this I am quite sure, that it will 

 cost the Indian Government much less than keeping 

 a large standing army in order to keep down a 

 discontented people. It must be understood that 

 the people of India are some of the most intelligent 

 people in the world, and quick to appreciate any 

 damages that they suffer or any advantages that 

 they gain. If the Indian Government were to do 

 such an unusual and extraordinary thing as actually 

 to proceed to spend money on manures in order that 

 the patient cultivator might get a good living, might 

 be well fed, well clothed, well housed, for a time at 

 any rate the people would be contented and grateful. 



In Chapter VI an estimate was given of the possible 

 cost of railways to reach the forests so that the small 

 wood and underwood might be sent down into the 

 plains to be used as fuel by the cultivator, and also 

 mention was made of the possible outlay that might 



