CHAPTER VII 



THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IN INDIA 



I am frequently asked what the British government 

 has done for India and why it does not do more. I hold 

 no brief for the government and I can point out serious 

 mistakes it has made. But others have written power- 

 fully of these mistakes, while few have spoken of the 

 positive, constructive side of British administration in 

 India, so I shall confine myself chiefly to the credit side 

 of the account. Among the things that the British have 

 given to India is the system of law courts which rec- 

 ognizes all men as equals before the law. This, in a 

 country of many religions and many languages, and 

 above all of caste, is a very important thing. 



India has a postal, money-order and telegraph system 

 which is very much cheaper and better than the Ameri- 

 can. In 1914 a twelve word telegram could be sent any- 

 where in the Indian Empire for twelve cents, no zone 

 system, one flat rate for the whole country. If the tele- 

 gram were sent by cable from Aden which is five days' 

 mail steamer journey from Bombay then across India by 

 land, again under the Bay of Bengal by cable to Ran- 

 goon, it would be sent over three thousand miles. The 

 postcard costs one-half cent, a sealed letter one ^ent. 

 Five rupees ($1.66) or multiples of five rupees can be 

 sent by money order for two cents for each five rupees. 



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