THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[July i, j88i 
Rep iv't of the Indian Kamine Commission, and invit- 
ing attention to tlie views expressed by the Commis- 
sion as to the desirability of encouraging a diversity 
of occupations and the development of new branches 
of industry in India. The extract is headed " En- 
couragement of Diversity of Occupation," and states 
tbat " at the root of much of the poverty of the peo- 
ple of India and of the risks to which they are exposed 
in s'ea*ons of scarciiy lies the unfortunate circumstance 
that agriculture forms almost the sole occupation of 
the mass 'if ttie population, and that no remedy for 
present evils can be complete which does not include 
the introduction of a diversity of occupation through 
which the surplus population may be drawn from 
Bgr cultural pursuits and led to find the means of 
subds ence in manufactures or some such employments. 
It "ill be almo-t self-evident that such a change in 
the condition of the people could not be brought 
abour, by any direct action of I he State, and t hai 
there would be much risk of interference of this de- 
scription, discouraging the spread of sound principle* of 
trade and retarding the operation of private enter- 
prize. !So far as we are able to f irm an opinion on a 
question so difficult of solution, the desired result 
can only follow upon an increased desire to apply 
capital to industrial pursuits in India, which a^ain 
will be a consequence of a growing conviction that 
adequate profits may be secured on investments, under 
a condition of continued peace and good government. 
The State should certainly use its utmost endeavours 
to assist in the preparation of the country for reach- 
ing such an advanced condition, but it will, we be- 
lieve, he by indirect means, such as the extension of 
railways aud the development of local trade and 
foreign commerce, that the end will be attained rather 
than by any attempts to give adventitious aid to pur-, 
ticular branches of industry. Capital will accumulate in 
the country or will flow into it lor investment in propor- 
tion a-i security is maintained and facilities for obtaining 
profitable markets for all sorts of produce are enlarged." 
The obstacles that 6tand in the way of the 
investment of English capital in India, such as 
the climate, the distance, and the want of exact 
knowledge of the country, are then referred to, 
the writers pointing out that direct State aid could 
not be given to any undertaking without some 
corresponding power of coutrol or interference, and 
the exercise of any such power would be almost cer 
tainly incompatible with the successful management of 
industrial occupations, and they add : — " It is probable , 
moreov. r, that the whole available means of the 
State will yet be required for many years, either 
for railway extension, with or without the co-op ra- 
tion ..f private enterprise, or for the extension of ir- 
rigation works which are no less necessary, and 
w ieh experience has shown to be unsuited for man- 
augement by private Companies. There are, bov - 
ever, directions in which we have no doubt the 
Gov.-rnment might usefully aid in fostering the in- 
ception of new industries. The introduction of tea 
cultivation and manutaciure is an instance of the suc- 
cessful action of the Government, which should en- 
courage further measures of a like character. In th.s 
case, the Government started plantations, imported 
Ciiiuese workmen, distributed seed, and brought the 
iuriu-try into a condition in which its commercial 
success was no longer doubtful. It then retired from 
any share iu it, sold its plantations, and lett the 
lield to private capitalists. The cultivation of cin 
chona is a measure of u somewhat similar descrip- 
tion, though it has not yet passed entirely into fci e 
hand-, ol private per-ions. In treating of the improve- 
ment oi agriculture, we have indicated how we think 
the more scientific methods of Europe may be brought 
into practical operation in India by help of speci- 
al!) -liaiued experts, and the same general sys- 
tem may, we believe, be applied with success 
both to the actual operations ol agriculture and 
to the preparation for the market of the raw 
ag'iculture staple- of the country. Nor does there 
appear any reason why action of this sort should 
stop at agricultural produce and should not be extended 
to the manufactures which India now produces on a 
small scale or in a rude form, and which, with some 
improvement, might be expected to find enlarged 
sales, or could take the place of similar article* now 
imported from foreign countries. Among the articles 
and processes to which these remarks would apply 
may be named the manufacture and refining of sugar; 
the tanning of hides : the manufacture ot fabrics of 
cotton, wool, and silk ; the preparation of fibres of 
other sorts, aud of tobacco ; the manufacture of paper, 
pottery, glass, soap, oils, and candles." Some of these 
ai ts are already practised with success at Government 
establishments, and these institutions afford practical 
evidence of the success of the arts practised and are 
schools for training the people ol the country in im- 
proved methods; and so long as any such institutions 
fairly supply a Government want which cannot be 
properly met otherwise or carry on an art in an im- 
droved form, and therefore guide and educate private 
trade, their influence can h; rdl <, fail to be beneficial, Tin- 
same may be said of the workshops of the Government 
and the railway companies which are essential for the 
special purposes for which they are kept up and gradu- 
ally train aud d'ssennnate a more skilled class of 
artizans. The writers continue-. — "The Government 
might further often afford valuable aud legitimate as- 
sistance to private persons desiring to embark in a 
new local industry or to develop and improve one 
already existing by ob aining ne dful information from 
other countries or skilled workmen or supervision, and 
at the out et supplying such aid at the public cost. 
So far »s the products of any industr eg established iu 
India can be economically used by the Government, 
they might properly be preferred to articles imported 
from Europe, and generally the local markets should 
be resorted to for all requisite supplies that they can 
afford. We are aware that steps have been taken 
within the last few years to enforce these principles, 
but more can certainly be done and greater attention 
may properly be paid to the subject. Otherwise than 
as abeve indicated, we do not think it desirable that 
the Government should direc ly embark in any manu- 
facture or industry in an experiment d way. Such 
experiments 10 be really succes-ful or valuable mask 
be carried out on a cimmercial bass. The conditions 
of any Government undertaking are rarely such as 
to give it this character, and the fear of incur- 
ring an undue expenditure on what is regarded as 
only an experiment will often lead to failure, which 
will be none the less mischievous because it was 
thu- caused. " 
The writers conclude as follows : — " There is no 
reason to doubt that the action of Governments 
may be ol great value in fnrwar ing technical 
artistic and scientific education ; iu holding out re- 
gards for efforts in these directions, and in farming 
it convenient centres museums or coleutions by which 
the public taste is formed and information is diffused. 
The great industrial development of Europe iu recent 
years ha-s doubtless received no small stimulus from 
such agencies; and the duty of the Government in 
encouraging technical education is one to which the 
people of England are yearly becomiug more alive, and 
which it is certain will be more adequately performed 
in the future. All the causes which rendered such 
action on the part of Governments desirable in Europe 
apply with greater force to India. Experience, how- 
ever, is still wanting, even in England, as to how 
such instruction should be given, and for India it will 
he hardly possible at present to go b yond the train- 
ing of ordinary workmen in the practice of mechanical 
or engineering manipulation. To whatever extent it 
