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before leaving for India, and I utilized it in addressing public meetings upon Indian questions. We had a very successful meeting at Sunderland, Sir Henry Fowler's constituency. Mr. Dadabhai Naoroji was present and spoke.

With Sir Henry Fowler I had a most interesting conversation about Indian affairs. The talk turned upon the employment of our countrymen in the public service. He said, and with perfect can- dour, as he was then out of office, 'We are opposed to simultaneous examinations for political reasons'. I said, 'I think I can understand your hesitation so far as the Indian Civil Service is concerned, but why do you object to simultaneous examinations for what are called the Minor Civil Services? There are no political reasons here.' He had no answer to give. I promptly followed up my question with the observation, 'Sir Henry, when you are again Secretary of State, you must be prepared to receive a representation from us urging this view'. We then parted, both laughing heartily.

I thought that I had at last got to the bottom of the official mind in its objection to simultaneous examinations. Sir Henry Fowler spoke as an honest, straightforward Englishman, without the reserve of office, and he laid bare his mind. All that talk about the necessity of maintaining the English character of the administra- tion in India by insisting upon an irreducible minimum of English- men in the Civil Service (as if Indians could not be thoroughly imbued with Western ideas of government) is 'moonshine' and is a diplomatic mask put on to hide the real motive. It is political and not administrative considerations that have so long operated as a bar to the wider employment of our countrymen in the higher offices of Government.

I returned to Bombay about June 12, and learnt on my arrival that a terrible earthquake had occurred in Bengal, causing serious loss of life and property. The earthquake was specially disastrous in North Bengal; and the Bengal Provincial Conference, which was then being held at Natore, had to be broken up while it was in session. I got down at Serampore, instead of at Howrah, where my friends were waiting to welcome me. Having heard all about the earthquake, I was anxious about my people at home and hurried across the river from Serampore to my Barrackpore residence. It was Moharrum time when the earthquake occurred, and my children had all gone to see the fun. They were in the open, and the carriage and horse reeled under the shock. My wife was left alone in the