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a time-limit. I said in reply, 'Assuming that it was so, was I not at liberty to revise my opinion in the light of new conditions?' The point was not further pursued. Lord Sydenham was not present on the day that I was examined, so I missed his cross-examination. Mr. Tilak's examination lasted for a very short time. He made his statement, but was not cross-examined at all. This was quite unusual; and I think it was disappointing to Mr. Tilak himself. For, whatever might have been our differences, we all felt that Mr. Tilak was quite capable of supporting his views with judgment and ability. I am afraid Mr. Tilak was not persona grata with the British public, and his failure in his case added to whatever prejudice there was against him. Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru arrived late. His examination was necessarily short; he rendered yeoman service in securing the recognition of University Education among the Transferred Sub- jects. On the whole, I think that the witnesses of our Deputation acquitted themselves very creditably in their examination. A mem- ber of the Joint Committee told me a few days after we had been examined, 'You created an excellent impression but subsequently there was a set-back.' He mentioned names of those whose evidence had produced a bad impression, but I need not repeat them.

There was no point about which Indian witnesses of all shades of opinion were more emphatic and insistent than the introduction of responsibility into the Central Government; and, now that we have had the experience of the working of the Provincial Councils with some measure of responsibility, and of the Legislative Assem- bly without any, the soundness of this view is enforced with added weight. Responsibility has always a sobering effect upon a legislative body, even in respect of departments not under its immediate control, by creating a general atmosphere of sobriety. There must of course be 'die-hards' in every Council, but even they cannot but be infected with the prevailing temper of their colleagues, unless indeed a regular campaign has been organized for obstruc- tion, or for wrecking, of which unfortunately we have had recent experience in Bengal and in the Central Provinces.

My own impression is that some of the difficulties that are now being experienced by the Central Government in dealing with the Legislative Assembly would have altogether disappeared or have been considerably minimized, if the view urged by the Indian witnesses had been accepted. The concession will have to be made sooner or later. Bis dat qui cito dat; and it would have been true wisdom to have acted upon this principle from the first. The truth