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embodied in the legend of the Sibylline books finds daily illustra- tion in the timidity of governments willing to move, but over- cautious about the pace. If courage is a fine quality in the indivi- dual, it is the sovereign attitude of governments when tempered with prudence. There is hardly a more remarkable illustration of it in the records of British statesmanship than in Lord Durham's proposals for the reconstitution of the Canadian Government; and the Montagu-Chelmsford Scheme is on the whole a courageous advance in the same direction.

There is one point upon which considerable stress was laid in the examination of the witnesses. It was suggested in the Despatch of the Government of India that there should be a separate purse for the transferred departments. The point was urged with emphasis by Lord Meston in his evidence. The Indian witnesses were all opposed to it. Many of us felt that it would stereotype a distinction that was only transitional, and delay the transformation of the reserved into transferred departments, which we all desired and which the Reforms aimed at. The idea was not accepted by the Joint Committee and finds no place in the Reform Scheme. I can- not however help remarking that there is a growing body of feeling in favour of it, due largely to the financial difficulties of the re- formed Governments and the belief that a separate purse would be a more effective protection of the financial interests of the transferred departments than what is provided under the existing conditions.

In Bengal, a large percentage of the revenues of the province is absorbed in expenditure on the reserved departments, leaving only about 34 to 35 per cent to be spent on what have aptly been called the nation-building departments. It is a legacy from the past, but it has seriously interfered with the growth and development of the province in many useful directions. Sanitation, primary edu- cation, agriculture and the industries, all suffer for the sake of departments which, however useful and even essential, contribute but indirectly towards the national well-being. The maintenance of law and order is indeed the first condition of stable progress; but the Indian patriot may well complain that, in laying the foundations, the national resources are exhausted for the adequate upbuilding of the superstructure. So strong is the feeling on the subject that on one occasion nearly the whole of the police grant was disallowed by the Bengal Legislative Council, and was restored only on further reconsideration and after discussion with the Governor.