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Coming now to the Medical Department, which is a transferred subject, I confess I had a more difficult task. My relations with the head of the department and the prominent members of the Indian Medical Service were friendly, and with some of them cordial. As for the personnel I had nothing to complain of and much to be thankful for. But it was my policy that was my difficulty, and it was a policy to which I had been wedded through life. I could not abandon or even modify it, without sacrificing my principles and proving false to the convictions of a lifetime. I wanted to Indianize the department, so far as I could, without of course impairing its efficiency, and without detriment to the cause of medical education and the proper administration of our hospitals. I believed this to be quite feasible; and I gratefully acknowledge the support I received from both Lord Ronaldshay and Lord Lytton. They were in full sympathy with it and helped me with their powerful support. It is only fair to add that the Surgeons-General with whom I was asso- ciated in the administration of the department all realized the soundness of my policy. They felt—so far as I could judge—that the time had come when a definite and distinct advance towards the Indianization of the Indian Medical Service and the association of independent medical practitioners in hospital work, should be made. Our differences arose in regard to details. It was the pace of the advance, the progressive stages towards the realization of the goal, that formed the subject-matter of discussion. There was no disposition on either side to magnify the differences. We co- operated where we could; we differed where we had to, and with the courtesy and candour of gentlemen, all inspired by one motive, the good of India, exalting it above the minor interests of class and service. My relations with the Medical Department may be judged from the following letter, which I received from the Surgeon- General of Bengal, Major-General Deare, on vacating my office as Minister:

245, Lower Circular Road,

January 6, 1924

'My Dear Sir Surendra.

I feel I cannot let your vacation of the Minister's post pass without expressing the great regret I feel in severing a connexion with one who has always extended such courteous patience and sympathy to me as Surgeon-General. We may not on all points have seen eye to eye, but I have always felt we could discuss questions frankly and generally arrive

at some common point of contact. I have valued the official relationship