Page:"Round the world." - Letters from Japan, China, India, and Egypt (IA roundworldletter00fogg 0).pdf/173

 of biirning denunciation in the British Par- lisment. But the country is stil many years behind the age. Neither native nor Euro- pean residents have any voice in making or administering the laws, or the appointment oftheir rulers, The members of the gov- ernment, all being sent out from England, have an exaggerated sense of their import- anca and dignity. Laws for the government of this yast empire are enacted ten thousand miles away, taxes are imposed and tariffs atragged with little regard to the wants or wishes of the people of Indis. The salary of the Viceroy, or Governor General, ia $125,000 a year, and every evening his car-~ Tisge appesrs on the strand drawn by six horses, with postillions in scarlet livery, preceded and foliowed by red.coated Lancers, All this ia bri a partof the aystem of gov-~ etning this country, to impress upon the ignorant natives the grandeur and power of their British rulers.

Calcutta boasta many large and imposing public buildings, among which 1a the Goy- ernment House, which cost about $700,000, and afforda ample aceommedation for ofti- cfs] business and grand levees for the repre- sentativesof royalty. The Mint is an ele gant Dorie edifice on the hank of the river, and is sald to be the largest in the world, having a capacity of striking 300,000 pieces ina working day of seven houra. Besides these, there are numerous museums, Iibra~ Tia, ehurehes and public halle, and scat- tered through the park and nesr the Gor- ernment House are bronze statues of Lord Rardinges, the Karl of Auckland, Lord Ben- tnck, and several other rulers and benefac~ tors of Iodis.

Every year, sa soon as the hot weather seta in, or by the middle of March, the Vice- royal court, with the whole machinery of the government, is packed off by railway to Simla, 1,500 miles north, at the foot of the Himalayas, and here it remains until the close of the rainy season in November. A More inconvenient arrangement, so far as the public business is cancerned, can Rearcely be imagined; bat to the govern ment oflicials their personal comfort is of more consequence? than efficiency or regard for the pablic interest.

A week in Calentia exhausted all the noveities, including aride fn a palanquin, which is a large sized black cofita borne by two dark sklbned mournful-looking Cooliea in white robes. Isis tilted on one side to crawl in, and you must lie flat on your back