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 116 THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — INDIA AND DEPENDENCIES

powers of the Secretary of State respecting contracts, and to whom other duties may be assigned.

The salary of the Secretary of State, under the 1919 Act, must, and the cost of the India Office for other than agency services may, be borne by the British, and not, as formerly, by the Indian Exchequer.

Central Indian Government. — The supreme executive authority in India is vested in the Governor-General in Council, often styled the Government of India. The Governor- General, or Viceroy, is appointed by the Crown, and usually holds effice for five years. The Capital of the Empire and the seat of government was moved from Calcutta to Delhi in 1912, the latter being formed into a separate territory under a Chief Commissioner.

Viceroy and Governor-General of India. — lit. Hon. the Earl of Reading, G.C.S.I., G.C.B., K.C.V.O. (January, 1921).

The salary of the Governor-General is Rs. 2,56,000 (17,0702.) a year. The following is a list of the Governors-General of India, with the dates of their assumption of office :—

Lord Canning

Earl of Elgin

Sir John (Lord) Lawrence.

Earl of Mayo

Lord (Earl of) Northbrook.

Lord (Earl) Lytton

Marquis of Ripon

Earl (Marquis) of Dufl'erin.

Marquis of Lausdowne

Earl of Elgin

Lord Curzon of Kedleston.

EarlofMinto

Lord Hardtnge of Penshurst

Lord Chelmsford

Earl of Reading.

1856 1802 1864 1809 1878 18?6 1880 1881 1S8S

ism

1S!'-.1 1905 1910

1021

Warren Hastings. . . 1774

Sir John Macpherson. . . . 1785

Earl (Marquis) Cornwallis. . 1786

Sir John Shore (Lard Teignmouth). 1798

Marquis Wellesley .... 1798

Marquis Cornwallis .... 1805

Sir Geo. H. Barlow .... 1805

Ear) of Minto 1807

Earl of Moira (MarquU of Hastings). 1813

Earl Amherst 1823

Lord W. C. Bentinck .... 1828

Lord Auckland 1836

Lird EUenborough .... 1842

Sir H. (Lord) Hardinge. . 1844

Earl (Marquis) of Dalhousie. . 1848

Until 1834 these were Governors-General of Fort "William in Bengal, not of India.

There is an Indian Legislature consisting of the Governor-General and two Chambers, the Council of State and the Legislative Assembly. The Legislature was formally opened on February 9, 1921. The Council of State consists of not more than 60 members, of whom not more than 20 are officials. The Legislative Assembly contains 144 members, of whom 26 are official members and 103 are elected. The life of the Council of State is live years, and of the Assembly three years, but dissolution may occur sooner, or the period may be specially extended by the Governor-General. Joint sittings of the two Chambers may be held for the settlement of differences between them. The Legislative Assembly is presided over by a President appointed by the Governor-General. This Legislature has power, subjeot to certain restrictions, to make laws for all persons within British India, for all British subjects within the Native States, and for all native Indian subjects of the King in any part of the world. The Governor-General, with the assent of His Majesty, conveyed after oopies of the proposed enactment have been laid before both Houses of the British Parliament, may enact certain measures against the wish of tho Council or Assembly.

The various departments of Government are in charge of the Governor- Qeneral's Executive Council. This body has no fixed number of members (there were eight in July, 1920). but at least three of them must have had ten years' service in India, and one must be a barrister or pleader of not less than 10 years' standing. There arc (1920) eleven departments — Homo, Foreign and Political, Finance, Army, Public Works, Revenue and