Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/363

 1899.] Asia. — India. — Legislation. [355

The native rulers and princes were showing most loyal devotion to the Empress-Queen, and made numerous offers of money and troops for the war in South Africa.

The Nizam of Hyderabad and the Maharajah of^Gwalior, among others, offered their services.

National Congress. — The fifteenth Indian National Congress met at Lucknow on December 27, and Mr. Eomesh Chunder Dutt was chosen president. 1$ his opening address he referred to the excellency of the Indian Civil Service, characterising it as the finest administrative body in the world, and expressed a hope for continued progress under British rule.

The usual resolutions criticising the measures of the Govern- ment were adopted. Leading Mahomedans held a meeting early in December, the Eajah Sir Amir Hassan presiding, that repudiated the claim of the congress to represent the opinions of the people of Lucknow, and expressed the conviction that the congress movement impeded the true political and moral progress of the country.

Viceroy. — Lord Curzon of Kedleston formally assumed the office of Governor-General on January 6, at Calcutta, in suc- cession to Lord Elgin. On landing at Bombay he had been received with great demonstrations of popular welcome and on his arrival at Calcutta (Jan. 3) with Lady Curzon received an enthusiastic reception.

The Viceroy visited the Punjab in April, and was everywhere received with addresses of welcome, to which he felicitously responded. In the autumn he made a private tour throughout the plague and famine-stricken districts. At Poona on November 11 he addressed a meeting where he declared himself most strongly in favour of inoculation against the plague, as a wise and necessary precaution.

Legislation. — Sir J. Westland on March 10 introduced in the Legislative Council the Government bill imposing a counter- vailing duty on bounty-fed sugar imported into India, urging that the importation of such sugar seriously affected the Indian producer and that it had already led to the closing of many refineries. He alleged also that the imports of German and Austrian sugar had of late years enormously increased.

The Viceroy and others defended the principle of the bill, and it was passed on March 20. It was thought by many that the revenue from the new tax would not, however, exceed 50,000/. a year. The entire press in India, native and English, approved this action of the Government.

In February the Indian Contract Act Amending Bill was passed, conferring upon the courts powers to protect all persons from bargains unfairly contracted, including those between ryots and money lenders.

The Indian Currency Committee having reported in July strongly in favour of a gold standard, and of fixing the legal rate of the rupee at Is. 4d., the Secretary of State for India

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