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O official authority whatever attaches to this work, or to any statement in it. The Editor has received the most kind and valuable assistance from all those Indian officials who have charge of matters relating to Dignities and Titles; but he is alone responsible for the contents of The Golden Book of India. Much of the information has been derived from the Princes, Noblemen, and Gentlemen whose names are included herein. To each one has been sent, so far as it has been found possible, a prospectus of this work, with a request for information, and with specimens of the form in which that information is desired; and in every case in which that appeal has been responded to, the fullest consideration has been given to the particulars submitted for insertion. It is hoped that, now the work in its experimental form is once before the Indian public, all those who are interested in its accuracy will send their suggestions, whether for additions, or for alterations or corrections, direct to the Editor, care of Messrs. Macmillan and Co., 29 Bedford Street, Covent Garden, London, W.C. It will readily be understood that in a work of such magnitude, involving reference to some thousands of persons, individual correspondence must be impossible; and consequently the Editor, while assuring those who favour him with their communications that these shall receive the most careful attention, hopes that he will be forgiven if he is unable to reply separately to each one.

The task of compiling this much-needed work has been of far greater difficulty than was expected. Some of the difficulty has been due to its novelty ; for among those who have sent information regarding themselves and their families, there has naturally been little uniformity in method or scale. This difficulty will, it is anticipated, soon disappear. But the chief difficulty has been owing to the fact that India stands alone among civilised nations in possessing no special Department, College, or Chancery, charged with the duty—a very necessary duty from the point of view alike of