Page:The Indian Civil Service as a profession.djvu/22

 enough to go round, and youngsters of three and four years' service were acting as chief magistrates of districts. Latterly, the rate of recruitment has been increased; and promotion is now comparatively slow in every province. From Madras, and the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, where prospects seem to be particularly unpromising, complaints are beginning to be heard; but I have not yet heard of similar growls from other provinces. Much inequality in advancement is to be ascribed to individual fitness, luck, or opportunity. It is therefore unsafe to venture on any general statement affirming that after so many years' service a civilian may expect so much pay or such and such rank.

I am perhaps justified in saying that for the first five years of his service, especially if married, he will be a poor man, that when of ten years' standing he will be fairly well off, and that after twenty years' service he should be drawing in the ordinary line not less than £1800 a year. Of course, if an