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"6th. The clear Indian surplus to be henceforth exhibited is estimated by me at four millions sterling yearly. It will probably be more ample.

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7th. The honourable court has been, with a material saving, delivered from an embarrassing perversion of the conditions of former loans; while the justice of the operation was so distinctly recognized, that the credit of the honourable company's Indian securities has risen to a pitch which no speculation could ever have presumed.

"8th. In the year 1813-14, the independent powers of India were so numerous and strong, as to conceive themselves equal to expel the British. At present, every native state in that vast region is in either acknowledged or essential subjugation to our government.

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Lastly. These advantages are not counterbalanced by any burdens contracted in the acquiring them; because there is at this instant an accumulation of cash in the treasuries beyond what I set out with, more than sufficient to wipe off the additional debt incurred during my administration, were it wise so to employ the money. Roads, of which many approach to completion, are in progress, under the superintendance of the quarter-master-general's department; and, as I do not recollect any of the branches to be of much less extent than two hundred miles, with numerous bridges, over streams heretofore often impassable for long terms, through the casual swelling of the waters, the degree of accommodation to be thus afforded to the inhabitants would be thought important in any part of the world. It is peculiarly so in central India, where the prevalence of clayey soil makes the tracks which the natives denominate roads, frequently impracticable for even their light carriages during the rainy season. "The transportation of goods has been further promoted by attention to canals; though in the latter an utility has been consulted far beyond the dispatch of articles to a distant market. The canal of Ali Murdhun, after being devoid of water, and its banks every where prostrated, for above threescore years, has been perfectly restored. The city of Delhi, though situated on the banks of the Jumna, was destitute of wholesome water. The river, in those alterations common to all the greater streams in their course through the wide plain of Northern India, had come into contact with such vast beds of natron, that its water became powerfully impregnated with the salt, and consequently nauseous. To remedy the distress, Ali Murdhun conceived the grand design of forming a canal which should receive a large portion of the stream of the Jumna, where it issues pure from the mountains into the plain, and should convey it to the Moghul capital. This was achieved. The extensive tract through which it passed had been chiefly untilled, because in most parts the wells sunk in it furnished only water so saturated with natron as to be unfit to drink, and adverse to vegetation. The facility of irrigating the land with the water of the canal soon collected settlers, and produced cultivation: so that a large expanse, till then desert, displayed the most luxuriant fertility. The gratitude of the inhabitants bestowed on the canal the expressive title of Sea of Plenty.' The feelings of the people of Delhi, on the restoration of this canal, may be judged from the fact, that on the day fixed for removing the last intercepting mound, and suffering the water to proceed to the city, the whole of them went forth to hail the boon, by throwing garlands and sweetmeats into the advancing current. A long branch from this most useful work had formerly, under the name of Ferooze Sha's canal, been pushed into the province of Hurracana. Its supply was lost in the destruction of the magnificent source whence it had been fed; and its course remained but partially traceable. At the time of my departure from India, this canal was nearly re-established, every mile of its progress being attended with revived teeming cultivation, in a region which had been abandoned. A third canal, which runs longitudinally through the Doab, and had been constructed in ancient times to accommodate a country where streams were scarce, was also in process of restoration when I sailed.

"Calcutta was naturally not overlooked by me. The causes of the insalubrity of that city had been carefully investigated and ascertained. Contagious disorders were unavoidably generated by the excessive closeness with which the hovels of the natives were huddled together in the heart of the city, and the numerous small pools of stagnant water concealed among those hovels. Large sums having been advanced to the committee of improvement, a well-considered plan was adopted for correcting both the unhealthiness and the inconveniences. The main remedy lay in piercing Calcutta through the centre, in its longest diameter, with a street sixty feet wide. The ventilation of the city, as well as the comfort of the inhabitants, was still further promoted by making several squares with a tank or spacious reservoir of water in the middle of each; to be surrounded by planted walks for the recreation of the better classes. These improvements, however, still as to ornament and convenience, fell short in comparison with the quay, called the Strand, destined to extend upon the river bank along the city between

two and three miles. Much of it is already finished to a height of about forty feet above low-water mark, with many ghauts, or broad flights of stairs, for the accommodation of the natives in the bathing prescribed by their religion, as well as for the landing of goods. Being sixty feet clear at the top, this quay will afford great facilitation for the carriage of articles from the shipping to all parts of the city. There is another work which, though not actually begun, is fitting to be noticed here. Dangerous shoals, between the mouth of the Hooghly and Calcutta, prevent all ships of considerable size from coming up to the city; and merchant vessels of but moderate bulk are exposed to no little risk in the attempt. At the same time the violent squalls, and the bore to which the Hooghly is liable, render the dispatch of cargoes back and forward, by the river sloops, tardy and hazardous. As a remedy for this difficulty, it has been proposed to form, from Calcutta to New Anchorage, where the great ships ordinarily moor, a canal competent to be navigated by those sloops. A survey having been made by my direction, the plan appeared securely and speedily feasible, partly by cuts-partly by availing ourselves of favourable reaches in different small rivers."

Such political achievements, and such social improvements, bespeak their own eulogy; and, being facts, the calculating gratitude of the court of directors cannot but excite astonishment.

Observations on the Existing Corn-Laws. By John Hays.8vo. 1s. 6d. Richardson.

THE purport and burden of Mr. Hays' pamphlet are an exposure of the inefficiency of the existing corn-laws, from the obvious fallacy and uncertainty of their complicated system of district averages, dependent on the oaths and declarations of, probably, interested persons. He may be styled, indeed, a purely practical writer, with some visible bias in favour of his own, or the commercial, party, as opposed to the agricultural. The author is a veteran corn-merchant; and, on the ground of his experience, this pamphlet may be worth consulting, notwithstanding the immense number of publications on the subject, which have lately issued from the press.

"It is a fact well known, that, for a series of years, with few exceptions, previous to 1813, it was found necessary to import large quantities of foreign grain. Yet, notwithstanding these supplies, the inadequacy of our own growth was so great, aggravated also by a succession of unfavourable seasons, as to produce an advance in the price of grain, of which there had been no precedent. It was a necessary consequence, that public attention should be directed to this subject. Fluctuations in the prices of grain, besides their immediate effect on the consumer, have also upon trade and commerce an influence, far greater than is generally imagined. The highly remunerating prices of agricultural produce attracted the attention of capitalists to a pursuit, which is in itself so congenial to the general habits of human nature. Hence every session of parliament teemed with inclosure and drainage bills; and the formation of agricultural societies became the rage of the country. Peers and commoners not only lent the sanction of their names to institutions, offering premiums for the improvement of agricultural implements, and for the breeding and fattening of cattle, but were also present at the various agricultural meetings established throughout the kingdom. There they might be seen handling pigs, sheep, and oxen, with the dexterity of a grazier, and descanting on the various topics connected with such an occupation,-if not with as much practical knowledge, certainly with more eloquence, than has been usually devoted to similar subjects. Thus stimulated, their admiring auditors were sent home imbued with fresh zeal for the advancement of agriculture, and encouraged to expend, in additional improvements, every shilling that they had derived from their highly remunerating prices."

The author proceeds to state, that, in consequence of these high stimulatives to exertion, an excess of produce, beyond the demand of consumption, soon occurred, the markets became glutted, and prices had an alarming decline. The managing parties, who had been essentially subservient to the views of government throughout the war, now

wrung from the minister the Corn-bill of 1815. The affairs of the country had been brought into an artificial situation; and the price of the first necessaries required an additional artificial prop, or the taxes could not be paid. The agricultural party carried their measure; and, in addition to former errors, thought themselves safe, and that they might proceed with cultivation, pari passus, as during the period of war; they seemed utterly unmindful, that the continental wastes had been cultivated, during a series of years, with British capital. The merchant-importers complained that their interests were sacrificed. The petition, to manufacture, for exportation, their wheat under lock into flour, was refused, on arguments similar to those urged on the case at present, although not with the same effect. In conclusion, the author gives some extracts from his foreign correspondence. His pamphlet exhibits none of those theories of currency, those oppositions of paper versus gold, and gold versus paper, in which the quantity of the article to be bought and sold, seemed to be totally lost sight of. These reveries had their day, amused the public awhile, and are now forgotten.

A new and easy Introduction to the Principles of Political Economy. -8vo. pp. 48. 1s. 6d. E. Wilson.

THIS short essay exhibits, for the information of general readers, a lucid view of the leading principles of political economy; serving as data whence deductions on particular points may be correctly and logically drawn. It is true, that the elements of reasoning on these subjects are often so complicated, as to prevent such demonstration as might satisfy every mind; and circumstances arise which baffle the most sagacious anticipations; and hence, again, the science of political economy is, with many persons, in disrepute. We do not, however, consider it as a science of certainty, though undoubtedly it is too important to be either despised or neglected. This anonymous writer has summed up his elementary principles in the following propositions :

"1. That property of every description is held by one common bond of union, but liable to the control of government.

"2. That real property consists in produce, while landed property, funded property, and the like, are but rights or titles to produce, accounted for in money or cash.

"3. That the precious metals, whether in the shape of cash or otherwise, do not differ from other real property, except in their being the most convenient valuable medium of exchange.

"4. That paper-money is merely a convenient portable account or memorandum book, or medium of exchange on credit.

"5. That national property consists in the sum-total of its productions, which cannot be wasted or squandered away but by consumers, who live upon it. Consequently, that nation is the richest which produces the most, and which maintains the greatest population with the least manual labour.

"6. That the community is divided into two distinct classes; viz. producers and non-producers.

"7. That rents, tithes, taxes, poor-rates, mortgages, &c. differ but in name and mode of collection; for they all act as a tax upon producers for the support of nonproducers.

"8. That it is very immaterial to the producer how these taxes are levied, provided their operation is permanent and steady: but the least offensive mode of collection should be chosen.

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"9. That taxes, rents, tithes, poor-rates, &c., cannot be too high, as long as producers can, with case, supply themselves and non-producers with consumable produce.

"10. That the national debt is and ought to be permanent property, consisting of transferrable annuities, secured upon the annual produce of the kingdom.

"11. That neither the sinking-fund, nor any other fund, can do away or diminish the obligation thus contracted, without violating the titles of fund-holders: for driving their property out of the funds is merely driving it into private channels, where it will always continue to have the same command over labour and produce.

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"12. That the sinking-fund, as government pocket-money, has no occasion to increase in the ratio of compound interest.

"13. That the price of commodities, in a country where a paper-circulation prevails, has no reference to their price in another country, where the precious metals are the principal medium of exchange: neither does it influence the exchange of commodities between the two countries in a commercial point of view.

'Lastly. That absentees have a tendency to promote commerce; but that this advantage is more than counterbalanced by the injurious local effect they have upon the country from whence they draw their incomes.'

Emancipation; or, Practical Advice to
T. S. Winn.-8vo.

British Slave-holders.
Phillips.

By

In this well-written pamphlet, the author endeavours to prove, that it is the interest of the planters to allow their slaves that liberty which is the birth-right of every human being. No doubt, interest is the great motive which incites men to action, either good or bad; consequently, he could not have hung out a more dazzling bait: but, unhappily, it is merely dazzling; and, once in the throats of the pikes who swallow it, it will prove to be nothing more than a piece of painted tin. "Without slavery," say the advocates of the practice, "the plantation could not be worked; for the negro has such a constitutional abhorrence of labour, that nothing but blows and threats can force him to exert his physical powers; money or intreaties would be found insufficient to make him rise from the sand, on which he would bask the whole day long." And, therefore, for the sake of sweetening our gossipcups with a little cane-juice, the bitter sweat of agony is to continue to be wrung from the brow of a fellow-mortal; his back is to be so lacerated, that, when he starts from his short sleep, at the voice of his imperious task-master, he carries away with him half of the rotten litter, which kept his bleeding limbs from the ground. But, enough! We hope the time is near when such scenes will cease, and only be

remembered with horror.

Britannia's Protest against the Destruction of Old England's Wooden Walls by the Naval Dry-Rot, &c. By John Burridge. (Supplementary Edition.)-8vo. pp. 16.

THE title-page of this little work is sufficient to shew, that the author is so thoroughly impressed with the importance of his subject, that it carries his mind beyond its natural powers; and proves him to be a better patriot than he is a writer.

There are two seasons in which timber is felled: the spring, when the bark is in good condition for the use of tanners, but the timber, being full of sap, speedily becomes rotten;-and the winter, when the bark is useless, but the timber, being dry, lasts for a long time. The managers of the navy formerly bought winter-felled timber, and allowed a price adequate to the loss of the sale of the bark; but, of late years, the spring-felled timber, as being somewhat cheaper in

appearance, in consequence of the sale of the bark also, has been used in building the navy, and the consequence, according to Mr. Burridge, has been dreadful. He asserts, that of 1040 vessels belonging to the British government in 1814, 969 have been destroyed by the dry-rot; so that only 71 of the old stock of the navy has survived the short space of ten years. Sir T. B. Martin denies the fact, and asserts, on the other hand, that the dry rot is cured by saltwater, coal-tar, &c., which, however, we much doubt.

The real fact we believe is, that the interests of the State, and of the Navy Board, are diametrically opposite. The State wishes these ships to last the full time that good timber should do: the Navy Board, that they should have much money passing through their hands, to give employment to their friends and dependents; and, therefore, they care not how soon the ships decay. As there seems no mode of reconciling these separate interests, we are afraid that the clamours of Mr. Burridge will have little effect. The order of nature requires, that nations should run their appointed courses, and that riches should be followed by ruin, as man is born to decay.

THE PRACTICAL SCIENCES.

The Principles of Warming and Ventilating Buildings, &c. By Thomas Tredgold, Civil Engineer.-8vo. pp. 299. 15s. Taylor. THIS volume supplies valuable information on a most important branch of the useful arts; and treats practically, in twelve chapters, on the following subjects, viz:

“1st. On the different modes of distributing heat, economically, for useful purposes, and the advantages and disadvantages of each; more particularly as regards open fires, steam, air heated and discharged from cockles, and by flued stoves.

"2d. On the effects of fuel in generating heat, and the means of measuring it: on the nature and composition of different kinds of coal, and on other fuel; as wood, peat, charcoal, coke, &c.: on all which, important data are collected from the best experiments.

"3d. On steam, as the means of distributing heat, and the qualities of fuel requisite to produce given effects in warming rooms, &c.: the laws of cooling in bodies, ascertained by original experiments; whereon are founded practical rules, of great importance in the economical expenditure of heat, particularly in apportioning the extent of exposed surface of steam-pipes, and the consumption of fuel, to the heating effects required to be produced.

"4th. On ventilation, and the causes of loss of heat: the necessary quantity of ventilation is estimated for preserving rooms pure and fit for respiration, and the different means of procuring such ventilation: the ventilation and loss of heat in hot-houses are investigated, and the causes shewn and estimated, which occasion a greater or less loss of heat the ventilation of hospitals and infirmaries is considered, and the causes developed, which render common modes of airing here ineffectual.

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5th. The construction of boilers for generating steam, their fire-places, chimneys, and apparatus, are considered; and the most economical modes of applying fuel, with a diminished evolution of smoke, by the simplest and most durable mechanism.

“6th. On the apparatus for distributing steam; the form, connection, surfaces, &c., of the pipes and vessels employed, and the best modes of confining heat in mains and conducting pipes.

"7th. Particular applications of the preceding principles, to the practical cases of warming and ventilating dwelling-houses, churches, schools, lecture-rooms, theatres, cotton-mills, and work-rooms. Throughout this and other parts of the work, rules in words, and examples wrought in numbers, are given in the text, for the use of practical persons, who may not be competent to follow the investigations, or to use the algebraical formula in the attached notes.

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