Mr. Brodrick's proposal to charge Indi with part of the cost of the 25,000 British: troops it is proposed to keep in South Africa has raised a storm of indignant protest. The natives of course protest because they think it may lead to further taxation, and some (not so few as is sometimes supposed) fear the added strength the comparatively near presence of so large a force would give to our hold over India. For, after all, we this vast country with a paltry,000 white troops, and what are the'
390 millions? What indeed would double that number be? One would be inc ined to say, had there been no India Mutiny, mere feather on the wind. But though we are now strange) India than we have ever been before, it doubtful whether we should come out of another such crisis with flying colours. We have too many telegraph wires and newspaper reporters and too many what may be called Pro-Boers at home to put down another rising successfully. We have we would be severe, Exeter Hall steps in and hods us up to execration, "But, after all, why should there be all this discussion and fass? Does anybody suppose that England holds India out of pure philanthropy! We want some return for the blood that has been spilt, the capital wk and the labour expended. But English statesmen delight to appear tobe disinterested suints so, suppose, we must put up with these white lies and heated arguments which surge around the Indian Secretary like surf round a granite rock, and which affect him rather less.
Of Lesser Moment and Greater.
There is utile of interest yoing on; there have been some accidents at polo and some sudden deaths from cholera and enteric. The local legislative bodies have been busy and the Viceroy's Council has not been idle, but these details will scarcely interest residents in China. I will therefore not weary you with them but will now close on is progressing satisiuetorily in these this letter, mentioning that the mon-
rts, though in the north west there has veen very little rain as yet. Still the cropa are geod in most parts vind prices low, which forchoiles a good year.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.