fluential criminal escape his
just doom, to think that even the best magistrates many years ago had
to submit to similar painful experiences. India cannot truly be
described as an uncivilized or barbarous country, but, side by side
with elements of the highest civilization, it contains many elements
of primitive and savage barbarism. The savagery of India cannot be
dealt with by barristers or moral text-books.

15. The number of subordinate magistrates, paid and unpaid, has of
late years been enormously increased, and courts are, consequently,
much more numerous than they used to be. The vast increase in
facility of communication has also diminished the inconveniences
which the author deplores. In Oudh, and certain other provinces,
which used to be called Non-Regulation, the chief Magistrate of the
District has power to try and adequately punish all offences, except
capital ones. The power is useful, when the district officer has time
to exercise it, which is not always the case.

16. There is a Superintendent of Police for the Province of Bengal;
but in the North-Western Provinces his duties are divided among the
Commissioners of Revenue. [W. H. S.] By 'Superintendent of Police'
the author means the high officer now called the Inspector-General of
Police, under the present System each Local Government or
Administration has one of these officers, who is aided by one or more
staff officers as Assistant-Inspectors-General. The Commissioners in
the United Provinces have been relieved of police duties. The
organization of police stations has been much modified since the
author's time. 'Our Bengal territories', as understood by the author,
included, in addition to Bengal, the 'North-Western Provinces', now
the Province, of Agra, the Saugor and Nerbudda Territories, now in
the Central Provinces, and the Delhi Territories. Oudh, of course,
was then independent; and the Panjab was under the rule of Ranjit
Singh.

17. All these practices are still carried on; and experienced
magistrates are well aware of their existence, though powerless to
stop them. People will often give private information of
malpractices, but will hardly ever come into court, and speak out
openly. A magistrate cannot take action on statements which the
makers will not submit to cross-examination.

18. This is still a favourite trick. Every year Inspectors-General of
Police and Secretaries to Government make the same sarcastic remarks
about the wonderf