hor calls 'farmers' have
gradually become fall proprietors, subject to the Government lien on
the land and its produce for the land revenue. For many years past
the ancient custom of joint ownership and collective responsibility
has been losing ground. Partitions are now continually demanded, and
every year collective responsibility is becoming more unpopular and
more difficult to enforce.

11. This judgement, I need hardly say, would not be accepted in
Madras or Bombay. The issue raised is too large for discussion in
footnotes.

12. The advantages of very long terms of settlements are obvious; the
disadvantages, though equally real, are less obvious. Fluctuations in
prices, and above all, in the price of silver, are among the many
conditions which complicate the question. Except the Bengal
landowners, most people now admit that the Permanent Settlement of
Bengal in 1793 was a grievous mistake. It is also admitted that the
mistake is irrevocable.

13. These two suggestions of the author that the law of primogeniture
should be established to regulate the succession to ordinary estates,
and that it should be abolished in the case of chieftainships, where
it already prevails, are obviously open to criticism. It seems
sufficient to say that both recommendations are, for many reasons,
altogether impracticable. In passing, I may note that the term
'feudal' does not express with any approach to correctness the
relation of the Native States to the Government of India.

14. The evils described in this paragraph, though diminished, have
not disappeared. Nevertheless, no one would now seriously propose the
deliberate supersession of the existing aristocracy by rich merchants
and manufacturers. The proposal is too fanciful for discussion.
During the long period of peace merchants and manufacturers have
naturally risen to a position much more prominent than they occupied
in the author's time.

CHAPTER 73

Meerut--Anglo-Indian Society.

Meerut is a large station for military and civil establishments; it
is the residence of a civil commissioner, a judge, a magistrate, a
collector of land revenue, and all their assistants and
establishments. There are the Major-General commanding the division;
the Brigadier commanding the station; four troops of horse and a
company of foot artillery; one regiment of European cavalry, one of
European infantry, one of native cavalry, and three of native
infantry.[1] It is justly consid