Captain Taylor, though of high Tory connections, does not own the soft impencha ment of Toryism, or even Conservatism, which is ultra-Toryism in disguise. His politico-economical views, in so far as these may be gathered from some of his controversial letters in the public journals, seem sound, and the result of investigation and reflection, but we cannot say so much of his merely political views; for we recollect one of his reviews, of a work on America, in which, sitting in the critic's chair, he decided ex cathedra against her institutions, as many have done before and since, who seemed to us to be equally uninformed on the subject. He exclaims, in a tone of exultation, " property, not number, should surely be the qualification for power." With all submission, the qualification for power neither should be nor even can be exclusively either the one or the other -the qualification should be moral and intellectual fitness; but Capt. Taylor means that property, not number, should have the right to determine fitness. This is begging the question with a witness! Property had it all its own way till the period of the Reform Bill, but then Number caused its voice to be heard, and there was an end to this complacent begging of the question. The opinion that property only should be represented, has long been a favorite dogma of Toryism ; but Captain Taylor is not a Tory! Again, he considers the American representatives slaves, because they obey the wishes of their constituents,-because, in fact, they actually do represent those who elect them and not themselves. It is very fine to declaim, with the "Conservative Burke", with a sort of Corolianean contempt for the people, and a most lofty exaltation of the independence of the representative; but the doctrine-right or wrong, is a Tory doctrine, and this independence of the representatives, a mockery of all representation. We merely refer to these examples, as illustrating an opinion we have been led to form, from Captain Taylor's writings, that he is not very decided in his political opinions. He may be supposed to have imbibed Tory principles in his boyish days, and seems still to have a leaning to them, though he disavows them.

On revient toujours a ses premiéres amours.

Whatever be Captain Taylor's political views, however, he is, and always has been, a warm advocate of the liberty of the Press, for which at least every friend of freedom, of whatever party, is bound to respect him.

In private society Captain Taylor is an amiable, intelligent and lively companion, though sometimes exhibiting in his conversation, too much empressement, which betrays him into something like dogmatizing, and leads occasionally to an unfavorable estimate of the actual calibre of his mind. He has great talent for business, is a friend to literature and art, and is, therefore, in every respect, an acquisition to the social circle of the Presidency. We sincerely wish him success in the pursuit to which he is now devoted.

The New Post Office Arrangements.

Prior to 1837, the Post Office departments of the three Presidencies were conducted upon as many entirely different systems, each having its own rates of postage, regulations, &c., without any reference whatever to those which existed elsewhere. In that year, on the reports of the Customs and Post Office Committee, these different systems, with their several anomalies, discrepancies, &c., were swept away, and one law and one set of rules, establishing uniformity throughout India, took effect from the 1st of October 1837. A revised schedule of establishments was also sanctioned from January 1833. The general benefit that resulted from these measures was very great; but that good was not unalloyed with evil. Some of the new arrangements had been formed too hastily, and in others, materiál points had been overlooked. Prior to the above period, moreover, private and mahajunee posts had existed in several parts of India, but more particularly in Upper Hindostan. By Act XVII. 1837, these posts were declared illegal, unless when specially licensed by the Governor-General, and they were directed to be forthwith suppressed. These orders were in some districts rigorously enforced. In others, they were allowed to remain nearly a dead letter, for the local authorities, well knew that a rigorous and sudden enforcement of the Act would cause great mischief. It was at that period that Lord Auckland left Calcutta for Upper India, and no sooner had he reached Mirzapore, than he was assailed from all quarters with arguments, protests, and complaints against several provisions of the new law, the high rates of postage, the abolition of private posts, the want of communications with many marts and large towns, &c. Similar complaints, both loud and long, met his Lordship at every step throughout his tour, and it was evident that in order to adjust matters satisfactorily, some person must be specially deputed to ascertain the real extent of grievance, and to devise the best means of remedying the same. Captain T. J. Taylor, the late Secretary to the Customs and Post Office Committee, who had long taken an interest in Post Office affairs, and who had been at some pains to make himself acquainted with the subject, was deputed for this purpose in June last. He quitted Calcutta on the 17th July, and after having visited a large portion of Upper India and preferred the necessary enquiries in all quarters, he submitted to the Governor-General at Delhi, the following memorandum and report, containing a summary of information collected, as also a scheme for reform, preparatory to his resigning his employment and retiring from the Honorable Company's service. These documents will speak for themselves, and we therefore submit them here without further preface.-ED.

MEMORANDUM

PRESENTED TO THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL BY CAPTAIN TAYLOR.

1. In conformity with instructions communicated to me yesterday, through the Private Secretary, the accompanying Summary is submitted, showing the objects to which my recent enquiries have tended, and the general principles on which my several recommendations have been submitted, together with a brief abstract of such recommendations.

2. The first principle that has actuated me throughout my late tour, has been the welfare and convenience of the native community in respect to post matters, which, if I rightly comprehended the views and wishes of the Right Hon'ble the Governor-General of India, it was the especial object of my deputation to enquire after and provide for. In all previous post arrangements, that had from time to time been carried into effect in Upper India, far more attention had been accorded to the interest of public officers and of Europeans generally, than to those of natives. So long, however, as mahajunee posts existed, by which letters could be forwarded at charges so much more proportioned to native means than were avilable from the British post, this exclusive consideration, accorded to European wants, produced comparatively little inconvenience to the native community. It is true that their wants were alike unknown and uncared for; but then the indulgence of a private post made up for the insufficiency of the Government establishment. When, however, Act XVII. of 1837 came into effect, and these mahajunee posts were thus declared illegal, the insufficiency of existing Government establishments became at once apparent. At many large marts and towns, no means whatever of communicating existed; and at others the post communications were conducted with reference to military or political wants, rather than with regard to lines of trade. In some cases, moreover, alterations and reductions, the offspring of an ill-judged economy or of profound ignorance, had led to serious inconvenience to the mercantile community, no less than to the public service. To remedy these evils my best attention has been directed.

3. My enquiries have been two fold, first, to satisfy myself of the mode in which business was conducted in each office I visited, and of the alterations in system, or the additions to establishments required to render such offices efficient for the work actually to be performed. Secondly, by communicating with public officers or private individuals, especially natives, to learn what new Post Offices or new post routes were required, with reference chiefly to mercantile convenience, in order to provide for the vacuum created by removal of native posts; and to consult native convenience at large cities, by providing receiving-houses, when the Suddur Post Office was at an inconvenient distance.

4. I pass by my proceedings in Bengal as separate from the present memorandum. My route in these provinces from Ghazeepoor and Benares upwards, has been by land. I have visited in person Chunar and Mirzapore, and every Post Office in the Dooab, from Allahabad to Mussooree, except the comparatively unimportant offices of Bolundshuhur and Etawah. In Bundlecund, I have visited Banda, Hameerpoor and Calpec. In Oude, Lucknow; and to the west of the

Jumna, I have inspected the offices of Agra, Gwalior, Mattra, Delhi, Paniput and Kurnaul, and I have besides visited a great many marts and large towns, at which it seemed probable from public report, that Post Offices might be required.

5. The provinces yet to be reported upon, by whoever may succeed me, are the whole of Rohilcund, the greater portion of Oude, the provinces of Jaunpore, Azimghur and Goruckpore, the Saugor and Nerbudda territories, the offices of the Nagpore, Bhopal and Indore States, South-western Bundlecund, the Western portions of Delhi, the Seik States, Simla, Loodiana and Umballa, and the whole of the vast Provinces of Malwa and Rajpootana.

6. The propositions I have submitted from time to time, have embraced the following New Post and Post Offices.*

7. The foregoing propositions contain the chief results of my late tour, so far as the public are concerned. They will speak for themselves, as their objects and advantages will readily appear by reference to the map. The general rates of postage, the regulating of district posts, are discussed in my report now copying, and on these points I shall, therefore, be silent in this memorandum, beyond the fact that I contemplate a very large reduction in existing rates, in order to bring our post arrangements within the means of the great bulk of the people, and with a view to augment our Revenue Departmental arrangements; and matters of mere improved interior economy, require no notice here. It, therefore, only remains for me to explain the principle, on which the recommendations above noticed have been proposed, and which principles should, I think, continue to regulate the further enquiries that may be resolved on by Government.

8. I hold it essential to the interests of Government, that no Native post (save district posts, to be regulated by special rules, as explained in my report) should be permitted within the British territories; for conveyance of private letters, whether directly or indirectly.

9. I hold it equally essential that the public shall not suffer by the Government monopoly, but that it is the bounden duty of the latter to search out and provide for the public wants in respect to post arrangements; so that the lines, formerly occupied by mahajunee posts, may now be occupied by Government posts; and post offices be established at those marts and places, that were provided with post communication under the former system; that efficiency and public convenience should be the primary object of such enquiry; and that it is not a necessary preliminary, in recommending new posts, to ascertain that their charge will be entirely covered by their receipts.

10. It is not always by the amount of its collections that the value of a post or a Post Office can be tested. It may be valuable from the increased collections it causes, or from the shortened time occupied by packets in transit. †

• See Appendix. A

+ In illustration of the first, witness Agra, which, by its Bank and Press, throws a revenue of 1,000 rupees a month into other offices-all letters of those institutions being sent" bearing,” all let

11. It is, moreover, but fair to the public, that a large department should take the rough with the smooth, and should set off against the large receipts of some routes well frequented, the minor receipts of others, in consideration of the general benefits resulting from enlarged communication and general efficiency. A sordid calculation of mere pounds, shillings, and pence-a system of balancing every suggestion for the public weal, against its exact cost-is, I am confident, mistaken policy in post matters. We must consider both general wants and particular wants, and look for our return to the general results of the Post Office department, rather than to particular receipts of any specified office. Liberality in post matters is assuredly sound policy; for the post, perhaps more generally than any other Institution of State, affects the well-being of thousands, and aids the revenue in many ways independent of its direct receipts.. How much do the first elements of trade, the regulating of supplies to demands, depend on an extended and efficient post!

12. As respects our own districts, it is obvious that posts are urgently required at all the great marts established throughout the Provinces. These I have endeavoured to supply in districts I have visited; but it is probable that several additional offices may yet be required in those districts, should the existing postage be reduced to a standard more suited to public wants and means. At every place where there is really a demand for a Post Office, and at which there are reasonable grounds to believe that the receipts will well nigh cover the charge, such office should be forthwith established. If it does not pay entirely at first, it probably will hereafter, when its utility has been proved by practice.

13. In respect to provinces beyond the Company's territories, such as Onde, Rajpootana, &c., it does not seem to me either necessary or expedient to meddle with internal intercommunication. This is probably best left at present to their own posts; but to the great marts of those provinces, which have transactions with our territories in hoondees and in trade, it seems proper that our post arrangements should be extended.

14. This might be effected in two ways; first, by the usual method of establishing our own offices aud post lines; or, secondly, by contracting with some of the Mahajunee Post Masters, for a certain specified monthly payment, to convey from our offices at Jeypore, Ajmere, Kotah, Neemuch, &c., packets brought by our post, addressed to other points specified, such as Tonk, Jalna-Patun, Alwur, Banswara, Beekaneer, Chooroo, Joudhpoor, &c., and to ensure their careful delivery, and in return, to bring to our offices, letters from the interior for despatch to our provinces.

15. The same principle might perhaps be also adopted in respect to letters connected with Umritsur or Lahore.

16. In respect to large towns belonging to Native States already situated on our post roads, such as Boondee, Chittore, Shahabad, it would probably be best

ters to them being received" paid". For the second, take the new posts from Rewarree to Jeypore, or from Khasgung to Futtyghur, by either of which the time in transit is reduced to one third of the time formerly occupied.