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After dinner Lady D'Oyley took me round the only drive which is at this time of year practicable, being, though of a smaller extent, much such a green as the race-ground at Barrackpoor. We passed a high building, shaped something like a glass-house, with a stair winding round its outside. up to the top, like the old prints of the Tower of Babel. It was built as a granary for the district, in pursuance of a plan adopted about 35 years ago by Government, after a great famine, as a means of keeping down the price of grain, but abandoned on a supposed discovery of its inefficacy, since no means in their hands, nor any buildings which they could construct, without laying on fresh taxes, would have been sufficient to collect or contain more than one day's provision for the vast population of their territories. It is not only in a time of famine, that in a country like India, the benefit of public granaries would be felt. These would of course be filled by the agents of the Company in those years and those seasons when grain was cheapest, and when the cultivator was likely to be ruined by the impossibility of obtaining a remunerating price. But the presence of an additional, a steady and a wealthy customer at such times in the market, to the amount of 365 of the whole produce, or even less than that, would raise the price of grain 10 or even 20 per cent, and thus operate as a steady and constant bounty on agriculture, more popular by far, and as I conceive, more efficient than any Corn Law which could be devised. It appears to me, therefore, that a system of such gra

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naries, even on a very moderate scale throughout the Provinces, would not only essentially relieve famine, if it came, but, in some degree, prevent its coming; that it would improve the situation both of Ryut and Zemindar, and make them more able to pay their dues to Government, while, as there is no necessity or advantage (but rather the contrary) that the corn thus hoarded should be given away, the expense to the Company would not be very much more than the first cost and subsequent repair of the buildings, and the wages of the needful agents and labourers. I am well aware of the usual answer, that it is better to leave these things to private competition and speculation, that much of the grain thus collected would be spoiled, and become unfit for use, &c. But the first assumes a fact which in India, I believe, is not correct, that there is either sufficient capital or enterprise to enable or induce individuals to store up corn in the manner contemplated. As for the second, it would obviously be in years of over production, an equal benefit to the cultivator to have a part of his stock purchased and withdrawn from present consumption, even though what was thus purchased were actually burnt, while, though to keep the granaries full of good grain, would of course be more expensive to Government from the perishable nature of the commodity, yet it would be easy so to calculate the selling price as to cover this charge, and avoid the necessity of imposing fresh public burthens. On the whole, therefore, I am inclined to believe, that the measure was a wise one, and well

adapted to the state of India, though it is one, undoubtedly, which could only be carried into effect in peaceable times, and when there was a considerable surplus revenue. I know my dear wife has no objection to this sort of politico-economical discussion, and therefore send it without fearing to tire her. The building which has called it forth is said to have many imperfections, which made it very unfit for its destination. The idea itself, which is to pour the corn in at the top, and take it out through a small door at the bottom, I think a good one. But it is said to be ill-built, and by far too weak to support the weight of its intended contents, while by a refinement in absurdity, the door at the bottom is made to open inwards, and consequently when the granary was full, could never have been opened at all. It is now occasionally used as a powder magazine, but is at this moment quite empty, and only visited sometimes for the sake of its echo, which is very favourable to performances on the flute or bugle. Underneath its walls I had a good deal of conversation with Padre Giulio, who speaks French, though not well, yet fluently. He is thoroughly a man of the world, smooth, insinuating, addicted to paying compliments, and from his various accomplishments an acceptable guest at all English houses where French or Italian are understood. He spoke with great affection of Martyn, who thought well of him, and almost hoped that he had converted him from Popery.

He was apparently pleased with the notice which I paid him, and I certainly was much amused and