OCCASIONAL NOTE

It is difficult to believe that the PanGermans can be anything but a small minority of the dwellers in Hunland today. If they had won the war which they precipitated, Germany would doubtless have fed out of their hand, but as they have lost it, and a good deal more into the bargain, their stock must inevitably be at a large discount. Judging from Reuter’s messages they are still extremely vocal, but that in itself proves nothing, unless it be that republican Germany is somewhat more tolerant than in the days of “Deutschland ueber Alles.” The frog is a small animal, but a few frogs can drown an ordinary conversation. The Pan-Germans, however, have done Wilhelm Hohenzollern an exceedingly bad turn by dragging his name into notice at the present juncture. The suggestion that this cowardly criminal may “stand before them in all his splendour” is calculated to give a great impulse to the demand that he be brought to justice without any further delay. It is always a mistake to make play with the names of deposed monarchs. The execution of Louis XVI – an honest, decent man whose career bore no resemblance to Hohenzollern’s – was hastened by the threats of Prussia and her allies to sack Paris if the Revolutionists ventured to lay violent hands on him. “The tyrants of the earth have united against us,” exclaimed Danton in the Convention, referring to this challenge. “We hurl at their feet, as our gage of battle, the head of a king.”

BIHAR LANDHOLDERS ASSOCIATION

The annual meeting of the Bihar Landholders’ Association was held at Darbhanga House, Patna, under the presidentship of the Maharaja of Darbhanga. There was a large attendance, prominent among those present being the Maharaja of Hathwa, the Maharaja Kumar of Gidhaur, the Kumar of Ranka, Babu Ganeshdat Singha, the Kumars of Manjhiharji and Babu Ramgopal Sinha Choud. The President moved a resolution conveying most respectful congratulations to His Imperial Majesty on the signing of Peace. In the course of his Presidential address the Maharaja of Darbhanga said that the claims of landholders had been neglected in the Reform proposals, and Behar had been given scanty representation. He urged the Home Government to rectify the wrong done to the landholders by the Southborough Committee. At the end of the proceedings the Maharaja Bahadur led the audience to the temple of Kali, where prayers were offered to the goddess on the conclusion of peace for the prosperity of the British Empire and the longevity of the KingEmperor.

IRRIGATION IN INDIA

A highly interesting review of irrigation in India during 1917-18 has been published by the Government of India today. It shows that during the year under review the total area irrigated by all classes of works in India, excluding areas irrigated in Native States, amounted to nearly 26 million acres, or about 40,625 square miles. Towards this area productive works contributed 16,922,000 acres, protective works 497,000 acres and minor works 8,477,000 acres. The area irrigated by productive works was greatest in the Punjab, where over 7 and half million acres were recorded. Madras Presidency came next with an area of 3 and half million acres, while in the United Provinces and Sind the areas irrigated by productive canals amounted to 2,871,000 acres and 1,364,000 acres, respectively.

CROWDED UNIVERSITIES IN ENGLAND

The Government of India have learnt from the Secretary of State that many Indian students are now proceeding to the United Kingdom for the purpose of prosecuting their studies at British Universities without first securing their admission, and that they are most likely to meet with disappointment as Universities in that country are at present being overcrowded by men demobilised from the ar my. Moreover, lodgings have become very expensive and exceedingly difficult to obtain. The Government of India therefore desire to warn all students intending to proceed to the United Kingdom, and especially those who wish to study medicine, engineering or agriculture, that in order to avoid disappointment they should in all cases make sure of being admitted to the institution they may desire to join before leaving this country