days the non-official element in these Councils was small. The representation of the people has now been carried a long step forward, and in the Legislative Councils of both the provinces of Bengal and Eastern Bengal, the Bengalis find themselves in a minority. being out membered in the on by Beharis and Oriyas, and in the other by the Mohammedans of Eastern Bengal and the inhabitants of Assam. As matters now stand, the Bengalis can never exercise in either province that influence to which they consider themselves entitled by reason of their numbers, wealth and culture. This is a substantial grievance which will be all the more keenly left in the course of time, as the representative character of the Legislative Councils increases and with it the influence which these Assemblies exercise upon the conduct of Public affairs. There is therefore only too much reason to fear that, instead of dying down, the bitterness of feeling will become more and more acute.
14. It has frequently been alleged in the press that the Partition is the root cause of all recent troubles in India. The growth of political unrest in other parts of the country and notably in the Dacca before the Partition of Bengal took place disproves that assertion and we need not ascribe to the Partition evils which have not obviously flawed from it. It is certain, however, that it is, in part at any rate, responsible Jar the growing estrangement which has now unfortunately assumed a very serious character in many parts of the country between Mohammedans and Hindus. We are not without hope that a modification of the Partition, which we now propose, will, in same degree at any rate. alleviate this most regrettable antagonism.
15. To sum up, the results anticipated from the partition have not been altogether relished, and the scheme, as designed and executed, could only be justified by success. Although much good work has been done in Eastern Bengal and Assam and the Mohammedans of that Province have reaped the benefit of a sympathetic administration closely in touch with them, those advanta have been in a great measure counterbalanced by the, via lent hostility which the Partition has aroused amongst the Bengalis. For the reasons we have already indicated we feel bound to admit that the Bengalis are laboring under a sense of real injustice which we believe it would tie sound policy to remove without further delay. The Durbar of December next affords a unique occasion for rectifying what is regarded by Bengalis as a grievous wrong.
16. Anxious as we are to take Bengali feeling into account we cannot overrate the importance of consulting at the sometimes the interests and sentiments of the Mohammedans of Eastern Bengal. It must be remembered that the Mohammedans of Eastern Bengal have at present an overwhelming majority in point of population and that if the Bengali speaking divisions were amalgamated on the lines suggested in our schemes, the Mohammedans would still be in a position of approximate numerical equality with, or possibly of small superiority aver the Hindus. The future province of Bengal, more over will be a compact territory of quite moderate extent. The Governorin- Council will have ample time and opportunity to study the needs of the various communities committed to his charge. Unlike his predecessors, he will have a great advantage in that he will find ready to hand at Dacca a see and capital with all the conveniences of ordinary provincial headquarters. He will reside there from time to time, just as the Lieutenant-Governor of the United Provinces, frequently resides in Lucknow. and he
