"If your Civil Courts should come to be cleared of the complicated difficulties, expenses and delays which now beset them, and a simpler, cheaper and more effective form of administering justice be at length promised to your wearied expectation, you may perhaps call to mind that I have never failed here or in England to contend for this great amelioration, that I have borne no inconsiderable share in the discussions regarding it, and that I have myself commenced the introduction of such reforms in places where I had the power to act on my own authority and was free to follow my own convictions.

"If again, among many other such instances to which I will not weary you by alluding, the law of landlord and tenant is at last about to assume a juster and healthier aspect than it has ever done since the days of the Permanent Settlement, it will be known at some future time, that I first gave the impulse, which has led, under Mr. Currie's admirable management, to the recent valuable enactment, and that, if the raiyat, after long years of hopeless oppression, has now a prospect of coming freedom and independence, he owes that prospect in some degree to my exertions.

"I cannot look at the names appended to this address without observ. ing that they are those of men, who, at a season of difficulty and disaster when many fell away from their allegiance, remained eminently, constantly and honorably faithful to the British Crown and Dominion, and, by that constancy, exhibited in positions of influence and authority, largely helped to maintain a whole territory loyal and faithful in the midst of doubt, panic and danger. Thus have you shown far more forcibly than could be expressed by any words your contentment with the Government under which you live, and thus have you taught me to value your approbation, as of men who, when they applaud the acts of those in authority over them, have proved in practice that their appreciation is real and effective.

"You may be assured that the deep interest I have ever felt for this country will not depart from my mind when I quit its shores and that, whatever may be my future lot in life, I shall never cease to think with affectionate remembrance of those who, for so many years, were to me as fellow-countrymen; and shall omit no opportunity that may be offered me of promoting by speech or action their true welfare and prosperity."

Sir F. Halliday was a musician of unusual capacity as an amateur, and used to perform on the Contra Basso. Sir F. Halliday as musician. He gave several concerts at Belvedere,and performed at them himself. He kept up the practice of his favourite instrument

after he had retired to England, and his great stature made him a conspicuous figure in many an orchestra at the Crystal Palace and elsewhere. An old Calcutta newspaper in a review of "Court Life in India" contained the following passage, which may be quoted, notwithstanding its style :-"These were the days (1854-59) when Frederick Halliday was King of Bengal, and ruled and kept a court that reminded people of what they had read of that good old King René of Provence. Sir Frederick was a devoted lover of music, and himself an accomplished instrumentalist. "Big-fiddle" was the polite term by which the Englishman used to designate him, and on that instrument he assuredly had few amateur equals. The concert nights at Belvedere were a great treat. Sir Frederick had got together a powerful orchestra, composed of Secretaries, UnderSecretaries, Members of the Board, clerks, brokers, organists &c., who rendered the music of the masters in a style that would not have disgraced the best genius a conservatoire has ever turned out." It so happened that there was at that time a remarkable wealth of musical talent in Calcutta, which met with encouragement at Belvedere.

Before relinquishing charge of the Lieutenant-Governorship to

Retirement.

K. C. B.

Secretary of State's Council.

his successor on the 1st May 1859, Sir F. Halliday had received the thanks of both Houses of Parlia

ment for the energy, resolution, and administrative ability which he displayed as Lieutenant-Governor during the mutiny. He was created a (Civil) Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in May 1860 for his services to the State. He was appointed a Member of the Council of the Secretary of State for India on the 30th September 1868, and held the position until the 31st December 1886. As he was appointed Member of Council under the Statute (21 and 22 Vic. c. 106) of 1858 'during good behaviour,' his appointment did not come under the operation of the Statute (32 and 33 Vic. c. 97) of 1869, which limited the tenure of that office ordinarily to 10 years, with a possibility of reappointment 'for special reasons of public advantage' for a further term of 5 years.

Sir F. Halliday married in 1838 Eliza, daughter of General Paul Macgregor, E. I. c. S., (she died 1886), and had a numerous family. Their eldest son was Frederick Mytton Halliday, of the

Bengal Civil Service from 1886 to 1891, Commissioner of Patna, Member of the Board of Revenue and of the Governor-General's Legislative Council.

While these volumes were in preparation in 1900, I had the privilege of meeting Sir F. Halliday, then in his 94th year, and to no one have I been more indebted for sound advice and kindly encouragement. With his faculties and memory unimpaired by age, and with his unique experience, no one person could have a greater knowledge of the history of Bengal, as a whole, than the first. Lieutenant-Governor.

APPENDIX.*

THE MUTINIES AS THEY AFFECTED THE LOWER
PROVINCES UNDER THE GOVERNMENT

OF BENGAL, 1858.

DURING the progress of the late mutinies, and the all-engrossing events which have characterised their progress in Upper and Central India, it is not unnatural that the provinces of Bengal and Bihar, which have been comparatively less disturbed, should have attracted less notice.

It cannot, however, be supposed that these great provinces, connected in so many ways with the more disturbed districts, inhabited partly by a people cognate in manners, language, sympathies, and race with those of the North-Western Provinces-partly by tribes of ignorant and unenlightened savages, and everywhere, to some extent, occupied by portions of that army whose mutiny is at least the proximate cause of these disturbances, can have altogether escaped the.wide-spread contagion.

Accordingly, it will be found that they have been the theatre of events similar in character, if not in importance and degree, to those which have convulsed the Upper and Central Provinces.

The Province of Bihar has been most seriously and universally affected-the district of Shahabad was in some parts overrun by Koer Singh and the mutineers from Dinapore immediately after the outbreak at that station, and even then became the arena of more than one sanguinary combat, and of a most serious and disastrous repulse ;—whilst the station of Arrah, with its jail broken open, its convicts released, and its treasury plundered, was the scene of a defence and a relief which will bear comparison with any of the achievements called forth by the rebellion. Nor was this unhappy district to escape further troubles. After a period of comparative tranquillity, Koer Singh, defeated at Azimghar, himself wounded and dying, again crossed into Shahabad with what then seemed a broken and dispirited band of followers, without guns and with little ammunition; but again, under the influence of an almost unaccountable panic, was a British detachment to suffer a disastrous repulse with the loss of guns and ammunition. And though these guns have since been recovered, though the rebel's force has been beaten with severe loss wherever it has been

* See page 42.

encountered, yet reinforced not only from across the Ganges, but from the discontented sepoy population of the district itself-hopeless of ultimate success, and thereby rendered more desperate-aided by its position in a dense jungle and by the more than usual heat of the sun, and under the leadership of the bold and determined rebel Ummer Singh — it has hitherto held its ground and resisted all attempts at dislodgement. The three districts-Champaran, Saran and Tirhut-have all been more or less affected by the prevailing disturbances. In the first-named district took place the mutiny of Holmes' Cavalry, attended with more than ordinary circumstances of barbarous treachery. The whole of the three stations were temporarily abandoned, whilst they were long seriously threatened by the occupation of Gorakpur under the usurping chaklidar, Muhammad Hussain.

Tirhut also was at one time further menaced by the mutinous sawars from Jalpaiguri.

In these districts too, as in Shahabad, great uneasiness has been caused by the late successes of the rebels, and in Saran much mischief has been done by roving bands of plunderers, of which, however, the district is now free. In the district of Patna, the city itself in close proximity to the mutineers of Dinapore, was long a ground of apprehension, and subsequently the scene of a serious riot attended with loss of life.

Gaya, in the district of Bihar, was, during the first outbreak, twice abandoned and once temporarily occupied by the rebels-the jail twice broken open, and the prisoners set at liberty, the treasure (a large amount) having been previously removed by the prompt energy of the Collector.

Again, during the second outbreak, was the jail for a third time broken open, and great part of the district ravaged and plundered, till the rebel bands were completely broken and dispersed by Captain Rattray and a part of his Battalion.

In the Division of Bhagalpur and the Sonthal Parganas, two separate mutinies occurred, the latter accompanied by savage murders.

The district of Purnea and the station itself were threatened by the Jalpaiguri and Dacca mutineers, but saved by the boldness, promptitude and energy of the Commissioner, aided by the gallantry of a band of Volunteers, together with 50 of Her Majesty's 5th. Fusiliers, and, 100 seamen sent to their assistance, when it became apparent that no military aid could be expected from the Supreme Government.

In Chota Nagpur the Ramghar Battalion mutinied, various stations were abandoned, the prisoners were released, the treasuries plundered, and, as might naturally be expected, the savage and ignorant inhabitants