INDIA, BRITISH, is the name given to those parts of Hither and Further India placed under the administration of the viceroy or governor-general of India. It does not include Ceylon, which, although a British possession, has its government entirely separate from that of Hindustan; but it extends along the eastern coast of the bay of Bengal to 10° s. lat., and thus includes part of Further India or Indo-China.
The following are the returns of the census of 1868-72, subsequently revised and cor rected: an act of parliament, which received the royal assent Aug. 2, 1858, queen Victoria was declared sovereign of India, and various regulations were enacted for the better government of the country. In 1877, by act of parliament, the queen formally assumed the title empress of India. The home-government of India is vested in a secre tary of state, who is a member of the English cabinet. He is assisted by an under-secre tary and a council of fifteen members. The Indian executive government is administered by the viceroy or governor-general appointed by the crown, and acting under the control of the secretary of state for India. The viceroy is appointed by the crown for a term of six years, and is assisted by a council of five ordinary members, three appointed by the secretary of state, two by her majesty's warrant. Each of them has charge of a depart ment of the executive. The commander-in-chief may be constituted an extraordinary member of the council. The legislative council is composed of the members of the executive, together with twelve members, one half of whom must be unconnected with the public service. They are nominated for two years by the viceroy. British India is now divided into the provinces mentioned in the preceding table. It was formerly divided into the three presidencies of Bengal, Madras, and Bombay; and in ordinary language, and even in official documents, the name of presidency is still given to the provinces of Madras and Bombay. As regards military matters, the old threefold division may be said tai subsist, but it must be kept in mind that British India is now divided into the four territories under the governor-general, and the nine provinces, enumerated in the preced ing table, and that each has its own civil government, and is independent of the others. The two governments of Madras and Bombay are under the rule of governors apppointed by the crown, and assisted by executive and legislative emu ells. They communicate only
with regard to important matters with the home government through the governor general. As regards affairs of minor importance, they correspond directly with the secretary of state for India, The Lower Provinces of Bengal, the North-west Provinces, and the Punjab hre administered by lieutennut-geoternors :appointed by the governor genera], subject to the approbation of the secretary of state for India. Iu Bengal, the lieutenant-governor is assisted by a legislative council. Gude, Assam, the Central Prov inces, and British Burmah are governed by chief-commissioners appointed by the Indian government. Ajmere was separated from the government of the North-west Provinces in 1871, and placed under the direct control of the governor-general. Berar, also known under the name of the assigned districts of Hyderabad, Mysore, and Coorg, are adminis tered by commissioners appointed by the governor-general. All the governments of India are split into provinces, over each of which a commissioner is placed, and these are in turn divided into districts under a judge and collector. The provinces are distinguished into regulation and non-regulation provinces. In the former the revenue is collected and justice is administered according to fixed methods. In the latter, power is reserved by legislative enactment to modify these as occasion requires. Resident political agents are appointed by the British government at the courts of the native princes. The Covenanted Civil Service is composed of Europeans who conduct the general administration in the Indian provinces. Since 1854 the members have been recruited from the successful can didates at competitive examinations instituted for the purpose, held in London. The Uneovenanted Civil Service, appointments to which are made by the authorities in India, is composed of Europeans, Eurasians (the class sprung from native mothers by European fathers), and natives. Municipalities. in India were first created for the three presidency towns, and it was not till 1850, 1830, and 1868, that acts were passed under which a large number of Indian towns have obtained municipal institutions, which are gradually dif fusing the habit of self:government over the whole country.