THE PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.
INDIA and its dependencies had in 1891 a population of 287,223,431, of which 66,050,479 are in the feudatory or native States. They are divided religiously according to the census of 1891 as follows: Hindus, 207,731,727; Sikhs, 1,907,833; Jains, 1,416,638; Buddhists, 7,131,361; Parsees, 89,904; Mohammedans, 57,321,164; Christians, 2,284,380; Jews, 17,194; Animistic, 9,280,467; others, not classified, 42,762. The official returns divided the "Christians" as follows: Roman Catholics, 1,315,263; Church of England, 302,430; Presbyterians, 40,407; Dissenters, 296,938; other Protestants, 63,967; Syrians, Armenians, and Greeks, 201,684. The people of India, divided according to languages or dialects, give the following: Hindi, 85,670,000; Bengali, 41,340,000; Telugu, 19,880,000; Punjabi, 17,720,000; Tamil, 15,230,000; Gujarati, 10,620,000; Kanarese, 9,750,000; Uriya, 9,010,000; Burmese, 5,930,000; Malayalam, 5,430,000; Urdu, 3,670,000; Sindhi, 2,590,000; Santali, 1,710,000; W. Pahari, 1,520,000; Assamese, 1,430,000; Gondi, 1,380,000; Central Pahari, 1,150,000; Marwadi, 1,440,000; Pushtu, 1,080,000; Karen, 670,000; Kol, 650,000; Tulu, 490,000; Kachhi, 440,000; Gypsy, 400,000; Oraon, 370,000; Kond, 320,000; English, 238,499. India is administratively divided into British territory and native, or feudatory, States, the former being under the direct control of British officials; the latter are governed by the native princes, ministers, or councils, with the help and under the advice of a resident or agent, in political charge either of a single State or group of States; but the chiefs have no right to make war or peace, or to send ambassadors to each other or to external States; they are not permitted to maintain a military force above a certain specified limit; no European is allowed to reside at any of their courts without special sanction, and the British Government can exercise the right of dethronement in case of misgovernment. The executive authority over India is vested in a governor general, commonly, but not officially, styled viceroy, appointed by the British Government, and acting under the orders of the secretary of State for India. The Marquis of Lansdowne was the governor general from December 11, 1888, until January, 1894, when he was succeeded by the Earl of Elgin.—Gospel in All Lands.