practically nothing else—­though perhaps no other indictment of the Government during the whole session was more successfully refuted, both by the official spokesman, Mr. Lyon, and by other Indian members.  Apart, however, from any such deliberate unfairness, the communication of speeches in advance to the Press should be strenuously discountenanced.  Many official members showed that they could perfectly well dispense with the doubtful advantage of knowing beforehand exactly what their critics were going to say, and, if once this practice is stopped, newspapers, relieved from the temptation of giving undue preference to easy “copy,” will learn to cultivate and to rely upon more legitimate methods of reporting.  It is to be hoped also that the Gazette of India, which publishes the official verbatim reports, will not in future lag so far behind the actual proceedings.

All these are minor points.  The dominant feature of the Session was that in spite of wide divergences of views, the proceedings were generally dignified, sometimes even to the verge of dulness, and with one or two exceptions they were marked by good feeling on all sides.  It would be unfair not to give to Mr. Gokhale his full share of credit for this happy result.  Though often an unrelenting critic of the Administration, he struck from the first a note of studied moderation and restraint to which most of his political friends attuned their utterances.  He naturally assumed the functions of the leader of his Majesty’s Opposition, and he discharged them, not only with the ability which every one expected of him, but with the urbanity and self-restraint of a man conscious of his responsibilities as well as of his powers.  His was, amongst the Indian members, not only the master mind, but the dominant personality.  The European members, on the other hand, showed themselves invariably courteous and good-tempered, and not a few awkward corners were turned by a little good-humoured banter.  Nor was it unusual to see the Englishman come and sit down by the side of the Indian member to whose indictment he had just been replying, and in friendly conversation take all personal sting out of the controversy.  As Lord Minto aptly put it, the Council-room “has brought people together.  Official and non-official members have met each other.  The official wall which of necessity to some extent separated them has been broken down.  They have talked over many things together.”  From this point of view, if future sessions fulfil the promise of the first one, the Imperial Council may grow into a potent instrument for good.