submitting a case for orders. The departmental
Secretary, the departmental Minister and the
Prime Minister were the responsible officers whose
opinions were laid before him in the form of an
Arzdasht or petition, and thus he had knowledge
of all pertinent facts. His mind was always clear
and penetrating, and it sometimes happened that
his quick eye detected the weak points in a case
which had not received sufficient attention below ;
and in this way he was able to rectify defects.

" He was particularly cautious in dealing
with those affairs in which the Government of
India were interested. He was willing to meet
their wishes as far as possible when they did not
conflict with any principle he had at heart.
He was too careful to discuss any matter with the
British Resident in person; his Minister was the
medium for such negotiations ; and it was only in
the most important cases that the Minister was
allowed to interview the Resident." The usual
method was to depute the Political Secretary to
ascertain the Resident's views informally before
submitting the matter to His Highness. Was he
unnecessarily cautious, or was it timidity that
induced him to remain behind the curtain ? Such
a suspicion would be unjust and untrue. Those
who believe it to be a sound principle that res-
ponsibility should lie on ministers—and this is
the principle of the English, Constitution—would
at once see the wisdom of the course followed by