EMPIRE	347
kys on him a special responsibility for the defence and the
finances of the Federation, the protection of minorities and
public servants, of the rights of Indian States^ and the
prevention of any trade regulations designed to discriminate
against British imports into India. On these matters he must use
his discretion, but is to be guided by the directions sent to him
by the Secretary of State for India. The India Office, over which
the Secretary of State presides, is itself remodelled by the 1935
Act. In place of a body known as the Council of India, the
Secretary is required to appoint from three to six Advisors, at
least half of whom must have had ten years recent experience
in the service of the Crown in India. These Advisors have a
fixed period of service of five years,-and a salary determined by
the Act. Their influence is likely to be considerable, though the
Secretory is not legally obliged, except on some financial matters,
to take their advice, or even to ask for it. The problem of the
India Office is this—how to reconcile the Sovereignty of Parlia-
ment with the impossibility of governing India in accordance
with the decisions of people who have never been there? The
Secretary, as a Cabinet Minister, is responsible to Parliament;
through his Advisors, he may be kept in touch with the facts.
The Legislature planned for the Federation consists of the
Governor-General and two Houses, a Council of State and a
Federal Assembly. The Council of State will contain 156 members
from British India, six of whom are appointed by the Governor-,
General. The remainder are elected, with the proviso that at least
forty-nine must be Muhammadans, and with similar smaller
reservations for Sikhs, Europeans, Indian Christians, Anglo-
Indians,1 depressed classes, and women. As successive Indian
States join the Federation, they will be allotted seats in the Council
according to their size, until finally there will be 104 such .mem-
bers; the method of their appointment will be determined by the
Princes. Likewise, the Assembly, in its final form will contain 125
1 In official language this term describes people of mixed Indian and
European parentage.