The Press.
London, England, 1854-08-12 00:00:00

AUGUST 12, 1854.

tion as long as obstruction was in their power ;
but, seeing that the public feeling on the point
is no longer to be controlled, they come for-
ward with a measure which shall have as fair
an appearance as may be, but which shall be
productive of the minimum of practical result
the condition and fortunes of the people of
India. The only provision which they take care
shall prove ofreal effect is that one which these
rulers, wise in their own generation, never
by any possibility lose sight of; and that is,
that a number of richly-endowed appointments
shall be forthwith created in the shape of
" heads of the educational departments " and
" inspectors," which are to he conferred on
the relatives and friends of the civil service.
If we should be deemed hypercritical in
thus characterising this despatch, our readers
need only turn to the pages of it to find ample
warrant for what we say in the language of the
directors themselves. Their words towards the
conclusion of it, when summing up the mea-
sures which they have adopted, are, "We
" must add that we are not sanguine enough
" to expect any sudden or even speedy results
"to follow from their adoption." In fact,
apart from the usual amount of verbiage
which forms so large an ingredient in every
Indian despatch, we shall find that nothing is
really done to further the object professedly
held in view. The extension of English schools
is not greatly encouraged, and the vernacular
languages are defined as the media through
which instruction in the arts, sciences, and
literature of Europe is to be conveyed—lan-
guages into which it would take a century to
translate the works which in a single year
issue from the English press, even if transla-
tion were possible into tongues which pos-
sess no words capable of conveying the ideas
to be conveyed. Indeed, the only practical
encouragement which has yet been afforded
by the Indian Government to the study of
English literature is taken away by this des-
patch ; for the scholarships and exhibitions
which have hitherto stimulated youth in the
various English colleges in India are to be
abolished or reduced in value to the point
affording the minimum of subsistence. The
despatch again admits that " young men
" who have passed a difficult examination in
" the highest branches of philosophy and ma-
" thematics are naturally disinclined to accept
" such employment as persons who intend to
" make the public service their profession
" must necessarily commence with; " but, at
the same time, it studiously avoids remedying
the evil by opening any higher offices to the
ambition of such persons than those humble
situations for which they are eligible at pre-
sent. Indeed, it goes so far as to say that the
best-educated persons are only to be preferred
for employment before the totally uneducated,
when " equally eligible in other respects."
And, as if for fear that even this should be
deemed to afford too great an encouragement
to learning, the directors are careful to declare
that, beyond this general announcement, they
will take no other steps to ensure their pro-
fessed wishes being carried out, as they
" cannot interfere by any further regulations
" to fetter the free choice of the officers re-
" sponsiblo for the selection in a matter of
" which they bear the sole responsibility."
If they hold out no inducement, however, to
natives to pursue their studies in any other
parts of India, they express great hopes of the
progress of the people at Madras, " where (as
" they facetiously observe) the Ryotwarn set-
" tlement affords a practical inducement to
" the people for the acquisition of elementary
" knowledge." They might have added that a
very small amount of elementary knowledge
would be sufficient to enable people there to
add up their yearly incomes under it, if bare
walls and starving families did not, without
the help of arithmetic, sufficiently proclaim to
them the result.
Such is a faithful analysis of this despatch,
by which Sir CHARLES Woon and his admirers
profess the hope of spreading education and
raising the moral condition of the people of
India. Debarring natives from every office of
consideration ; shutting them out from all
those avenues to improvement in their posi-
tion and prospects which in other countries
lead the mass of students to the pursuit of
knowledge ; doubting " the expediency of ap-

Me0....1,,...

be3ls 1113 W 1.311111 UllpitULV va a.vaa.
to be conveyed. Indeed, the on
encouragement which has yet bt
by the Indian Government to tl
English literature is taken away
patch ; for the scholarships and
which have hitherto stimulated
various English colleges in Indi
abolished or reduced in value t
affording the minimum of subsis
despatch again admits that "
" who have passed a difficult exa
" the highest branches of philosoi
" thematics are naturally disinclin
" such employment as persons wl
" make the public service their
" must necessarily commence wi
the same time, it studiously avoid
the evil by opening any higher (
ambition of such persons than th
situations for which they are elii
sent. Indeed, it goes so far as to
best-educated persons are only to
for employment before the totally
when " equally eligible in oth(
And, as if for fear that even thin
deemed to afford too great an ent
to learning, the directors are caref
that, beyond this general announc
will take no other steps to ensue
fessed wishes being carried 01
" cannot interfere by any further
" to fetter the free choice of thi
" sponsiblo for the selection in
" which they bear the sole respon
If they hold out no inducement
natives to pursue their studies i
parts of India, they express great
progress of the people at Madras,
" they facetiously observe) the
" tlement affords a practical in
" the people for the acquisition
" knowledge." They might have
very small amount of elementar
would be sufficient to enable pet
add up their yearly incomes und,
walls and starving families did
the help of arithmetic, sufficientl;
them the result.
Such is a faithful analysis of t
by which Sir CHARLES WOOD and
profess the hope of spreading el
raising the moral condition of t
India. Debarring natives from
consideration ; shutting them (
those avenues to improvement i
tion and prospects which in otl
lead the mass of students to t 1
knowledge ; doubting " the expe