The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-27 00:00:00

I OND,'W WEDNESDAY EVENING DECEMBER 27, 1854.

1 which they gave to Thucydides, to Cicero, and to
I Newton. The duties of a civil servant of the East
REPORT
India Company are of so high a nature that in his
To THE RIGHT HON. SIR CHARLES WOOD, ! case it is peculiarly desirable that an excellent
I genaral education, such
as may enlarge and
BART., M.P., &c.
strengthen
his
SIR,—We have attentively considered the sub- specialunderstanding, should precede'the
education which must qualify him to de-
ject about which. you have done us the honour to
vernacular Indian languages, which are of
spatch the business of his cutcherry.
consult us, and we 'now venture to submit to you
the result of our deliberations. It therefore seems to us quite clear that those
hnicating with natives of India, ought not to
We do not think that we can more conveniently
e subjects of examination.
.But we are
no value, except for the
arrange the suggestions which we wish to offerpurpose of commu-
than by following the order which is observed in
u gment, to think that a distinction may properly
the 39th and 40th Clause of the India Act of 1853.
dinclined, though with much distrust of our own
The first matter concerning which thee-Board of
languages which may be called the clastiical lan-
admitted Sanscrit and the Arabic. These
Control is empowered by the 39th Clause to make
regulations is the age of the persons who are to be
g,uages of India,
be made between the vernacular la es and two
admitted into the College of Haileybury.
The present rule is that no person can be ad-
cassical languages are by no means without intrin-
mated under 17, and that no person can go out to 1
India after 23. Every student must pass four sic value in the eyes both of philologists isnd of men
terms—that is to say, two years at the College ; of
ste. The Sanscrit is the great parent stack
from which most of
consequently, none can be admitted after 21. the vernacular languages of
India are "
It seems to us that it would be a great improve- derived, and stands to them in a relation
ment to allow students to be admitted to the Col- similar
_to that in which the - Latin stands to the
lege up to the age of 23, and to fix 25 as the latest P.rench, the Italian, the • Spanish, and the Portu-
age at which they can go out to India in the Civil guess,. The Arabic has contributed, though notthe.
Service. It is undoubtedly desirable that the civil in the, same degree with Sanscrit, to the forma-
servant of the Company should enter on his duties Ii on of the vocabularies of India ; and it, is the
while still young ; but it is also desirable that he source from which all. the Mahometan nations
draw their religion, their jurispru
should have received the best, the most liberal, the dence, and their
most finished education that his native country science. These twolanguages are already studied by a
affords. Such an education has been proved by few
. young men at the great English seats of learn-
experience to be the best preparation for every in g. T hey can be learned as well here as in tb e east, and
are not likely to be studied in the
calling which requires the exercise of the higher East unless some
powers of the mind ; nor will it be easy to show attention. has been paid to them here. it will, we-
that such preparation is less desirable in the case of apprehend, very seldom happen that a candidate
a civil servant of the East India Company than in will offer himself for examination in. Sanscrit or in
the case of'a professional man who remains in Eug- Arabic ;
.but, as such instances may occur, we think
it expedient to include those
land. Indeed, in the case of a civil servant of the languages
,in the list
Company, a good general education is even more of subjects.
desirable than in the case of the English professional As to the other subjects we speak with more con-
man; for the duties even of a very young servant fidence. Foremost amongst those subjects we place
of the Company are more important than those our own language and literature. One or more
which ordinarily fall to the lot of a profes- themes for English composition ought to be pro-
sional posed. Two papers of questions
man in England. In England, too, a pro- ought to be set.
fessional man may, while engaged in active busi- One of those papers should be so framed as to
enable the candidates to show their knowledge of
ness, continue to improve his mind by means of
and constitution of our country ; the
reading and of conversation. But the servant of the history
the Company is often stationed, during a large part other ought to be so framed as to enable them to
of his life, at a great distance from libraries and show the extent of their knowledge of our poets,
and philosophers.
from European society, and will therefore find it wits,.
peculiarly difficult to supply by study in his ma- In the
be an examination two great ancient languages there ought to
ture years the deficiencies of his early training. lon not less severe than those exa-
The change which we propose will have one prat- minations by which the highest classical distinc-
tical effect, to which we attach much importance. tions are awarded at Oxford and Cambridge. At
We think it desirable that a considerable number least three passages from Latin writers ought to
of the civil servants of the Company should be men be set, to be translated into English. Subjects
proposed for original composition, both
who have taken the first degree in arts at Oxford' should be
or Cambridge. At present the lisle is drawn as if in Latin verse and Latin prose ; and passages of
English verse and prose should be set, to be turned
it had been expressly meant to exclude bachelors
of those Universities. It will, we believe, be found into Latin. At least six passages from Greek wri-
ters should be set, to be translated into English.
that the great majority of our academic youth gra-
Of these passages, one should be taken from the
duate too late by a few months and only by a few
Homeric poems, one from some historian of the
months, for admission into Haileybury.
age best
one from
We propose to fix 18 as the lowest age at which , , some philosopher of the best
a candidate can be admitted into the college. We age, one from some Attic orator and at least one
are, indeed, of opinion that, except in very rare from the Attic drama. The candidates ought to
and extraordinary cases, it is not desirable that a have a full opportunity of exbibitinu their skill in
translating both English prose and English verso
lad should be admitted so early as 18. But we are
into. Greek;
i. and there should be a paper of ques-
convinced that, except in very rare and extra,ordi-
itadns which would enable them to show their know-
nary cases, no lad of 18 will have, any chance of
being admitted. ,Hitherto the admissions have We
oth. ancient history, both political and literary.
e m c that three of the modern languages of
been given by favour. They are henceforward to the continent, the French, the Italian, and the
be gained by superiority in intellectual competition. German,
t. ought to bo among the subjects of exami-
While they were given by favour, they were fre-
na ion. Several
passages in every one of those lan-
quently, indeed generally, given- to persons whose
passages
should be set, to be turned into English ;
age was not much above the minimum. A director
h taken from English writers should be set,
would naturally wish his son or nephew to be hand- to e turned into French, Italian, and German ;
comely provided for at 19, rather than at 23, and to
and papers of questions should be framed which
be able to return to England with a competence at
would enable a candidate to show his knowledge
44 rather than at 48. A majority of the students have,
of the civil and, literary history of France, Italy,
therefore, been admitted before they were 19, and
and Germany.
ThG
have gone out before they,were 21. But it is plain e examination in pure and mixed mathematics
that, in any intellectual competition, boys of 18
ought to be of such a nature as to enable the judges
must be borne down by men of 21 or 22. We may,
to place in proper order all the candidates, from
therefore, we believe, safely predict that nine-
those who have never gone beyond Euclid's Ele-
tenths, of those who are admitted to the College
ments and the first part of algebra up to those who
under the new system will be older than nine-tenths
possess the highest acquirements. We think it
of those who quit it under the present system. important, however, that not only the acquirements
We ho Pe and believe that among the successful
but also the mental powers and resources of thecom-
competitors will frequently be young men who
petitors should be brought to the test. With this
have obtained the highest honours of Oxford and
view the examination papers should contain a due
Cambridge. To many such young mon a fellow-
proportion of original..prhoblems and of. questions
ship, or a tutorship, which must be held on condi- calculated
.to ascertain'-whether -w ether the principles of
tion of celibacy, will appear less attractive than ascience are thoroughly understood.
mathematical.
situation which enables the person who holds it to The details will probably be best arranged by some
marry at an early age. of those eminent men who have lately been modera-
The India Act next empowers the Board of Con-the University
tors in ofCambridge, and who know
trol to determine the qualifications of the candi- by experience how to conduct the examinations of
dates for admission to Haileybury. It seems to us
large numbers
hh of persons simultaneously. It must,
to be proper that every person who intends to be a however, be e orne in mind that the;extent and di-
candidate should, at least six weeks before the ex-
recnhorahmathematical reading, especially in the
amination, notify, his intention to the Board of higher
.. nc
hes, differ greatly at the different uni-
Control, and should at the same time transmit a versifies of
.t e. united" kingdom. The mathema-
list of the subjects in which he proposes to be ex- ti a exam.ination for the Indian service must,
amined, in order that there,may be time to provide therefore, in orderwider
to do justice to all candidates,
a sufficient number of examiners in each depart- embrace Jac?) a.dwi
Oxford,r range of questions 'than is usual
meet. - He should, at the same time, lay before
the board testimonials certifying that his moral a Ofeml trl3rge, or Dublin.
s some natural sciences which do not
character is good. Whether the testimonials be or fall unadeer theear
head of mixed mathematics, and es-
be not satisfactory, is a point which we conceive pecielly
ee chemistry,i geblogy, mineralogy, botany,
may safely be left to the determination of theboard. andgeneral
education
viave been introduced as a part of
The board is then authorised by the act to make uca 'on into several of our universities
regulations prescribing the branches in which the andge
colleges. There may be some practical diffi-
candidates for admission to Haileybury shall be cultyin arranging
the details of an examination in
examined. Here arises at once a question of the these sciences,
gravest importance. Ought the examination to be believe,b ‘ but it is a difficulty which has, we
een at some seats of learning already
confined to those-branches of knowledge to which overcome.
recommend-
it is desirable that English gentlemen who mean to
ing that th Wehave no hesitation in
remain at home shOuld pay attention? or ought it t.
.., i
„ere should be at least one paper of ques-
ionsererasing to these branches of knowledge.
to extend to branches of knowledge which are use-
ful to a servant of the East India Company, but schemepeofpose to. include the moral sciences in the
examination. Those sciences are, it is
useless, or almost useless, to a person whose life is well known, much studied both at Oxford and at
to be passed in Europe ? the Scottish Universities. Whether this study shall
Our opinion is, that the examination ought to be
have to do with
confined to those branches of knowledge to which shall degeneratemere words or things, whether it
pe-
lt is desirable that English gentlemen who mean to da t into a formal and scholastic n r _ .
y,Vor shall train the mind for the highest pur-
remain at home should pay some attention. poses of active life
It is with much diffidence that we venture to oli the in will depend, to a great extent,
predict the effect of the new system, but we think We arewoafyo .which. the examination is conducted.
we can hardly be mistaken in believing that the in- conducted the•pinion that the examination should be
techni-
troduction of that system will be an event scarcely calities shouldu freest manner, that mere
less important to this country than to India. The' should not bebe avoided, and that the candidate
educated youth of the United Kingdom are hence- The subjects confined to any particular system.
forth to be invited to engage in a competition in ments of moral wlhich fall under this head are the ele-
which about 40 prizes will, on an average, be gained of the ancienrta and political philosophy, the history,
every year. Every one of these prizes is nothing less tical philosophy,and modern schools of moral and poly,
an honourable social position and a comfortable d , . the Science of logic, and the in-
independence for life. It is difficult to estimate the uctive method, of
the great text-. which the Nouum Organune, is
effect which theprospect ofprizes so numerous and so should be ratbuook.• The object of the examiners
attractive will produce. We are, however, familiar powers of minder to put to the test the candidate's
than to ascertain the extent of his
with some facts which may assist our conjectures. metaphysical reading.
At Trinity College, the largest and wealthiest of The whole
the colleges of Cambridge, about form fellowships carried on by examination ought, we think, to be
candi-
are given annually by competition. These fellow- dates ought means of written papers. The
ships can be held only on condition of celibacy, and nor ought the
to be allowed the help of any bunk;
the income derived from them is a very moderate. has boeu eY, after once a subject for composition
one for a single man. It is notorious that the exa- laced beforeroposed to them, or a paper of questions
ininations for Trinity Fellowships have, directly Lon till them, to leave the Macs
of examinee
and indirectly, done much to give a direction to they have finished their work.
It is of
the studies of Cambridge, and of all the numerous course, not to be expected that any man
of 22 '
schools which are the feeders of Cambridge. What will have made considerable proficiency in all
then is likely to be the effect of a competition for the !subjects of examination. An excellent mathe-
prizes which will be ten times as numerous as the m
atician will often have little Greek, and an excel-
Trinity Fellowships, and of which each will be more lent Greek scholar will be entirely ignorant of
valuable than a Trinity Fellowship ? We are in. French and Italian. Nothing can be further from
dined to think that the examinations for situations ledge of wide surface and of small depth. We are
will produce an effect which will be felt in every of
p
seat of learning throughout the realms-at Oxford credit at all for taking up a subject in he which ()
is
and Cambridge, at the University of London and a mere smatterer. Profound aid accurate ac-
the University of Durham, at Edinburgh and quaintance with a single language ought to tell
Glasgow, at Dublin, at Cork, and at Belfast. The more than , bad trahslations and themes in six
number of candidates will doubtless be much greater languages. A. single paper which shows that the
than the number of vacancies. It will not surprise writer thoroughly understands the principles of
us if the ordinary number examined should be an.
the differential calculus ought to tell more that 20
three or four hundred. The great majority, and superficial and incorrect answers to que • stions about
among them many young men of excellent abilities chemistry, botany, mineralogy, metaphysics,
logic,
and laudable industry, must be unsuccessful. If, . and Euglish history.
therefore, branches of knowledge specially Oriental I It will be necessary that a certain number of
should be among the subjects of examination, it is marks should be assi • gned to each subject, and that
probable that a considerable number of the most; the place of a candidate should be determined by
hopeful youths in the country will be induced to 1 the sum total of the marks which he has •
gained.
waste much time, at that period oflife at which I
The marks ought,
time is most precious, in studies which will never, I among the subjects
of examination in such a
in any conceivable case, be of the smallest use to 1 manner that no part of the kingdom, and noclass
them. We think it most desirable that the exami- ,of schools) shallservants exclusively furnish to the
nation should be of such a nature that no candidate East India Company. It would be grossly unjust,
who may fail shall, to whatever calling be may for example, to the great academical institutions of
betake himself, have any reason to regret the time England, not to allow skill in Greek and Latin
and labour which he spent in preparing himself to' versification to have a considerable
share in deter
be examined. 1 mining the issue of the
competition. Skill in
Nor do we think that we should render any ser- , Greek and Latin versification has, indeed, no direct
vice to India by inducing her future rulers to neglect ' tendency to form a judge, a financier, or a diploma-
in their earlier years European literature'and science , tist. But the youth who does best
what all the
1
for studies specially Indian. We believe that men , ablest and most ambitious youths about nun are
who have been engaged up to 21 or 22 in studieel trying to do well will generally prove
which have no immediate connexion with the rior man ; nor can we doubt that an accomplish-
business ele'Pe.
business of any profession, and of which the effect; silent by which Fox and Canning, Greny'llP ish-
is merely to open, to invigorate, and to enrich the , Wollealey, Mansfield and Teuterden firstl e and
d.
mind, will generally be found, in the business of tinguished themselves above their fellows, • dm.-
every profession, superior to men who have, at 18 cafes powers of mind, which, properly trained
in
and
19, devoted themselves to the special studies of directed, may do groat service to the State. Onand
or io, devoted themseles to the special studies of directed, may do groat service to the State. On th
The most illustrious English jurists other hand, we must remember that in the n the
their calling.
have been men who have never opened a lawbook of this island the art of metrical composition inotrh
till after the close of a distinguished academical ancient languages is very little cultivated, and thate
career ; nor is there any reason to suppose that men so eminent as Dugaid Stewart, Horner, Jef-
greater lawyers if they had : frey, and Mackintosh would probably have been
they would have been
passed in drawing pleas and conveyances the time quite unable to write a good copy of Latin alcaics,

THE INDIAN CIVIL SERVICE.

or to translate ten lines of Shakspere into Greek
iambics. We wish to see such a system of exami-
nation established as shall not exclude from the'
service of the East India Company either a Mack-
intosh or a Tenterden, either a Canning or a
Horner. We have, with an anxious desire to deal
fairly by all parts of the United Kingdom, and by
all places of liberal education, framed the following
scale, which we venture to submit for your consid-
eration

English language and literature :
Composition ... ... ..
History ... ... ...
General literature ... ..

500
500
500

Greek .. , ... ... ...
Latin ... ... ...
... French ... ... ...
... German ... ... ...
Italian ... ... ...
Mathematics pure and mixed ...
Natural sciences ... ... ...
Moral sciences ... ... ...
Sanscrit ... ... ... ...
Arabic ... ...

1,500
' 750
750
375

275
. 1000
500

500
375
375

6,875
It seems to us probable that of the 6,875 'marks,
which are the maximum, no candidate will ever
obtain half. A candidate who is at once a distin-
guished classical scholar and a distinguished mathe-
matician will be, as he ought to be, certain of suc-
cess. A classical scholar who is no mathematician
or a mathematician who is no classical scholar will
be certain of successif he is well read in the history
and literature of his own country. A young man
who has scarcely any knowledge of mathematics,
little Latin, and no Greek, may pass such an ex-
amination in English, . French, Italian, German,
geology, and chemistry that he may stand at the
head of the list.

jinmue
slcptetoi sasse aseaisrb us e uy
scar
no expense ought be grudged which may be
tahmaitn, eifrathiße every
inbrearns cbheowf
ellelacrhnoinsegn. ,
itEixspuertit:3nrleye
oo
ewf n
tot i hrf
ee
ke anobonl
wfie sdl tee
dne
gxe
shee-
which is the effect of the process popularly called
cramming can ever be successful against real learn-
ing and ability.
Whether the examinations ought to be held half-
yearly or annually is a question which cannot, we
l tot
ihs n
a:
tee pul
ry
troeh b
ne eo
the
i n
h dneeeccl
isuenessg rsi necessary
cy
with
esfor
to us to add that
think, be satisfactorily determined till after the
first experiment has been made.
When the result of the examination has been de-
clared the successful candidates will not yet be civil
servants of the East India Company, but only civil
servants elect. It appears from the 40th clause of
the act to be the intention of the Legislature, that
before they proceed to the East there should
be a period of probation and a second examina-
tion.
In what studies, then, ought the period of pro-
bation to be passed ? And what ought to be the
nature of the second examination ?
It seems to us that, from the moment at which
the successful candidates, whom we will now call
probationers, have been set apart as persons who
will, in all probability, have to bear a part in the
government of India, they should give their
whole minds to the duties of their new position.
They must now be considered as having finished
their general education, and as having finished it
with honour. Their serious studies must hence-
forth be such as have a special tendency to fit them
for their calling.
Of the special knowledge which a civil servant
of the company ought to possess, much can be ac-
quired only 'in India, and much may ‘be acquired
far more easily in India `than in England. It
would evidently be a mere waste of time to employ
a month hero in learning what may be better learnt
in a week at Calcutta or Madras. But there are
some kinds- of knowledge which are not considered
nis
nehtbireaulvl partstnamndtai India. We
whichfaoc.
wt
the
ueeti i
it
conceive
omni :sup: bea
mostEeinvr ayne
England
should
htaehonduadutucnaeop
possess,
so importantrn:yse
ssopsf easilytooai our
Ya
sawtt
hilocaueininvsctehshi proba-
tioner ought during the interval between his first
and his second examination to apply himself
vigorously to the acquiring of these kinds of
knowledge.
The subjects of these new studies will, we
apprehend, be found to range themselves under
four heads.
He should, in the first place, make himself
well acquainted with the history of India, in the
largest sense of the word ' history.' He should
study that history, not merely in the works of
Orme, Wilks, and of Mill, but also in the travels
of Bernier, in the odes of Sir William Jones, and
in the journals of Heber. Ho should be well
informed about the geography of the country,
about' its natural productions, about its manu-
factures, about the physical and moral qualities of
the different races which inhabit it, and about
the doctrines and rites of those religions which
have so powerful an influence on the population.
He should trace with peculiar care the progress
of the British power. He should understand
the constitution of our Government, and the nature
of the relations between that Government and its
vassals, Mussulman, Mahratta, and Rajpoot. He
should consult the most important Parliamentary
reports and debates on Indian affairs. All this
may be done with very much greater facility in
England than in India, except at the three seats of
Government, if, indeed, the three seats of Govern-
ment ought to be excepted.
2. It seems tol us to be desirable that every
probationer should bestow some attention on the
general principles of jurisprvdence. The great ma-
jority of the civil servants of the East India Com-
pany are employed in the administration of justice.
A. large proportion of them are judges ; and some
of the most important functions of the collectors
are strictly judicial. That the general principles of
jurisprudence may be studied here with more ad-
vantage than in India will be universally acknow-
ledged.
3. We think that every probationer ought to
prepare himself for the discharge of his duties by
paying some attention to financial and commercial
science. He should understand the mode of keep-
ing and checking accounts, the principles of bank-
ing, the laws which regulate the exchanges, the
nature of public debts, funded and unfunded, and
the effect produced by different systems of taxation
on the prosperity of nations. We would by no
means require him to subscribe any article of faith
touching any controverted point in the science of
political economy ; but it is not too much to expect
that he will make himself acquainted . with those
treatises on political economy which have become
standard works. These , studies can undoubtedly
be prosecuted with more advantage in England
than in India.
4. We think that the study of the vernacular
languages of India may with great advantage be be-
gun in England. It is, indeed, only by intercourse
with the native population that an Englishman can
acquire the power of talking Bengalee or Telugu
with fluency. But familiarity with the Bengalee or
Telugu alphabet, skill in tracing the Bengalee or
Telugu character, and knowledge of the Bengalee or
Telugu grammar, may be acquired as quickly in this
country as in the East. Nay, we are inclined to
believe that an English student will, at his first in-
troduction to an Indian language, make more rapid
progress under good English teachers than under
pundits, to whom he is often unable to explain his
difficulties. We are, therefore, of opinion that
every probationer should acquire in this country
an elementary knowledge of at least one Indian
language.
If this recommendation be adopted, it will be
desirable that the probationers should, immediately
after the first examination, be distributed among
the presidencies. It will, indeed, be desirable that
the division of the Bengal civil service into two
pthaertlso,woenre
pdleosvtiindo
neees,fshr
otuhledubpepmer and the
adeheroatottheher for
ear-
liest possible moment, instead of being made, as it
now is, at Calcutta.
I
In ha t
manner
presidencies the distribution
ought
henceforth of
civil
t s e ro-
vats amongbe made is a question which, though it has been re-
ferred to us, is yet so closely connected with the
questions which have been referred to us, that we
ser-
vants
have been forced to take it into consideration. We
are disposed to think that it might be advisable to
allow the probationers, according to the order in
which they stand at the first examination, to choose
their presidencies. The only objection to this
arrangement is, that, as the Presidency of -Bengal is
generally supposed to be the theatre on which the
abilities of a civil, servant may be most advantage-
ously displayed, all the most distinguished young
men would choose Bengal, and would leave Madras
and Bombay to those who stood at the bottom of
the list. We admit that this would be an evil, but
it would be an evil which must, we conceive,
speedily cure itself ; for as soon as it becomes noto-
rious that the ablest men in the civil service are
all collected in one part of India, and are there
stopping each other's way, a probationer who is
free to make his choice will prefer some other part of
India,where,though the prizes maybe a little less at-