The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-09 00:00:00

SECOND TERM.

P. P. Hutchins—Highly distinguished, with prizes in
Mathematics, Law, Sanscrit, and Telugu.
Temple—Highly distinguished, with prizes in Political
Economy and History.

_ .
Bernard—Highly distinguished, with prize in Persian.
Garrett—Highly distinguished, with prize in Sanscrit.
Hathaway—Highly distinguished, with prize in Telugu.
Burney—Prize in Classics.

Beames, Elsmie, Lang, C. Grant, Pellew, Bell, Middle-
ton, Middlemass, Elliot, Park, and Lyall—All highly dis-
tinguished.

Mangles, Graham, Oliphant, Humphory, Wyllie, Crai-
gie, Tremble, Copeland, and N. S. Alexander—all passed
with great credit.

RINK OF STUDENTS LEAVING COLLEGE DEC., 1856.

BENGAL.
Ist Class-1. Monteath ;2. Maclean ;3. Millett.

2d Class-4. Currie ;5. Peacock ;G. F. Hogg ;7. Lord
F. Hay ; 8. Wells ; 9. Fairlie.

MADRAS.
Ist Class-1. St. Clair; 2. Campbell; 3. Carbonell.
2d Class-4. Irvine ;5. Melville.

EomilLy.
Ist Class-1. Barra; 2. Ja.eoinb ;3 C. Hogg; 4. Pratt.
2d Class-5. Mason ; 6. Grant ; 7. Jervoise.
Previous to the distribution of the prizes, Mr. Monteath
read his prize essay in English on the influence of caste on
civilisation, as illustrated by the state of India. He viewed

;lie institution of caste under four principal aspects—viz.,

_ . .
in reference to its injurious action, first, on the political
and social strength of a nation; secondly, in barring the de-
velopment of arts and manufactures ; thirdly, as tedding to
retard the progress of learning and science ; and, lastly, in
regard to its pernicious operation on civilisation by lower-
ing the moral character of a people. The essay was an un-
usually spirited performance, but half its effect was lost
on the audience by the rapid and some what monotonous
way in which it was read.

Mr. Monteath also road a translation into Sanscrit verse,
by himself, of a well-known passage in Pope's " Essay on
Man," and a translation into Persian of another subject.
Mr. Burra read a translation into Hindustani, by himself,
of a passage from the introduction to ono of the books of
" Lalla Rookh." A translation into Telogu was also given
by Mr. Campbell.

The CHAIRMAN of the East India Company, who pro-

sided at the ceremony, in presenting the medals (five in
number) and other prizes awarded to Mr. Monteath, told
him they were the accumulated proofs of the eminent suc-
cess that had attended his studies at that institution, and
guarantees of his future distinction in an honourable ser-
vice in India.

To Mr. Colvin, to whom several prizes were awarded as
stated above, the CHAIRMAN said, in presenting them—l
hope these are indications of your intentions to endeavour
to tread in the steps of your distinguished father in the
public service.

The rest of the prizes having been distributed,
The CHAIRMAN then proceeded to address the students.
He said—Gentlemen, the report of the Principal bears
honourable testimony to the zeal and success with which
the almost entire portion of your number in the term about
to close have pursued your studies to an extent exceeding
even the statutable demand. The Court of Directors also
view with peculiar satisfaction your praiseworthy atten-
tion to the rules and regulations of the college, involving,
the Court will hope, a guarantee of future obedience and
love of order when you assume the professional duties of
active life in India. Your proficiency is not less honour.
able to the Principal and professors, as an indication of
their efficient instruction; and on the part of the Court
of Directors, I have to offer to them the assurance of the
high appreciation of the Court of their unweary-
ing exertions in promotion of the public interests.
Your studies in this institution have insured to you
not only the finished education of European gentlemen
but to some extent the qualifications which are necessary
for a due performance of the duties of the various impor-
tant offices to which you will succeed in the progress of
your service. For India, however, the primary and, in-
deed, essential means of enabling yon to execute those high
duties to the satisfaction of your people and for the public
good is the facility of communicating fluently and idiom-
atically in the language of the inhabitants of the districts '
in which your duties may lie. This facility gives much self-
confidence, renders work comparatively easy, and inspires
much respect and goodwill in the people. It does more, for,
as the means of personal intercourse become easier, inter-
course will be more frequent, prejudices which were natural
enough at first will gradually weaken ; there will be a
readier toleration of habits and opinions resulting from a
debasing religion and a peculiar social organisation, and a
kindly feeling will grow up, which will make the functionary
the friend, nay, the parent of. the people committed to his
charge. (Cheers.) The gratification, therefore, of being a
good linguist cannot be too earnestly recommended to the
attention of an Indian functionary. I need not tell you
that a failure in qualifying as a linguist within a prescribed
reasonable time results in removal from the service. You
will have most important duties intrusted to you, on the
proper execution of which will very
much depend the
comfort, material prosperity, and happiness of thousands
committed to your charge. Vigilant supervision of subor-
dinates will insure order and inspire confidence in the peo-
ple ; laxity and indifference will involve not only the good
name of the functionary himself, but of the Government he
serves. Even in the absence of either laxity or indifference
exposed
in the performance of his duties, the character of the func-
tionaryn
e n may
condemnation, bex
13111 Y, and that of the Go
m
native subordinates in the magisterial, revenue, and police
departments, who subject defaulters or criminals to per-
sonal sufferings, in some cases amounting to torture. On
v erilosed t o
fromobloquy,
the traditional usages of
this subject the indignation of England has recently been
roused, and most unjustly hurled at our public servants in
India. Indeed, the Company's Government has been im-
pugned for its supposed connivance at, or indifference to,
the practice of torture. The abhorrence by the people of
England of this cowardly outrage is reciprocated by the
functionaries in India, and it is the highest injustice to at-
tribute to them indifference to its infliction, or to make
them personally responsible for its existence. It is physi-
cally impossible that a solitary European officer, located in
a district comprising scores, nay, hundreds of square miles,
should be cognisant of every abuse of authority by his
native subordinates, the apathy of the people depriving
him of aid, and even the sufferers themselves tacitly sub-
mitting because they consider that they are only the vic
time of immemorial custom. Torture, no doubt, does exist