The Sun.
London, England, 1826-01-26 00:00:00

OUTt PAPEItti.

Mr. !lusty: Inquired whet her the Chairman had not received
a letter from Sir J. Doyle relative to the proposed discussion on
the Oude Papers.? and if he had, he wished to know whether.
there was any objection to disposing of that motion before they
,proceeded to other business ?
The CITAIRMAN auswered, that a letter had been received
from
.the Km. Baronet, which should be read.
The letter was then read. In it Sir J. Doyle requested that.
his.motion relative to the Onde papers should be postponed to a
future day, as he was unable to attend at the present Court, in
consequence of a cold and sore throat.
The motion was then, at the suggestion of Sir J. Doyle, post.
poned. to Wednesday t'ortnight. . .

EDUCATION OF CADETS.
The CHAIRMAN acquainted the Court, that it was made
special for the purpose of discussing the following proposi-
tion :

" That this Court, considering the great importance of a
knowledge of the Hindostannee language to European Officers
destined to act with and to command the Native Troops in
India, recommend to the Court of Directors to take into
their immediate consideration the propriety of making re-
gulations that no Cadet shall henceforth be permitted to pro::
cacti to India unless he shall, upon examination, he found
sufficiently, grounded in the rudiments of the Hindostannee
language."
Mr. HUME, in bringing this subject forward, declared that
the question as one in which he was not personally interested;
but as he conceived it to be of the utmost importance that
steps should be taken to ensure to their military officers in
India a competent knowledge of the Hindostannee language,
he had deemed it proper to place the question fairly before the
Proprietors. The Marquis Wellesley had, in one of his able
minutes, pointed out the lamentable deficiency with respect
to a knowledge of the Oriental` languages which prevailed
amongst our officers in India ; and it certainly was proper that
so mischievous a defect should be remedied. It had ben
considered a matter of national importance to give a certain
degree of educatio.i in the Oriental languages to their civil
servants ; and he war ready to contend, that if education of
that nature were necessary for the due performance of civil
duties, it was equally, if not more, necessary, in the military
department. The tlun. Proprietor argued at considerable
length in support of this proposition, and pointed out the se-
veral duties which military officers in India had to perform,
on the march, in garrison, or in the field ; which duties, he
asserted, could not be properly fulfilled while they were
ignorant of the native tongue. The establishment for the
education of their civil setvams at Ilnileybury had cost the
sum of 247,0001., added to which the establishment in India
required, on the average, 63,000/. a-year. When the Company
were so liberal In. providing for that class of servants, surely
they would not begrudge an additional sum of MM. per an.
nuns, for which he would undertake to instruct in the tlindo.
stannee language, all those cadets who were annually sent out
to India. Ile pledged himself to this, that he would teneh 600
young men the. native languages for 6001.---(A laugh.)—lle
did nut mean that he would educate them personally ; hut his
frieud, Dr. Gilchrist, would.--(A laugh.)--It was the duty of
the Company to take measures for having the duties of their
service performed in the best possible manner. Ile would
now whoa his motion to • the Court, and he did not hesitate
to state, that if any person should be of opinion that it was
unreasonable, he should.not consider that person a. very reit.
sonable man.--414aughter.)—The Honourable Gentleman con.
eluded by moving the following resolution s—" That this
j Court, considering the great importance of a !knowledge of
the li intlostannee language, to European officers, destined to
act with and comment native troops in India, do recant.
mend to the Court of Directors, that, consistently with their
own resolutions, they would take into consideration the pm.
priety of not allowing any European officer to proceed to
India, unless he was sufficiently grounded in the Eastern lan-
guagea."

Lc. (.111.ciiittsT seconded the motion.
Sir J. Sr.wEnt. opposed the motion, on the ground that it
was totally unnecessary. Ile disapproved of any project
which would expose young men about to proceed to India
to the vices of the metropolis; anti he was of opinion that
foreign *gouges were hest acquired in the countries where
they were vernacular.- The 1100. Mover had, in his opinion,
greatly exaggerated in Ills statements regarding the want of
knowledge among the European officers in India. The ex-
pence attending the education of a young man in the Eastern
languages in this country could nut be less than 1001., which
would be a serious burden to his parents, who were usually
persons in reduced circumstances.

Colonel LUSIIINUTON also objected to the motion. _Of the
advantage of a knowledge of the Eastern languages in Euro.
perm officers, no person, he thought, could entertain a doubt ;
but much difference of opinion might prevail with respect to
the mode in which that knowledge should be acquired. For
his part he thought that, under. all the circumstances of the
case, it would be best for officers to obtain their knowledge of
the Eastern languages in India. He could assure the Court
that the liovernmentin India had adopted regulations, having
for their objebt the acquirement of that kind of knowledge ley
the officers. By one of those regulations the commanding
officer was required to send a monthly report of the progress
of each officer under hie orders in the native languages, to the
Commanderein-Chief, who encouraged or censured the hh.-
viduals thus brolight under his notice, as their respective cases
required. The Honourable Proprietor then concluded by cx.
pressing his regret that the prernuium which had formerly
been given to Luropean officers who distinguished themselves
by their knowledge of the native languege had been dis-
continued.
The lion. L. STastimee said, that all seemed to be agreed
as to the necessity of European officers, serving in India, being
possessed Ufa competent knowledge of the Minya language.—
Lite only question was how that knowledge was to obtained.
All philosophers who, bed treated on the subject agreed that
knowledge should be acquired in youth—that the impression
should he matte while the wax was soft. The honourable
Mover had never contended that the young man proceeding to
.lindia should possess a perfect knowledge of die Dative lan-
gimps; all he desired was, that they should beegrounded in
the rudiments of those languages. Ile had been in various
parts of the world, and he could front his own experience and
observation declare, that a rudiwi:rital knowledge of foreign lan.
gauges was of the greatest importance to persons visiting tie:
countries in which they were spoken. If the Court of Directors
were to consult their own interests, or the welfare of the natives
of India, they wield take care that no cadets should go out
to India who did not pOit§eSS a competent knowledge of the
native languages. Under these circumstances he would vote for
the motion.
Air. It. .Lscesoee was of opinion that cadets should receive
some instruction in the native languages previous to their de-
Perture for India. He, hoseever, disapproved of that part of
the motion which bound the Directors to take a particuler
course. Ile Melted the Court of Directors to have liberty to
deal with the question in the way they themselves might think
beet.

Mr. S. Dmox and Mr. DAnny opposed the motion, and
Captain MAXWF,I,I". supported it.

.. .
Sir C. Fon itEs said, that many instances had come under
his observatian in which the want of knowledge of the native
language hail occasioned the most twrious injury. On one oc-
casion, an individual was tried by a court.martial, and sentenced
to death. II happened that a gentleman present at the trial
understood the native languages, and was thereby enabled to
inmeeive that the interpreter, either through accident or design,
had made some important mistakes, which told against the ac-
cused person.. LI
of the Courts wise, in consequence, ,nittitutel an investigation
erePrtsented the circumstance to the President
on the subject ; and the result was, that the prisoner, who- had
Sir P. Latina: thought that the /nib.;
been condemned to death,- was pardoned.
ect ought to be left In
the hands of the Directors.
Sir O. RonintiON assured the Court, that the. Court of Di-'
rectors were most anxious that every person in the Company's

, service should possess a ;competeat knowledge of the native
languages. They had' recentlY sent a dispatch to the Indian
Government, recommending thattio officer should be appointed
to the staff who should not give proofs of his proficiency in the
Eastern languages.
The CIIA I ItlIA N observed, that it was a libel on the officers
of the Indian army to state, as a general proposition, that they
were not acquainted with the native languages. At no time
was the knowledge of those-languages more generally diffused
amongst the officers than at the present moment. The Court
of Directors were always disposed to listen with great re.
spect to :my reeimii»erlation from the Court of Proprietors;
but they could not be expected to. pledge themselves to
adopt any such recommendation, because they were the sworn
officers of the Company, and must du what they" thought
right on their oaths, without reference to the opinion's of any
other body.

qr. Hu 114 E replied, and the question was then put, and ne-
gatived by a very large majority.
Air. HUME moved for various papers relative to the educa-
tion of cadets, which were refused.—The Court was then ad-
journed.