Morning journal and courier., 1882-07-28
Friday Morning, July 28, 1882.
HELP FOR INDIA WANTED.

An interesting circular has been sent from Bombay, India to this country. It is signed by Sakaram Arjun, l.. M. !, assistant surgeon on the staff of the vioeroy of India, and Mahadev Chimnaji Apte. B. A. l.. l.. B., pleader of the high court, Bombay. It is addressed to manufacturers in the United States and it's purpose is to ascertain upon what conditions and with what prospect of success Indian youths could be instructed here in the mechanic arts, with view to the introduction of profitable industries into h. dia. The circular points out that India, though said to be one of the richest countries Ill the world is really one of the poorest, and that it's arts and manufactures have generally suffered and died out under centuries of for elgn rule. It's varied products are nearly all exported as raw material and arc returned increased many fold in value by skillful man. ufacture, and so dependent are it's people up on foreign manufactures that if the foreign supply of the commonest necessariss of life were interrupted for a single year great dis tress would follow.
 Some of the thoughtful and public-spirited people of India who desire to improve this state of things have thought of sending a few youths every year to some western coun- try in the hope that they would stay for years, if necessary, learn some of the industrial arts, and returning to their home, establish those industries there. "As your blessed country,'' says tho circular,
 ''stands now the foremost in the world for the improvement of the industrial arts, and as you have ra1sed it to this rank by your sA s,% %1, ~1>kl country of all others which can assist us in our objects. We also entertain high hopes that you will assist us in our eadeavors, as you have shown great sympathy towards all fallen countries, and towards India in par ticalar, as was expressed at tho last great ex- hibition in Philadelphia. There is another great convenience in sending our youths to America, and that is that as they all have an average knowledge of English they will be able to begin their studies at once, and thus save much time which would otherwise have been spent in mastering any other lan- guage."
 The authors of the circular do not expect to find much difficulty in collecting the neces- sary funds, but before they start they wish to be well informed, and they therefore ask
 the following questions l. Would you be good enough to teach to any Indian student by receiving him as an apprentice your art, and if Bo upon what conditions
 2. Should you be willing to do SO, what is l the probable time for which he will have to stay there, and the cost of his living there as one of your own apprentices, making allow ! ance for the fact that he IS an Asiatic and un- used to your climate ..a~+- c-I --sl7-t. 5. Would you, or any benevolent institu- l tion in the neighborhood, undertake to have ] control over his conduct, and the funds ! which will be placed in your or its hands for ! his support, and to giv to those who would send him information as to the progress he l makes and the way in which he conducts himself2 1s 5. 4. What would be the probable cost of i'm 1 porting the machinery requisite for the art he 1 learns from your country to this, or, if that ! cannot be ascertained, it's price there?
 5. Is your art likely to be practioed in | supposing the funds for setting up a manu- 1 factory for it and the knowledge of conduct I ing it are forthcoming? .9-r-.-- --.s--.- l 6. Is there any knowledge, other than a | knowledge of the English language, and of \ tho rudiments of mathematics etc., as is l learnt in an average middle class school, nec- ! essary before student is admitted as an 3D. prentice with you? l 7. Which would be the cheapest way of
 proceeding to your place from this country ? It is hardly probable that this circular will
 have much effect in this country, though
 many will wish it might have. A good work
 has been done here for Chinese youth, and it would be gratifying if we could help the de- 1 velopment of India in the way tho circular proposes.