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    1264 T HE 1/ E A PER, , [No. 452, Novemb...

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    INDIA AND INDIAN PROGRESS.

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    THE EOMAN TYPES IN INDIA. The extension ...

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    THE NBPA.UL QUESTION. It will be seen by...

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    1264 T He 1/ E A Per, , [No. 452, Novemb...

    1264 T HE 1 / E A PER , , [ No . 452 , November 20 ,. 1858

    India And Indian Progress.

    INDIA AND INDIAN PROGRESS .

    The Eoman Types In India. The Extension ...

    THE EOMAN TYPES IN INDIA . The extension of the Roman types in India has reached a further practical stage in the shape of an article in the Times , a stage of importance in all measures , but more particularly in reference to this , because it hot only makes it known to the great mass of the English public , but brings the public mind of England to bear on . the public mind of India , an influence very much

    wanted , for greater conversance with the subject on the part of Indian officials is not necessarily attended with the formation of sound opinions , inasmuch as local prejudices are too often brought to bear against general conclusions , and to warp the judgment . We have already brought the subject forward as one of no mean importance in connexion with the progress of India , because it will smooth the way to the acquisition of western , knowledge and facilitate the intercourse of the Indian nations .

    The system of vowels to be adopted is , we consider , of less importance than the determination to introduce the Roman type and scrip , for these will adjust themselves . It is certainly desirable that the best system should be adopted at once , but while we wait for the determination of this and the agreement of men ' s minds , the opportunities are being lost of going to work . We would let each Presidency and each jurisdiction adopt its own system of representation if it liked , whether Sir W . Jones ' s , advocated by Sir Charles Trevelyan , or

    Dr . Gilclirist ' s ; whether Professor Newman ' s or the system of following wholly and bodily English spelling . We nave already referred to the exposition of the Jones , or Italian system , advocated in tire wellknown papers of Sir C . Trevelyan , Mr . W . Yates , Mr . W . H . Pearce , Mr . J . Thomas , and the Rev . Dr . Duff at Calcutta , in November , 1834 , and which ¦ were republished by Longmans in 185 * . This system depends chiefly on the adoption of Italian sounds for the vowels , and it has great prospects of successthough it is ill suited for the

    accom-, plishment of one important purpose , namely , preparing the Hindoo student for reading English . It js one known in India from the time of Sir W . Jones , and adopted by a large section of Indian scholars ; anid since its promulgation for the representation of Indian dialects in 1834 , it lias made steady progress , being adopted by natives of India , by teachers of Oriental languages in England , and by authors of works relating- to the East . It has this recommendation , that it is—as well expressed by Sir Charles Trevelyan—a simple transliteration into

    Roman of the Deva Nagari , or Sanscrit alphabet , adding what was wanted to represent the peculiar sounds imported into the Indian languages from the Arabic- Professor Newman ' s system is of the same class , but he employed another mode of pointing . Dr . Gilclirist ' s does not depend on any preconceived system , but ia the concoction of the learned author , and very difficult to follow out . It has , however , the support of a large section of Indian officials , trained in his system . This method cannot stand , for it is wearing away under the

    silent influence of the Trevelyan system , and though it shows a bold front now , it has no vitality in it . The great advantage of the Trovelyan system is that it well represents the Indian dialects and ia truly a transliteration . This is its stronghold , for it is a great help to the European student of the Indian dialects , and is useful for natives wishing to refer to other Indian dialects . It has naturally received the adhesion of continental

    scholars because it is conformable to their own pronunciation . '• Wli ' ere it fails is that , so far from assisting the native in the study of the English language ; , it creates a special impediment . The syst ? i 5 . nir ' or spelling for the English language unfortunately ., adopted in the middle ages , ia preference to . Cne JPiemisli system or a modification of the Anglo-Saxon , has placed English spelling ia a class by itself . " This ' spelling , howevor , is abroad fact whioh we must admit , for there is no immediate

    likelihood of England and the United States adopting any other method . The p honetic type has been consigned to oblivion , ana even such a simple amendment as Webster ' s spelling has been little adopted , and is set at defiance by the printers . We have , therefore , two courses in which to work , one to comply with the requirements of the Indian languages , and another to comply with the requirements of the English language .

    When we consider of how little importance for imparting knowledge are the vernacular languages of India , we may be induced to place less stress on their development . Although Persia has a literature , it is now yearly falling more and more into the status of a foreign language , and within a few years it will get out of disuse in India , but further no particular regard need be paid to Persiian or Arabic , because neither possesses the literature of progress , nor is the language of large masses of the people .

    With regard to the vernacular languages , although they are how required to be written for legal purposes , for correspondence , for translations from English , works , and for native newspapers , yet they cannot be regarded as of such importance or such EermaneiLt interest , that their requirements are to e preferentially consulted . The result of Indian administrative reform must be to extend the use of the English language for legal purposes , to suppress native written documents and apparatus for perjury , to conduct the examinations iii English , and to

    create English court records . The best evidence points to these results , and in all new arrangements for non-regulation districts they are being realised . For mercantile correspondence English will become of more use , and as the vernacular literature will not supply the demands : of the population for knowledge , so English books will be more consulted and native books less . Many of the Indian languages and dialects prevail over small areas , and they will never obtain a competent literature , any more than the Finns , the Frizians , the Welsh , the Irish , the Basques , or any small nationality of Europe .

    Thus everything tends to the increased use of the English language , and instruction in the vernacular schools must oe looked upon , not as opening the whole curriculum of education to the student , but as preparing him for the study of English . The grand end and aim , therefore , should be to facilitate this result , and to make Indian spelling conform as near as possible to English spelling , and not to create a fresh barrier after abolishiug the Deva Nagari , the Persian , and ^ he other characters . It is of no importance for Indian purposes , or for English purposes , that a Frenchman , a German , or

    an Italian can read Bengalcse or Canarcsc with facility , or that a Bengalee or Malabar will have greater facility in acquiring French or , German ; these are not objects to be consulted , and are of no p ractical use What has to be done is to facilitate intercommunication between England and India , and to make the literature , civilisation , institutions , and commerce of the English race available for India . This is the end to be accomplished , and the acquirement of the Indian languages by Englishmen will be facilitated by any system based upon , such principles ; for tho English student will bo facilitated by English spelling rather than by tho Trevelyau method .

    With regard to tho measures to be adopted for establishing Roman spoiling , various propositions have been made . An able writer in the National Review , whose article on . the Zouavo and kindred languages was noticed in the Leader , took occasion , whue discussing tho application of tho Roman character to Arabic and Kabyle to make some remarks on its Indian application . Ho very well observes that to adapt systematically a Roman type for ox . tra-E . urQpoan languagos would not only add great facilities . to comparative grammar and nf ^ nntiMvinnl linmiiatrtrhilt Would be Of SOrVlOO to

    . us politically in India , religiously in every missionary station . Ho proposes that tho Indian Government should appoint a committee of three to report on the best mode of adapting tho Roman alphabet to the Indian languages , tho committco to consist of one printer , one person acquainted with eevoral Indian languages ; and one English man of letters ^ J 3 , ) s , object nV naming a printer is , of course , to have a practical judgment on tho rolative

    value of diacritical points , accents , and other mark as affecting type-founding , composing , and cor recting ; because it will be desirable to mark some " of the vowels , and necessary to distinguish such consonant sounds as are not to be found in En <^ lisb , and require new combinations of tlie Romah al p habet for their representation . We doubt whether an English man of letters would be the best member of the committee , for he wo uld have literary prepossessions like the Indian member , and we think it far better that a merchant or man of business should be appointed , who can appreciate the inconveniences of a new system of pronunciation and of a special scrip . As the

    Trevelyan method is worked through the miss ionaries , so the National Reviewer proposes to take advantage of the railway , and that the committee should request every Indian railway board , to set up every notice at every station in a twofold type—first in the Indian , next in the Roman . In Wales , the notices of the Rhyljfordd are set up in English and Welsh , but the English lirst ; and very curious specimens of composition arc Rhyljfordd , notices in Welsh , being half-English terms turned into Welsh ; and in Bengalee the like notices will be kalf English . The reviewer then urges that all Government

    proclamations shall be printed on the like system ; but as we think it will be far better and simpler to print the proclamations all Roman , without any local type , aud in parallel columns of English and the local language , because the Roman al p habet can be readily taught to adults and youths who can read , and there would be the greater encouragement to read the Romanised publications . The Trevelyan method , as announced by " Inclo philus" in the Times tliis week , lias been put in a very effective shape by the adoption of a measure for the publication of cheap books in this country iu the Roman tvpe . The Bible Society 1 ms sagaciously

    aided in this movement , and is about to produce thirty thousand Roman-Hindostanec Testaments at a low price . These the religious public will buy up , and give as presents to every official , emigrant , and private soldier proceeding to India , many of whom , will acquire a readier knowledge of Hmdostanee , while the greater proportion of the books will , on their arrival in India , bq got rid of and dispersed among the natives , aud become a further means of propagating Roman type- 11 ns will be a useful step for the introduction of Koman type and scrip for all regimental orders in corps where Ilindostancc is used . Mr . Jarratt has put himself forward as an opponent of " Indophilus , " and presents but a sorry case .

    The Nbpa.Ul Question. It Will Be Seen By...

    THE NBPA . UL QUESTION . It will be seen by the advices subsequently received that we were correct in the view we tookol theNepaul question , and that Dariecling u in no immediate danger , though not without cause or anxiety . . The Sates from Dr . Campbell , the Superintendent of DarjeeHng , to the Government a c to * i . « QKtii nf fiRnf . fimlip . r . It aDPcars that tiicM o i

    lance of that energetic official Vad not . alu * be ^ and that he had established a communication witn tuo Resident in Ncpaul , who assured him that « ill J » quiet there , and on the frontier there was no indiea tioa of immediate hostilities . Jung , Bahndooi isjwff ever building barracks at Elam . in NopauUbouj sixty miles from Darjcoling , which , we pr ownW 'jm not render Dr . Campbell fess urgent in don ml jfc the European reinforocmonts winch it is bam Government have determined on sending to ¦ u » station . If , howevor , wo arc to protect- our ¦ inlc w in that auartor , we must not have a less loioo u fcwoortlirco thousand men . Wo liave J Ghoorkas , in their hills , troublesome customer

    As wT have stated , the alarm of he r oto m Darjoeling is considerable , and they have boon b > means roassurod , by an incident winch ha b laWJ occurred . Dr . Campbell has employed oi cantonments about a thousand Ghoqrk y lnbonwh and about tho middle of Sep tember tlicy * i » P poaredia a body , in consequence of a > toy J stoppage of the usual supplies of gl ico , on sheep from Nopaul , and the rumo ured crocwon tho barracks there . Tlieso they took as W

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 20, 1858, page 24, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_20111858/page/24/