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Leader (1850-1860), 27th November 1858, Edition 2 of 2, Page 22

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    • INDIA AND INDIAN PROGRESS.
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      1294 '•- ., ' ¦ ¦ ¦•¦ The Leader. [No. 4...

      1294 '• - ., ' ¦ ¦ ¦•¦ THE LEADER . [ No . 453 , November 27 , 1858 .

      India And Indian Progress.

      INDIA AND INDIAN PROGRESS .

      The Indian And Attstbaxian Sanitaria. Th...

      THE INDIAN AND ATTSTBAXIAN SANITARIA . The Times a few weeks ago contained some letters , by Captain Mangles and mends , advocating the removal of our invalid English soldiers in India to Western Australia , on account of its attested value as a sanitarium . To these assertions no representations on behalf of the Indian Sanitaria were allowed to appear , but on their arrival in India great indignation has been expressed at proposing to send invalids to Australia , a long sea voyage , instead of the healthy regions of the Indian hills , which from some points are within a few hours journey . The Bombay Standard , in the course of some able , articles on the improvement of the condition of the English army , observes that as to sanitary stations Southern India is blessed with , abundance of lofty mountains with a semi-Europeau climate , and capable of being rendered easily accessible from the plains , and we may further remark that Northern India has mountains with a thorough . European climate equally capable of being made accessible . On each of these there should be accommodation , which the Standard says , according to the present regulations for English soldiers , the economist would consider palatial . Towards each there should be a line of railway , which might be stopped short where the ascent becomes so steep as to threaten a heavy expenditure or a long time in construction , and which might be postponed . As much of India is a table-land it has , been proposed by many authorities to lay down cheap single lines in the plains , leaving the hill regions for the present to shift for themselves , the ascent of the hills being . made by ponies or the ordinary mode of transit , as the-hills rise suddenly and steeply from the plains . The local railways in Bombay , it is remarked , including the passage of the Ghauts , cost about 7000 / . per mile , but omitting such heavy works as those for the Ghauts , it is estimated single lines might be laid down for 3000 / . a mile , along which the traffic would flow , and which would do well enough till the traffic increased so much as to require double lines in the plains and branch lines in the hills . The Sanitaria , or hill towns , which have railway communication at present , are Matheran , Khandalla , Poonah , and the places above Poonah in Bombay . A branch is in progress from Madras to the Neilgherries , In Bengal , the main line of the East Indian Railway is being brought within two hundred miles of Darjeeling , but the Northern Bengal connecting line has not yet received its guarantee . A line is projected from the East Indian and Punjab railways to Simla , but that is all . As yet the railways have not been administered by the Government of India , with reference to the bill towns , as , until' lately , English settlement was not considered so important , aitd till the Government had determined to p lace English troops in the hills , the necessity for unproved communications was not so great .

      Roman Type In India. {To The Editor Of T...

      ROMAN TYPE IN INDIA . { To the Editor of the Leader . ) Bib ,- —I beg to submit for your consideration the following points in reference to your recent able and interesting article on the application of the Roman character to the languages of India ;—1 . In expressing Oriental languages in the Roman character , literary and scientific men throughout the civilised world have , after the example of Sir William Jones , adopted that application of the Roman letters which comes nearest to their powers in Latin and the languages derived from it . 2 . The Roman letters , according to the same application of them , have become firmly established as the missionary and Christian character of Upper India , as will be seen in detail from the accompanying letter from the Rov . R ~ C . Mather , of the London Missionary Society . 3 . The Roman consonants have the ftame power . According to this application of them , in the Oriental languages as in English—the exceptional sound which some of them have , in addition td their ordinary use , being distinguished by a diacritical mark j and-r—4 . As the five Roman vowels are applied to the English language in an extremely irregular manner , ibo that the same letter often represents several

      different sounds , any attempt to follow the English practice , in this part of the system , would have tended rather to mislead than to assist . The consonants , therefore , are substantially identical ; while , although the vowels represent only one of the different powers of the same letter in English , and that not always the most usual , yet , having been adjusted to the symmetrical scale common to Sanscrit and Latin and their derivatives , they can never be confused , in their application to the Oriental languages , with any of their various conventional uses in English ; and the superior compactness ,

      cheapness , and distinctness of the Roman letters , the various sizes and forms of type , the capital letters , italics , stops , and other aids to modern printing 1 , equally apply to vowels and consonants . This intrinsic superiority of the Roman character , and the facilities it affords of bringing all the languages and dialects of Asia into a closer relation with each other and with the languages of Europe , constitute the essence of the change which was commenced twenty-five years ago at Calcutta . I have the honour to be , sir , Yours , very faithfully , C . E . Treveltan .

      London , 22 nd November , 1858 . [ We shall resume the subject to which Sir Charle 3 Trevelyan refers at an early period , for it is one of the most important subjects connected with the advancement of civilisation in Indian—Ed . Leader . ^

      Notes On Indian Pro Guess. We Have Only ...

      NOTES ON INDIAN PRO GUESS . We have only fragmentary intelligence frotn the sanataria and hill towns . From Darjeeting , it is reported that Dr . Archibald Campbell , the superintendent , under direction of the Bengal Government , is taking measures to protect that important station against any possible attack of Jung Bahadoor and the Nepaulese . The Jillapahar , the military station near the town , is being converted into a stronghold , and it is the opinion of those locally conversant that it could be held for any length of time against a large force , provided the provisions do not fail . Dr . Campbell is getting

      together a large stock of provisions . His object is to be able to hold the Jillapahar in case of an inroad , until he can receive aid from the Bengal Government , but he is very weak in guns and men . Had more invalids been sent up , as they ought to havo been by this time , they would have picked up strength and been converted from troublesome encumbrances into useful soldiers , onuch to the advantage of the state . lit case the Government of India cannot spare two or three English regiments , as has been asked , it has been urged by some that all tiie invalids of the English regiments in Bengal should be sent up there .

      For the time , a European guard with guns had been posted in the centre of the station ; but this is only of use against insubordination of the local Ghoorkas , as in case of an attack all the property about the Btation would be destroyed , and the communication with the plains would be cut off . By some late news from Sylhet the first report of the Sylhet mission has been received . That mission has how been established since 1850 , and although it met with great discouragement at first , the number of children in the schools has risen from three to two

      hundred and forty in the town schools , besides those in the country districts . They find a great field of labour among the hill tribes . The Khasees are found in the neighbourhood of the hill town of Cherrapoonjee , where a mission had been established for eighteen years . Among the Munrtpoorees a native teacher has been employed , but a missionary has been sent thither . To the Cochareea a native teacher is to be sent in the course ; of the year . Among the people of Tipperah only missionary visits have been made .

      . . At Sylhot tlie mission has , besides the boys' schools , an orphan asylum , and a girls' school . Sylhet is a country of great resources , but little developed . It aupplios the important articles of coal and lime , which can be shipped to the lower districts . Linseed , tea , oranges , and potatoes are products that can be very profitably raised . At present the few Europeans are unable to compass tho field of labour open to them . The coal company and tho companies languish for want of capital and of good roada and other communications . A country of large area And great resources is loft dependent on tho Bengal Government for tho casual grant of a few pounds , and cannot raise a local loan , as an Australian colony would do . There were , however , English enough in Sylhot to get up amateur theatricals in September .

      Another new hill capital is proposed where the European magistrate , officials , and troops- can ben safety . In . the Punjab it is in contemplation to form a district with the hill ot Sirkesan , 5000 feethieh as its head quarters , giving it , besides other persrun nahs , the subdivisions of Meeanwallce and Chobab Sydan Shah in the Leia and Jhelum districts other changes in the hill districts of the Punjab are in contemplation , and a bridge of boats is to be formed at Maree . The bishop of Bombay . has left Poonah forMahabuleshwar .

      A communipation of some importance has taken place between Mr . Halliday , the eminent Governor of Bengal , and the Indigo Planters' Association . A Mr . Tripp , of Bamundee , a planter , having been convicted for an illegal abduction , in defiance of the police , of certain timber , which was being carried down the Bhnguruitee , and for the illegal imprisonment of a native for three months for having given evidence against him , the Licutenant-Governor caused the facts to be laid before the Indigo Association , that they might be heartily reprobated and condemned . The Association were unable to take tins course , as it appeared that he was not a member ; but they passed a vote of disapproval of such

      proceedings . A hunting excursion had been made to the hill country ¦ of Hundes , in Thibet , of which-we ' shall give an account next week . The country 'appears suitable for English occupation . We regret that the great Thibet road , which is of so much importance for our trade with Central Asia , and which was devised by Lord Dalhousie to pass through the valley of the Sutlej , is now suspended for want of means on account of the revolt . It is

      always thus under the present system in India ? -that the most important works are dependent on the necessities of the Government . The road is very winding , and will require considerable outlay , but on the opening out of the Punjab Railway will become of great value . . , , ~ The Khurrumnasa has been navigated by Government steamers for operations against the rebels , and we hope it will be navigated by steamers hereafter for commercial purposes .. . at abad in

      Great excitement prevails Fyz expectation of the Government steamer sontjup the Goointee and which will be the first steamer which will have ever reached Fyzabad . Facts like these show what the rivers of India are , to how small an extent they have been occupied by steam , and what profitable branches of enterprise may be there carried on The first indigo in Jessore has fetched a » I . per maund , which is considered a good price . In Patna district * it is asserted LngUali plants are not doing well , but a Frenchman , who is taking the law into his own hands and keeping a tight grasp of the natives , is making way . The Great Eastern Steamship Company Iavo under consideration a plan of tranait with rgg « £ India which , if carried out , will have a most material effect on the increase of English settlers and

      travcllcrs th roughout the East . nnmr-il Assam C 6 ngou tea » s no * selling m ^ o BcnS al at is . 6 d . per lb . wholesale , a very good price . Pearl Bibles are selling in the h eart of India fit Is . each , and arc sent by post for ljd . , A second call of 1 / . 10 s . per share has been made by the Dacca Public Booms Company , hnutod , eo that it is under way- . . , mi « ini ) Grs On Dr . Green , one of tho municipa con njisswng » of Dacca , and founder of the Dacca Museum , lea i » g that city , wo learn from tUo Dacca A «« that » n address was presonted to him by all classes , » nu » testimonial of the value of 170 / . _ ft i 9 The lino of telegraph from Calcutta to DogJ ^ open , except the Pudda cable , so that t stm eight hours to communicate tootvrcon tho two o J fT > U ~ ™ K 1 « ,., 111 . nnnim Innirnr t 1110 . f l l » 0 W 0 rhH »»

      been chiefly . ' Ud % Baboo Issur Chundor ¦ wn $ native artificer , in a most satisfactory roan nor . cables havo boon laid in the small rivers ,, ui * ^ masts of about sixty foot high havo been put P , on each side of the river , in order that ^ might not be in any way obatiu olive to uw navigating tho rivor . __^ ss

      Bkloium And -Run Pnwoii'amnw^ A Fl » Oot...

      Bkloium and -run Pnwoii'AMnw ^ a » company hM just boon formed at DualinroBt , > ^ of whloh is to supply tho Dunublan * " ? ?*„ { ho y «" Belgian production * » 0 por cent , eIiogpor in *» ^ bo obtained via Oronatadt . Tho CHambor of Conu of Oronfltadt , on being mado awaro oi tliw ' ; wn 0 , tioneil Prlnco Llehtonatoln , pointing out t « J ""» Cf onof having a railway constructed from ^«» u stadt with all iiosulblo speed .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 27, 1858, page 22, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_27111858/page/22/