"that the maximum age for candidates for examination should be 22, "and he would be disposed to leave the minimum as at present at 18."

In the proposition of the Secretary of State for India we entirely concurred, intimating only that it might be worthy of consideration whether, in order to prevent disappointment to individuals, it might not be well to retain 23 as the maximum age for the competitive examination of 1859, an arrangement ultimately adopted.

The other principal topic discussed in the correspondence between the Secretary of State for India and this Commission was the necessity or expediency of an examination of th candidates for the East India Civil Service, in subjects specially connected with their future duties.

The questions which this involved were,—

1st. Whether there should be any examination at all in such special subjects?

2d. Whether they might not be included in the competitive examination rather than in a subsequent further examination?

The principal grounds of objection and of doubt in reference to these questions, appeared to be:

The consequent addition to the age at which candidates would commence their service in India.

That the subjects special to India would probably be more easily acquired in India than in this country, an opinion which at one period was entertained and expressed by Lord Macaulay and one of his associates in Sir C. Wood's committee.

The expense which would be thrown on the selected candidate by the necessity of remaining in this country and preparing himself for the further examination.

The risk arising from temptations to idleness.

The want of sufficient stimulus in respect of the further examination.

It is very difficult, however, to maintain that the knowledge of the general principles of law and jurisprudence, a general acquaintance with the conduct of trials and the rules of evidence in the courts of this country,-are not acquirements highly advantageous and even necessary to the Civil servants, and it is certain that here are to be found the best and only means of obtaining them.

With respect to law, Sir C. Wood, in his letter of 30th Nov. 1854, thus strongly expressed himself:-

"No qualification is so necessary to them, i.e., the Civil ser"vants, whether they be employed in the judicial branch of the "service, or in the combined duties of collector and magistrate, as a thorough knowledge of the principles of law, combined "with a practical acquaintance with the mode of conducting "civil and criminal suits.”

We have already cited, on this point, the views of the late President of the India Board, Lord Ellenborough, as to the importance of the knowledge of the elements of Hindoo and Mahomedan law.

With respect to Sanskrit and the vernacular languages of India, although the power of speaking any of the vernacular languages can only be satisfactorily acquired in India itself, yet there are authorities of very great weight who maintain that the study, both of these languages and of Sanskrit, may be more advantageously commenced in this country.

We have been permitted by Sir Charles Trevelyan, now Governor of Madras, to introduce the following extract from a memorandum with which, at our request, he has lately favoured

us:

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"It is an important fact, that the elements of the Indian languages 66 can be acquired with much greater facility and exactness with the "assistance of a European teacher than of a Moulavee or Pundit. The object being to bridge the interval between two systems of language, a well-instructed English professor who has studied the grammar and "construction of both, and is familiar both with the previous know"ledge of the student and with the difficulties he is likely to feel, is a "far better guide than a native, who knows only his own system, and "has little in common with the English student."

The above extract has been shown to Professor Wilson, who has allowed us to state that it has his full concurrence. He adds, with reference to tuition in India, that during his residence in that country no Munshi or Pundit had the slightest conception of such tuition, and that they never attempted it :

"The great merit of the old college of Fort-William course, which "often turned out capital scholars, was," he states, "the combination of European and native instructors, the former giving the principles, "the latter the practice. European professors alone are competent to "introduce European students to a knowledge of the Oriental languages. "Native teachers are valuable to perfect them in their use. I have repeatedly shown, by reference to the Indian examinations, that a 66 young civilian becomes qualified for the public service in a longer or a shorter period, in proportion to the knowledge of the languages in "which he has to pass that he takes with him from this country."

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Professor Max Müller has expressed himself, in print, to the same effect:

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"It is a mistake to imagine that the Oriental languages can be better "learnt in Calcutta than in London. The elements of grammar and a knowledge of the literature can be acquired infinitely better from "European teachers, and it is only after this solid foundation has been "laid that actual intercourse and conversation with natives can be of "any practical use."

"Those who know what impulse is given by an open exhibition at "a college, and what extraordinary feats in Greek and Latin compo"sition are performed by young men of 20, will not consider a proba❝tioner unfairly weighted if, in addition to the elements of law, he is "expected to acquire a decent knowledge of Sanskrit, and an acquaint

"ance with the rudiments of one of the provincial languages of India "within a year. Sanskrit, at least so much of it as is necessary for "construing the laws of Manú, or a play of Kalidasa, can be learn, even by the dullest in one year, by giving one hour a day to its study "much more by a man of ability, as all probationers are likely to be."

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With regard to the risk arising from temptations to idleness acting upon the selected candidate, who, whilst preparing for the further examination, would not, as at Haileybury or at the University, be subject to any academic discipline, it can hardly be said that his good principle, or his perseverance and industry, already tested by the competitive examination, would be subject to a trial unduly severe, especially when it is considered that considerably greater temptations to idleness have to be surmounted after arrival in India, and before active employment

commences.

As to the supposed want of stimulus in respect of the further examination, it must be borne in mind that the apprehension of failure and of the loss of an excellent appointment would of itself operate as a powerful incentive to industry; but the plan suggested by Lord Macaulay and his colleagues, with respect to the further examination, i.e., that [the competitive examination should decide selection for the service and the choice of the presidency, but that] seniority in the service should be determined by competition at the further examination amongst the selected candidates, calls into activity hope as well as fear. It would, doubtless, add a further stimulus to the competition at the further examination, if the choice of the presidency were made to depend on the result of that examination; but it must be borne in mind that such an arrangement would deprive the selected candidate of the advantage of being able to choose, as his subject of study for the further examination, that vernacular language which would be likely to be most useful to him.

After carefully weighing these various considerations, this Commission submitted certain draft regulations to the consideration of the Secretary of State for India in Council, which, after providing for the first competitive examination, and that the selected candidates should be permitted to choose, according to the order in which they stand, as long as a choice remains, the presidency to which they shall be appointed, prescribed a further examination as follows:

9. In a further examination of the selected candidates will take place in the following subjects:

(1.) Sanskrit, and the Vernacular Lan-Vernacular Lan

guages of India

Sanskrit

guages, each

Marks. 500

350

Each candidate may name one or two languages. If he names one only, he must name either Sanskrit or a vernacular language current in the presidency which he has selected.

(2.) The History and Geography of India
(3.) The General Principles of Jurisprudence and the Ele-
ments of the Hindu and Mahommedan Law

500

1,000

In this, as in the preceding, examination, the merit of the candidates will be estimated by marks, and the numbers set opposite to each subject denote the greatest number of marks that can be obtained in respect of it. The examination will be conducted by means of printed questions and written answers, and by vivâ voce examination, as may be deemed necessary.

10. Any selected candidate who does not pass at the further examination will be struck off the list of selected candidates.

11. The selected candidates who, at the further examination, shall be found to have a competent knowledge of the subjects specified in regulation 9, shall be adjudged to have passed, and to be entitled to be appointed to the Civil Service of India.

12. The seniority in the Civil Service of India of the several candidates shall be determined according to the order in which they stand on the list resulting from the further examination.

13. No person will, even after passing the further examination, be allowed to proceed to India unless he shall comply with the regulations in force at the time for the Civil Service of India, and shall be of sound bodily health and good moral character.

With regard to these regulations, Mr. Melvill, in a letter of the 6th November last, informs the Commissioners, that after a full consideration of all the arguments for and against the principle of a double examination, Lord Stanley had come to the conclusion that the establishment of such a system would conduce to the interest of the public service; and that his Lordship agreed with us in thinking it desirable that candidates who had passed the first examination should be stimulated to exert themselves in the second by some inducement stronger than the simple fear of failure; and, after observing that by reserving, as a reward for passing the second examination satisfactorily, the choice of presidency, the studies of the candidates in respect to languages might not prove. to be of that practical utility to them which was intended, Lord Stanley acquiesced in the plan laid down in the draft regulations, under which the successful candidate at the first examination should select the presidency to which he is to be sent, reserving rank as the only reward for superiority on the latter occasion.

Lord Stanley, however, was of opinion that the penalty under rule 10 attached to failure in the two examinations, viz., to be struck off the list of selected candidates, was too severe, and he expressed his wish that the rule should be thus: "No "candidate will be allowed to proceed to India until he shall "have passed the final examination, or after he has completed "his twenty-fourth year."

The difficulty already alluded to, with regard to the expenses incident to the year's residence of the candidate in England after the first examination, Lord Stanley met by the following arrangement, alike liberal and considerate, namely, that to every candidate, who shall have passed the further examination, an allowance of 100l. shall be granted.

With these exceptions, and upon the understanding that political economy, for which we ourselves thought a special

training to be necessary, was to be made a subject for the second examination, and not for the first, as proposed in the draft regulations, Lord Stanley approved of the regulations submitted to him.

Lord Stanley having caused this approval to be communicated to us, we made such modifications in the draft regulations as were requisite to fulfil his wishes, and sent them thus modified to the Secretary of State for India in Council, who was pleased, on the 20th November 1858, to signify his final approval thereof.

The regulations as they now stand are set forth in Appendix IV. to this Report.

We look forward with great interest to the next July examination. The large number of vacancies (forty) which it is intended to fill up, and the increased chances of success thus held out, will, undoubtedly, attract a considerably larger number of candidates than 67, the number who presented themselves on the last occasion.

The emoluments of a writership, which are briefly described on the next page; the steady advancement in the service of those who devote themselves to it with zeal and perseverance; the infinite opportunities of public usefulness which it presents; the dignity, honour, and influence of the positions to which it may not improbably lead; and the liberal and judicious provisions for retirement at a moderate age, all render the Indian Civil Service a career full of interest and of pecuniary advantage. Considering the wide range of age presented for candidates; that no particular course of special studies is required for the first examination; and, in fact, that any one well prepared to take high honours at any of the principal English or Irish Universities has a good chance of success; and that his attempt to obtain one of these numerous prizes, even if unsuccessful, would hardly at all interfere with his academical progress; we feel convinced, that when this system of competitive examinations for the East India Civil Service is generally made known and fully understood, the temptations thus held out will draw away many young University men from the severe and uncertain competition of the bar, the moderate expectations of the Church, and still more from the laborious future which the various employments of a scholastic nature hold out.