II. Madras.

Letters from Madras.

In Diary to Consultations, 18 December 1855, Nos. 37 and 38.

No. 37.

November 1855.

1.

PAPERS referred to in Madras Public (Education) Despatch, dated
13 May 1857, No. 37, para. 8.

EXTRACT, Public Letter from Fort St. George, dated 11 February
(No. 1 of 1856).

Para. 71. THE Director of Public Instruction submitted to us an application from the Madras Corresponding Committee of the Church Missionary Society for a grant in aid of building and furnishing a schoolhouse to be erected in the immediate vicinity of Triplicane, and designed solely for the instruction of Mahomedans.

72. The estimated cost of the building, including the purchase of the ground, it was stated was about 23,000 rupees; and as the Committee expected to have placed at their disposal towards its erection funds to the extent of 16,000 rupees, they solicited a grant from us of 7,000 rupees to supply the deficit.

73. We concurred in the views of the Director as to the great importance of the object contemplated by the Committee; and as that officer considered that the sum allowed for grants in aid for the current official year would be more than sufficient to provide for all the grants for which he had as yet received, or was likely to receive applications, we have, on Mr. Arbuthnot's recommendation, authorised the disbursement to the Committee of 7,000 rupees, they having pledged themselves to comply with the stipulated conditions under which such grants are made.

EXTRACT, Fort St. George, Public Diary to Consultation of 18 December 1855.
Received the following Papers.

(No. 62.)

From A. J. Arbuthnot, Esq., Director of Public Instruction, to the Chief
Secretary to Government, Fort St. George.

Sir,

1. I HAVE the honour to submit for the consideration of the Right Honourable the Governor in Council, the enclosed copies of letters from the †

* Dated 10 October late secretary* and the present officiating secretary to the Madras Corre1855. Received 12 sponding Committee of the Church Missionary Society, applying for a grant + Dated 23 Novem- of seven thousand rupees (7,000) in aid of building and furnishing a schoolhouse about to be erected at Madras, in the immediate neighbourhood of Triplicane.

ber 1855.

2. It will be observed that the projected school is designed solely for the instruction of the Mahomedan population; that the funds for the erection of a building in aid of which a grant is sought, are derived from a legacy devised for that purpose, and that the Church Missionary Society has pledged itself to provide, and permanently to maintain, the requsite establishment of teachers.

3. The grant applied for is somewhat large with reference to the amount sanctioned by the Government of India for this branch of the educational expenditure; but the object in view is one of such great importance, and the number of applications for grants in aid which I have received from other quarters is so small, that I beg most strongly to recommend that the application be complied with.

4. The sum allowed for grants in aid for the current official year will, I am satisfied, be more than sufficient to provide for all the grants for which I have as yet received, or am likely to receive, applications.

1. I HAVE the honour to state, that I am directed by the Madras Correspending Committee of Church Missionary Society to make application for a grant in aid of building and furnishing a Mahomedan school, now about to be erected by them on a piece of ground, of which a plan is annexed, in the immediate vicinity of the police compound in Royapettah.

2. It will not be ordinarily in the power of the Church Missionary Society to apply for grants for building purposes, as the voluntary and fluctuating nature of their income precludes their undertaking to fulfil the requirements specified in section 1, of para. 7, of the Educational Notification of the 17th August last.

3. But in the present instance no such difficulty exists. The funds, in aid of which a Government grant is now sought, are supplied by a legacy devised by the late Hon. Sybilla Harris, and by her devoted solely to the erection of a school, so that it is not in the power of the Church Missionary Society to alienate them to any other purpose. I forward enclosed an extract from the will, and a statement of the precise present amount of the bequest, which may be expected to realise about 15,000 rupees.

4. I have also the honour to transmit a plan for the school buildings, prepared by Lieutenant Colonel J. T. Smith before leaving for Calcutta, after careful consideration as to its fitness for its intended purpose, and an estimate of the probable expense of erection, furnished by Mr. Ostheider.

5. The cost of the ground is Rs. 4,790. 6., which I have reason to hope will be reduced by about 200 rupees. The estimate is nearly 18,000 rupees, so that the total cost before. supplying any school furniture, will probably amount to not much less than 23,000 rupees. The Harris legacy may be expected to produce about 15,000 rupees, and the Committee have reason to anticipate a donation of about 1,000 rupees more; and I am directed by them now to apply to the Government for a grant in aid to cover the deficit of 7,000 rupees, which will still remain unsupplied.

6. The object is one of considerable interest and importance, being the first effort in In dia specifically diected to the supply of an European education for the better classes of the Mussulman population separate from the Hindus. The languages employed will be English, Hindustani, Persian, and perhaps Arabic: Tamil and Telugu will be excluded. The Church Missionary Society supply an English clergyman as principal; he is already in India. A second master is now on his way to Madras, and they are hoping to furnish a third.

7. The Madras Corresponding Committee of Church Missionary Society direct me to declare their willingness to conform to the conditions specified for the regulation of grants in aid, and to add that they purpose to require a fee from each scholar.

Madras, 10 October 1855,

I have, &c. (signed)

W. Knight,

Secretary Madras Corresponding Committee,
Church Missionary Society.

EXTRACT from Will of the Honourable Mrs. Harris.

"To the Church Missionary Society 1,2007., free of legacy duty, to be employed in. building a church or chapel, or schools, at or as near Seringa patam as a Church Mission may be established. I request that the Rev. John Tucker, secretary to the Church Missionary Society at Madras, will kindly undertake the superintendency of the abovenamed bequest."

II.

Madras.

MEMORANDUM of the probable Expense of building an Upper Roomed School at Royapettah, agreeably to the accompanying Plan, Elevation, and Section.

Memorandum of the probable Expense of building an Upper Roomed School at Royapettah, &c.—continued.

Memorandum of the probable Expense of building an Upper Roomed School at Royapettah, &c.—continued.