large and choice selection of books, which will render it complete in classical literature, and in all the principal works in English, French, Italian, and Spanish, on moral philosophy and metaphysics, history, and the belles lettres.

The Museum has been likewise present ed with several rare and curious donations,

particularly with a valuable collection of Syrian, Parthian, Sassanian, Roman, Greek, and Arabian coins, by Captain Bruce, Resident at Bushire; and by Capt. Grant, of the H. C. Marine, with several singular leaden coins, apparently containing inscriptions in the Nagari character,

which were found in some ruins near Sommah. One of Mawe's largest cabinets of minerals may be expected from England by the first ship.

The erection of the Town Hall will soon furnish the Society with rooms excellently adapted for the meetings, and for the reception of their Museum, and

their extensive and continually increasing

library. The Society may therefore congratulate themselves that the object of their institution has been fully obtained; and that, while they contribute in no in considerable degree by their transactions to extend a knowledge of the ancient and present state of Western Asia, they still further promete a love of literature and the means of research by the establishment of an ample library, to which the most free and liberal access is permitted.Bombay Cour.

MALAY LANGUAGE.

Mr. Robinson, now of Bencoolen, in a late letter to Dr. Carey, thus mentions his views of the Malay, and his labours in reference to the cultivation of this language:

"I have lately prepared three school books for the press. One of them is a Spelling-book, and most difficult of all to compose upon the plan which I have adopted, on account of the great intricacy of the Malay orthography. You know, perhaps, that the Malay has affixes in the manner of the Arabic and Hebrew; and these affixes are continually causing the long vowels to change their places; and very often the long vowel of the root must be quite rejected, and another long vowel introduced in its place, in another syllable. When a word has several affixes, and each affix requires the long vowel to change its place, or another long vowel to be substituted for it, the difficulty of writing correctly is exceedingly augmented.

Few

Malay scholars have paid much attention to this subject. I have it in mind to write a paper on Malay orthography, which, should it appear in print, would perhaps lead others to consider the subject, and to offer their remarks in return."-Cal. Jour.

PROSPECTUS OF A BENGALLEE WEEKLY NEWSPAPER, TO BE CONDUCTED BY NATIVES.

(Printed and circulated in Bengally and English.)

It having been particularly suggested and recommended to us by the friends of knowledge, improvement, and literature, to establish an entertaining and instructive

Bengally Weekly Newspaper, we, in conformity with their very acceptable and meritorious suggestions, have gladly undertaken the duty of publishing the proposed Newspaper, to be denominated "Sungbaud Cowmuddy," or "The Moon of Intelligence," and respectfully beg leave to enuof in the said publication, viz. merate the subjects, which will be treated

Religious, moral, and political matters, local intelligence, including original comdomestic occurrences, foreign as well as munications on various hitherto unpublished interesting local topics, &c., will be

published in the Sungbaud Cowmuddy on

every Tuesday morning.

To enable us to defray the expences, which will necessarily be attendant on an undertaking of this nature, we humbly solicit the support and patronage of all who feel themslves interested in the intellectual and moral

improvement of our countrymen, and confidently hope that they will, with their usual liberality and munificence, condescend to gratify our most anxious wishes, subscription of 2 Rs., in acknowledgment by contributing to our paper a monthly of which act of their benignity and encouragement, we pledge ourselves to make use of our utmost efforts and exertions to

render our paper as useful, instructive, and entertaining as it can possibly be.-Cal.

Jour.

NEW PUBLICATIONS.

STAR TABLES for 1823 (No. II.), for more readily ascertaining the Latitude and Longitude at Sea in the Twilight and during the Night; with perpetual and other useful Tables, which, with those of 1822, will be serviceable for many years. By Capt. T. Lynn. royal 8vo. 10s. sewed.

FAREWELL LETTERS to a few Friends in Britain and America, on returning to Bengal in 1821. By William Ward, of Serampore. Third edition, 12mo. 6s. boards.

ORIENTAL LITERATURE, applied to the illustration of the Sacred Scriptures. By the Rev. S. Burder, A.M. 2 vols. 8vo.,

11. 10s.

From the Indian Press. Rogántaka Sára, or Materia Medica Hindica, 8vo.

A Translation into Bengalee of the PILGRIM'S PROGRESS, Part 1.

The Dig-Durshun, or Indian Youth's Magazine, vol. 1st, containing 12 Numbers.

East-India House, May 29, 1822. A Special General Court of Proprietors of East-India Stock was this day held, at the Company's House, in Leadenhall Street, for the purpose of laying before the Proprietors a Resolution to which the Court of Directors had unanimously agreed, thanking the Most Noble the Marquis of Hastings for his eminent services as Governor General of India.

Minutes of the General Court of the 20th March and 10th ultimo were read.

An account of superannuations granted to Officers of the Company in England, under the Aqt of the 53d Geo. III. cap. 155, sec. 93, was laid before the Proprietors agreeably to the By Law, cap. 10,

sec. 11.

Certain papers which have been presented to Parliament since the last General Court, were laid before the Proprietors agreeably to the By Law, cap. 1, sec. 4.

The Chairman acquainted the Court, that it is ordained that the By Laws shall be read in the first General Court, after every annual election, whereupon the By Laws were read accordingly.

The Chairman acquainted the Court, that it had been convened for the special purpose of laying before the Proprietors an unanimous resolution of the Court of Directors of thanks to the Most Noble the Marquis of Hastings.

The said Resolution was read, being as follows:

"At a Court of Directors, held on Wed"nesday, the 15th May 1822:

"Resolved unanimously, That this "Court, highly appreciating the signal "merits and services of the Most Noble "the Marquis of Hastings, Knight of "the Most Noble Order of the Garter, "and Knight Grand Cross of the Most "Honourable Military Order of the Bath, "and Governor General of India, are "anxious to place on the records of the "East-India Company their expression "of deep regret that family circumstances "have led to a declaration, on the part "of that distinguished Nobleman, of his "wish to be relieved from the duties of "his exalted station.

"And this Court, being desirous that "the sense they entertain of the conduct " and services of the Marquis of Hastings "should be promulgated previously to "his departure for Europe, have fur"ther

"Resolved unanimously, That the "thanks of this Court be given to the "Most Noble the Marquis of Hastings, "K. G. and G. C.B., for the unremitting "zeal and eminent ability with which,

"during a period of nearly nine years, he "has administered the government of "British India, with such high credit "to himself, and advantage to the interest "of the East-India Company.'

as.

The Chairman then rose and said, the business which the Proprietors were sembled to consider was one that required but very little introduction on his part: the merits of the Noble Person whom they had that day met to thank were acknowledged, on all hands, to be of the most exalted and signal character, and therefore he was persuaded that the Court of Proprietors would concur in the deliberate sentiments which the Court of Directors had recorded of those merits. It was usual on these occasions to state to the Proprietors the preliminary vote, to which the Court of Directors had agreed, and it sometimes happened that that vote was proposed to the Court of Proprietors for their adoption. But that course would not now be taken, as it was considered more gratifying to the Proprietors themselves, as well as more complimentary to the Noble Individual in question, to leave it entirely to the Court to take such steps as might appear best calculated to attain the object they all had in view. (Hear, hear!) The object of the vote which the Court of Directors had come to, was not to praise any particular act of this noble person's administration, but to place on the records of the Company their opinion of his general conduct, during a period of nine years. On that account, they had not deemed it necessary to produce any papers, for the history of the Noble Marquis was to be found in every document which had been transmitted from India for several years past. (Hear, hear!) The Noble Marquis had formerly received, in two instances, votes of thanks from that Court; and, on a third occasion, the strong feeling of regard which the Proprietors entertained towards him, in consequence of his various services, were further expressed by a pecuniary grant. The two first votes were for particular services-the one for the Nepaulese war, the other for the war against the Mahrattas and Pindarees, both of which contests had been brought to a successful and glorious conclusion. In both instances, the papers relative to those important transactions had been laid before the Proprietors. In the third instance, the Court had come to a munificent vote of money; and on that occasion it was not considered necessary to produce any documents, because the reward was granted for services already well known and duly appreciated. (Hear, hear!) The present

resolution might then be considered a summary of his Lordship's administration : it might be viewed as a tribute of praise paid to the Noble Marquis, previous to his departure from that country, which he had for nine years governed so ably; and he hoped the General Court would, ou the motion of some Hon. Proprietor, unanimously agree to a similar tribute of respect. (Hear, hear!) The result of his Lordship's administration was to be seen in the general pacification of India; in the flourishing state of the Company's finances; and in the total absence of any thing which appeared likely to disturb the existing tranquillity. (Heur, hear !) Only that morning he had received from his Lordship a very clear exposé of the finances of India. (Hear, hear !) And, in truth, it appeared from the last financial letter that there was a surplus revenue of nearly a crore and a half of rupees. (Hear, hear!) He was happy to say that he had received a letter of a very recent date, not from the Noble Marquis himself, but from an old and intelligent servant in one of the governments, in which it was stated, that there was hardly the most remote probability of the renewal of war. The general diffusion of know. ledge, and the general good-will which prevailed throughout the country, to the British Government, had removed every apprehension of war. India now enjoyed profound peace, and that, which should always accompany peace (though, such was the lot of human nature, they were not constantly united) content and prosperity. In the midst of India, all was tranquil and prosperous. (Hear, hear!) He had next to observe, that the Noble Marquis had achieved a very great saving to the EastIndia Company, in a financial operation, by the removal of the payment of interest on a very large loan, from the Home Treasury to the Treasury of Bengal. Many persons had certainly suffered by this measure; but circumstances rendered it necessary and the consequent saving had placed the Home Treasuary in a state of great comparative affluence. The loan of 1811 had been transferred to that of 1821; the interest of the loan of 1811, which was payable by the Home Treasury at the rate of 2s. 6d. for the sicca rupee, was, by the transfer, now paid in India, by a rupee not worth more than 2s.: by which a saving of not less than 150 or £200,000 per annum was effected. At the same time he must be allowed to state, that when the Court felt it necessary to make this change, it was not with a view to any profit of this kind. The measure was taken up by them on grounds of general policy. The profit was certainly a considerable advantage, but still that was not the object which the Court contemplated; their design was to relieve the

Home Treasury from an operation which it was not able to bear; but he thought, as a great saving had been effected, it was a matter of fair congratulation to the Company, and a transaction highly honourable to the Noble Marquis, who by a single stroke of his wand, had, like a powerful magician, brought the business to an immediate conclusion, so that in a few months, nay in a few weeks, the Home Treasury was relieved from the payment of interest tothe amount of £1,000,000 sterling per annum. (Hear, hear!) This would, in the end, operate very beneficially; it could not be immediately reduced to money, but still it must be considered as money's worth. When the Company were under some alarm, on account of the number of drafts that were suddenly made on them, occasioned by the change of commercial circumstances, which rendered the payments of those drafts very desirable, the Noble Marquis adopted the most prompt and decisive measures. In former years those bills did not exceed 3 or £400,000; but they amounted in the year to which he alluded, to £1,800,000. Feeling it necessary that the Company's Treasury should not suffer by so extensive a claim, application was made to the Bengal Government, to set them right in this difficulty. No sooner did the Noble Marquis receive the letter of the Court of Directors, than, with a magic like rapidity. he shipped a million of money on board the Company's vessels. (Hear, hear!) These were transactions of a pecuniary kind, and consequently of less importance in the eyes of thinking men, than those efforts which were attended by a great moral effect. (Hear, hear !) But if they looked to the effect of the government of the Noble Marquis on the moral character of India, they would find the result of such a nature as must call forth the highest and most lasting praise. (Hear, hear!) Having during a period of nearly nine years conducted the affairs of the Company with unabated zeal, and with almost unexampled ability, it did appear to the Court of Directors nothing more than proper that they should express their warm gratitude to the Noble Marquis. (Hear, hear!) Their purpose was a clear and plain one; there was no contingency in the vote; it was a positive vote of regret for the loss of his services. (Hear, hear!) He had, he felt, very imperfectly state the sentiments which actuated the Court of Directors on this occasion: he was, he knew, very unequal to make a set and formal speech, but he trusted he had said enough to shew, that the act of the Court of Directors was nothing more than a just and well merited tribute of gratitude to the Marquis of Hastings, for his many and valuable services. (Hear, hear!)

Mr. R. Jackson requested that the three

resolutions of the Court of Proprietors, of the 11th of December 1816, the 3d of February 1819, and the 31st of March 1819, should be read. The first of these was a resolution of thanks to the Marquis of Hastings, for his successful termination of the war against the Nepaulese; the second was a resolution of thanks to the Noble Marquis for his discomfiture and dispersion of the Pindarree Mahratta Confederacy; and the last was a resolution "at the end of two glorious and successful wars," granting him a pecuniary re

ward for his eminent services.

Mr. Jackson then procceeded to address the Court. He had, he said, deemed it necessary to have those resolutions read, because it was of material consequence that the light in which the Proprietors had heretofore viewed the conduct of the Marquis of Hastings should be brought distinctly before the Court. The address which had been made in opening the business, by the Hon. Chairman, must satisfy every man who heard it, that the Proprie tors were this day assembled on no ordinary occasion. That Hon. Gent. had, in an unassuming tone, and in a few short but comprehensive sentences, pronounced so high a panegyric on the Noble Marquis, as would have totally unfitted him (Mr. Jackson) for the task which he had assigned to himself, if, at the same time, the Hon. Chairman had not come forward with that liberal invitation which was so creditable to himself, and which proved how justly he appreciated the sentiments of the Proprietors. Well knowing, from their past conduct, how high and generous their feelings were towards the Noble Person in question, the Hon. Chairman had best consulted those feelings, by inviting the Court, as he had done, to indulge in their own mode of expressing that gratitude which it was impossible for any person acquainted with the effects which the Noble Marquis's administration had produced on the state of India, not to entertain. Every man, possessing a knowledge of what had occurred since Lord Hastings took upon himself the arduous situation of Governor-general and Commander-in-chief, must consider it his duty on the present occasion to lay his hand on his heart, and to declare to his fellow countrymen what he thought of the important services which had been achieved by that great man. In treating this subject, he would not, if he could avoid it, detain the Court by any great length of address; but he felt that it was important to bring back, as it were, the recollection of the Proprietors to those splendid epochs when they had formerly assembled to take into consideration, the services of their Governor-general. This was the fourth time they had met for a similar purpose,— for the grateful purpose of recording the

high sense they entertained of the administration of that illustrious individual. But, as many gentlemen were now in that room who perhaps were not present when the former resolutions were agreed to, he thought it was due to the Noble Marquis to refer to those previous parts of his conduct before he came to the present motion, which took in a period of some years subsequent to the last manifestation of their acknowledgements and regard. Great as was the character which the Court had justly attributed to the achievements of the Governor-general, those who knew him were by no means surprised that he had acquitted himself so well. He had entered into their service an accomplished soldier, and a schooled statesman. No man, conversant with the history of the American Revolution, could doubt, that, if the Noble Marquis were urged to carry on a welljustified war, he would prosecute it to a happy termination; for all knew from that history that, as a soldier, he was brave, skilful, gallant, and humane. And those who, like himself, had had opportunities in early life of contemplating him as a senator, must have been well aware, before he left this country to take upon him the government in India, of the high and efficient qualifications of the man they were sending out to rule that great empire. Still, however sanguine might have been the expectations raised by his exalted character, he had not failed, in any degree, to realize those expectations. Those who were acquainted with his proceedings, knew, that no sooner had he consented to take the reins of the Indian government, than he endeavoured, night and day, to qualify himself for the important task, by a constant course of study. On his voyage to India he lost no time in acquiring useful knowledge; and, immediately on his arrival, he availed himself of every possible means to gather that information which was necessary to an efficient administration, and which had ultimately produced such happy results. spending some months at Calcutta, in the most anxious and laborious research, he visited the provinces, to fortify himself with still further information; and one of the first fruits of his unceasing exertions was his celebrated minute on the judicial department. That work, which consisted of one hundred and thirty five paragraphs, shewed what labour and perseverance could effect, even in the short space of a year and a half. He, Mr. J., owned that he was lost in admiration when he contemplated that effort-for it was almost impossible to conceive it to be within the scope of human talent, to arrive, in so short a period, at such a minute knowledge of that most complicated of all subjects, the foundation of the native laws, and the principles of their practical jurisprudence.

After

He particularly mentioned this point, because an Hon. Friend of his in that Court (Mr. Hume) did seem, on a former occasion, to express some dissatisfaction that something more had not been done in the judicial department. He was sure, how ever, from the knowledge he possessed of his Hon. Friend, that he would not, on an occasion of this kind, when they were assembled to vote thanks to the Marquis of Hastings for his general conduct, proceed to matters of detail, rather than adhere to the general merits and acknowledged talents of that Noble Person. He felt this the more, knowing, as he did, that if his Hon. Friend would appoint a day for the discussion of this particular question, it could be argued more fully and more justly. He, at least, would confine himself in his present address, to those prominent points in the administration of the Marquis of Hastings, relative to which no feeling of doubt or indecision could be entertained; in noticing which, he would now call back the recollection of the Proprietors to the praises they had already recorded, and the thanks they had already bestowed. The first of these occasions was the Nepaulese war. They could not measure the gratitude they owed to the Marquis of Hastings, for the manner in which he conducted and terminated that war, without fairly admitting the difficulties which surrounded the contest. He would not speak of the policy, in his opinion the narrow policy, of those who let the matériel of war run down so low, as to impose strong and serious obstacles in the way of the man, who felt himself imperatively called upon to draw the sword in defence of the existence of the Company. He meant to make no charge against those gentlemen, on either side of the bar, who had entertained doubts as to the necessity and propriety of entering into this war. Theirs was a constitutional, a becoming jealousy. It was a jealousy which the Legislature had taught them; and it was fitting that they should be as ready to reprove and censure, as to praise, if the circumstances called for severity of remark. But what must be the feeling, what must be the exultation of those, who, in that Court, supported the policy which had been pursued by the Governor General, to find, when the Nepaulese war was brought under the consideration of the Proprietors, that those gentlemen concurred in declaring that it was a war of necessity-a war undertaken to defend our fields and villages from murder and rapine, and that the sword was not unsheathed until the very last extremity. (Hear, hear!) The war did not originate in any project of ambition; the sword was, in fact, drawn at a great disadvantage. The Company's forces had to contend with a race with whom they had never before come Asiatic Journ.-No. 79.

in contact; a bold and hardy mountaineer population, urged on by sentiments of bravery and freedom. For the first time they met an enemy, who seemed to be almost as ready to charge or to repel a charge, as our troops were to make an attack on them. The country, too, was peculiarly favourable to the operations of the Nepaulese: it was altogether mountainous, having very few passes, and those strongly defended both by nature and art. It was not, therefore, surprising, with such an enemy, and scanty means on our part, we should in the first part of the campaign have laboured under disadvantages which led to unpleasant results; but the end of the campaign was gloriously successful, and the Court had felt itself bound to give thanks to the man, who had not only subdued those formidable invaders, but who had also taken away from them the power of future aggression. (Hear, hear!) At no very remote period originated the subject of their second vote of thanks; for, amongst the high qualities which distinguished the Noble Marquis, the Court of Directors and Proprietors had acknowledged a very great degree of foresight. The Noble Lord was well aware, knowing the conduct and character of the native Princes, which by this time he had so assiduously and successfully studied, that he could not wage this war against the Nepaulese, without exciting secret hopes and purposes of hostility in other states; and if those states should forbear from active indications of their policy, it would be only from the want of power to act offensively. When, therefore, the Governor General engaged in this warfare with the Nepaulese, he felt it to be necessary that the Company's territory should be defended on every side where aggression was likely to be committed. He wisely provided against that dangerous state of things which his intuitive sagacity led him to believe would probably occur, and if he had not done so, he (Mr. Jackson) feared the history of the Company, at the present moment, would have been most unfortunate. His first point of contact was with the Pindar. ree force. He need not describe the manner in which their armies were composed, or the horrible warfare which they carried on, because, on a former occasion, that subject had been fully entered into. It would be sufficient to say, that these predatory hordes consisted of almost countless numbers. Clouds of flying cavalry, myriads of savage barbarians, from the north and the south, from the east and the west, swelled their ranks. This ferocious enemy did not content himself with committing his terrible ravages on those districts that were not immediately under our protection; no, they carried fire, sword, violation, rapine, and plunder, even into the ComVOL. XIV.

H