Page:Reports on the State of Education in Bengal (1835 & 1838).djvu/528

Rh No. 70 of 1825 by restricting the prohibition against promoting sepoys who cannot read and write to such as were enlisted since the year 1822 and by permitting special exceptions to be made to it; and the Right Honourable the Commander-in-Chief in a General Order, dated 28th April, 1828, referring to this modification states that “commanding officers are at the same time expected to encourage the attendance of the men, and of the younger sepoys especially, at the regimental schools which have been provided for the native soldiers by the bounty of Government; and inspecting officers will always notice in their reports the extent to which, they are attended.” Finally, A General Order by His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief, dated 8th April, 1828, announces that the Right Honourable the Governor General of India in Council had been pleased to sanction the established allowance of five rupees per mensem for the provision of a school-room, being passed to the Goorkha battalions stationed at Deyrah, Subathoo, and Huwaul-baugh from the 1st May, 1836.

It thus appears that the strongest disposition has been evinced by the Government of the country and by the highest military authorities to promote the instruction of the native soldiers; that commanding officers are required to promote the formation of schools and the instruction of the men in their regiments; that for this purpose, in addition to other occasional duties, three persons are retained in every regiment of native cavalry and infantry of the line, a moonshee, a moolvee, and a pundit, to instruct those who may be desirous of acquiring a knowledge of reading and writing; that an allowance of five rupees per month is granted for a school-house, stationery, and incidental expenses; that, with special exceptions, no sepoy who has entered the service since 1822 can be promoted to the rank of a non-commissioned officer in any corps of the line without a competent knowledge of reading and writing in at least one language; and that inspecting officers are required to notice in their reports the extent to which regimental schools are attended. Here are teachers with allowances for themselves, for school-houses, and for stationery; scholars with motives for self-improvement; and qualified superintendence through commanding officers, interpreters and quarter-masters, and inspecting officers; and yet according to the accounts I have received 32—1326B