Calendar: 1855-1856 Page 43

ANNUAL REPORT APRIL 1855 39 additional rewards and distinctions within reach of diligent and well-conducted Students of this department The Civil Service of the Honourable East India Company it is well known has been hitherto confined within the narrow range of private patronage An Act had passed the Legislature 1G and 17 Vict cap 95 sec 38 the design of which was to throw open these appointments to general competition but it was for some time uncertain what the nature of the exami- nations would be On the 8th of January definite shape was given to the intentions of her Majesty's Government by the publication of comprehensive and detailed scheme of examination By this it became evident that the Department of General Literature and Science with certain easy modifica- tions and additions was the one best adapted to the prepa- ration of Candidates for such appointments As English Composition occupied prominent place in the Government Scheme of Examination it was obviously feasible to extend to the Department of General Literature and Science the ser- vices of the Professor of the English Language who with special reference to the Civil Service Department had been for the first time appointed last year and all that would be required would be the appointment of Lecturer in the English Lan- guage to assist the Professor With little re-adjustment of the time-table tending rather to the increase than to the diminution of the usual amount of instruction in Classics and Mathematics it was found possible-1st to amalgamate the Classes of the two Departments for the purposes of instruc- tion in English Composition 2d to give two additional Lectures weekly in Modern History and English Literature and 3d so to arrange the hours assigned to Modern Lan- guages as to enable each Student in this Department to learn either French or German or to learn both languages in the same Term without any interference with the ordinary work of the Class Before the opening of the Lent Term all the arrangements were completed and the improved system as at once introduced with the cordial concurrence of the Pro- fessors and to the general satisfaction of the Students The first examination for the East India Civil Service