‘12th. That no orphan be admitted on the foundation, who shall be possessed by inheritance, bequest, or otherwise, of a sum exceeding 5,000 sicca rupees.’ (£425.)
‘l3th. That the trustees, or guardians, of all orphans making application for their admission on the foundation, be required to make affidavit, before a justice of the peace, touching the true amount or value of the monies, or estate, which they hold in trust for such orphans; to the end, that the management, besides being satisfied that they are proper objects for the institution, may be enabled to judge what assistance they will need from the society, when, their education being completed, the period shall arrive for settling them in the world: these affidavits to be transmitted to the management, along with the application for admission.’
‘15th. That all orphans now in the country, coming under the description set forth, be admitted on the foundation, so soon as the management may judge the state of the fund equal to their maintenance.’
‘19th. That the orphans be assembled together at the presidency, either in one or more houses, as the management shall find necessary; and, that proper servants be appointed to attend them.’
‘25th. That, on the female orphans attaining the age of twelve, they be placed apprentices to creditable milliners, mantua-makers, stay-makers or otherwise, as the management, or their agents, shall determine; and, that, after serving their time, they shall obtain from the society the necessary help towards enabling them to set up in business. That should they, at the period of their engaging in business, be disposed to enter into the matrimonial state, they shall be further entitled to receive such marriage portions, or dowries, as the management, or their agents in England, (whose approbation of the connexion shall be previously yielded,) may think proper to grant.’ In the year 1789, it was resolved, that ‘when the orphan daughters of officers, under the protection of the society, are addressed by persons in independent circumstances, such persons be required to make a settlement, as a condition; without which the managers’ consent is not to be given, even if the offer should be, in other respects, unexceptionable.’
Notwithstanding the institution was placed under the guidance and control of men highly respectable, and perfectly qualified for the charge, and that the whole of the officers, (with the exception of, I believe, not more than six,) subscribed towards its support, the object would have been defeated, had not the Company contributed liberally towards its efficiency; and, after all, it would most certainly have been subject, either to diminution, or, eventually, to bankruptcy, about the year 1796, had not the army been newly modelled, and an immense addition been made to the funds, by an unprecedented promotion and the ascent of the superior ranks to subscribe in proportion to their pay: otherwise, all above the rank of major would have been exempt. The Company had, in former times, allowed for each child born to an European soldier, the sum of five rupees monthly; but that indulgence was, at one period, wholly done away: afterwards, when the institution was extended to the non-commissioned and privates, three rupees were allowed monthly for every child retained with the parents, according to the liberty granted of retaining them until completing their third year; after which, they were peremptorily taken to the lower school, where they were at first allowed for by the Company at the rate of three rupees, but subsequently at five rupees each, per mensem. It is not easy to describe those affecting scenes which present themselves, when the children are taken from their parents, in order to be sent to the foundation! It is true, the latter know full well that every justice will be done to their offspring, and they cannot but express their sense of the kind intention of their benefactors; but, to part from a child, whatever may be its complexion, is a most painful struggle between duty and nature! I have repeatedly witnessed the distress of mothers, on such occasions, and lamented that the case admitted of neither consolation nor relief!
The good policy of making some provision for the children of the soldiery, is indisputably good; they could not, with propriety, be sent to Europe, both because the expence would be disproportionate to the means of their parents; and, that, in time, a very extensive importation of persons of color would take place among us. The boys are now amply provided for; but the situation of the girls is truly lamentable. It is wonderful, that the Society have never established any factory, in which their minds, as well as their hands, could be employed, while their maintenance would be paid for by the produce of their industry. The only argument I ever could hear urged against such a measure, was, that the price of labor being so cheap throughout India, there could arise but little profit from the exertions of the orphans. My opponents forgot, that where labor is cheap, provisions must be cheap also; consequently, that, under proper guidance, enough might be earned to defray the expence of provision for the whole establishment. I am confident, that, if the refuse, or ferret cloths, manufactured for the Company, were to be handed over, in such quantities as might be in demand, to the female orphans, for the purpose of being worked up into wearing apparel, such as shirts, under-shirts, drawers, pocket-handkerchiefs, neck ditto, upper and under waistcoats, small-cloaths, &c. there would always be so extensive a sale, especially among the lower classes of inhabitants, the sea-faring people, and the fresh arrivals from Europe, that no stock would remain on hand. It is a notorious fact, that if raw silk, after being wound off from the cocoons, or pods, were to be given to the orphans to finish, and to reel properly for the Europe market, there would be an immense saving both of the article itself, and of the expences in every part of the adventure; while the institution could not fail to derive the most solid advantages. To prove this, look at the number of mills established in various parts of England, for preparing raw silk for the throwster, &c.: in all these, a portion of refuse is found; on which, however, as well as on the perfect quantity, a very heavy duty has been paid, whereby the commodity is considerably enhanced in price, without being a benefit to the merchant; who is, indeed, rather injured, by the necessity he is under of demanding more for his fabrics, and thus, either deterring purchasers altogether, of enabling the traders of other countries to under-sell him.
But, in Calcutta, a city carrying on so large a trade, surely there must be an infinite variety of speculations open to the choice of the management: the lighter classes of sails for the shipping and small craft, the making of hammocks, beddings, &c., dresses for patients in the hospitals, sheets, pillow-cases, book-binding to a certain extent, and a number of other employments, might be peremptorily claimed, as exclusive privileges for the orphans. Let it not be said, that such would interfere with the natives following similar professions; on the contrary, let us endeavor to have our whole establishment, of every description, exempted from their aid, or interference. I would have every cartridge-case, and the greater part of the army cloathing, together with all, excepting the leather, and heavy canvas-work of tents, performed at the orphan school; the Company making due remuneration for the work thus performed. The fact lies in a nut-shell! If, with such extensive concerns, requiring so much manual labor, the Company do not give employ to five or six hundred girls, from three to twenty years of age, the fault must assuredly lie rather among the management than with Government; to which the making some provision for the maintenance of that portion of the establishment dependant entirely upon the Company for support, must be a desideratum: it can only require to be pointed out, to insure both acquiescence and encouragement.
The Court of Directors very prudently objected to some of the original articles, wherein the founders appear to have been rather too sanguine, and to have waived several considerations of a political nature. Thus, the Company declined to warrant admission into their service of such boys as might appear eligible as cadets; the measure was incompatible with the patronage of the Court; and, being indefinitely expressed, would have subjected the Company to a pledge, that even the sons of the native women might be considered eligible. It was, therefore, prudently resolved, that ‘the children to be sent to Europe for education, should be the legitimate offspring of European parents only.’
The salaries of the several persons employed in the charge of those on the foundation, are munificent. The house at Kidderpore, about a mile and a half from Fort-William, is paid for at the rate of £675. per annum, and the monthly disbursements for school-masters and mistresses, with their assistants, and the several servants employed about the premises, in various capacities, amount to full £l2,000. yearly. The children are boarded at the following rates: The sons of officers at about £14. yearly, on average; the daughters of officers at about the same rate; the master and mistress having, respectively, always a certain number daily at their own tables. The children of non-commissioned officers and soldiers are maintained at an average expence, for diet, of about £5. each. The secretary is allowed £450. for salary, house-rent, candles, and, other petty charges.