Yes, well we know you guests of rarest note

And worth in you our littleness can grace As does your presence now this humble place Where love has led your steps from realnis remote.

And we are sons of sires that bled of old

For fatherland when Freedom's cause arose, United by the cause that holds us close,

The bond of one belief in one true fold. Wherein our fathers first by Francis taught, The holy Francis of eternal fame,

On Goa's shores that still with hallowed claim

Safeguard his long and wondrous sleep were brought;

And with us come to hail you here to-night

The rising race with Learning's flag in hand And guided by a God-devoted band

That teach them how to win life's double fight. Then welcome whilst without the torches gleam,

And ancient faith within burns brighter still, The light your presence sheds amongst us will

Through coming years within our mem'ries beam. This effort was so successful that ever afterwards he was the unquestioned "Poet Laureate of the College and never failed to satisfy the demand for "occasional verses," which the many College gatherings and festivities required of him; and when in the fulness of time the Mangalore Magazine was founded as the organ of his alma mater, he became a faithful and valued contributor to it. He once competed for a prize offered by Mr. Quinn, who was then the Editor of the Indian Journal of Education, for the best paraphrase of Tennyson's Crossing the Bar. Mr. Saldanha did not win the prize, but his effort which was in poetry was considered the next best (proxima accessit). His paraphrase was a poem in itself, and the writer had the privilege of reciting it at a social gathering at the Presidency College in 1894, arranged by the Editor of this esteemed Review, then Secretary of the Presidency College Literary Society. The late Dr. Satthianadhan, Professor of Philosophy, who was present at the recitation, was so struck with the deep poetic and religious spirit running through the paraphrase that, with Mr. Saldanha's permission, he had it printed in the Christian Patriot. I may be permitted to quote a few lines from this paraphrase which, I am sure, will give the reader an idea of its pure poetical inspiration :

When the sun of life is setting, and the star of hope shines bright,

In the dim and transient twilight heralding the approach of night,

May I hear the timely warning of my Pilot bid me sail O'er death's dark and dreadful river to the far off silent vale,

And as draw I near the ocean beating on the distant

shore,

May no anxious pangs assail my soul at that departing hour,

Willing let me cross the ocean trusting in my Pilot's power.

One great attribute of his genius was his skill in versification. He has tried many forms of metre, and he achieved astonishing success in them all. His sonnet on Tennyson is worth quoting:

Receive on yon Elysian shores, great Bard,

This late, yet loving tribute of the East, Whose mind still on the cherished thought shall feast, That thou didst have for her a kind regard. Thou silent, yet solicitous, didst guard

Her interests, and lovedst to hear her song Had learnt to grasp the hallowed truth that runs Through thy sweet songs with gentle flow unmarred. O deathless singer, wherefore should we mourn, Since death is life of greater bliss to thee; Thou bad'st us grieve not, when thou shoudst be borne In perfect calm o'er-life's most troubled sea; But still to comfort us, thus far forlorn,

Thou speak'st through tongues of immortality. There is a haunting melody in the acrostic in blank verse on the late Bishop Nicholas Maria Pagani, of Mangalore, a few lines of which are quoted below:

Night sad and sudden has with cruel calm In the yet unborn twilight of life's day Closed o'er thee to fill with grief and gloom Hearts that did love and homes that e'er did bless One who was all love and blessing unto them. Like a fond mother that with partial mind Admires the imperfect virtues of her child, Seeking to find no faults therein that else Might mar her joy, thou to thy dear flock wert A shepherd the most mild that wielded staff. His general outlook on life was sad, but th merit of his poetry did not suffer by this, for need hardly be explained that the " sweete songs are those that tell of saddest thought They gave him gold and made him sing, sing for the delight,

And he sang loud and he sang low,

And many a note on his pipe did blow

Till they laughed for joy at the melody's flow,

But the joy with the song took flight.

Then they followed him in lonely ways, where he sate a mused, apart

Alone on the side of a desolate mound,

Where wood notes wove their magic of sound,
And he sang of the grief that his soul had found,

But the song-it still sings in their heart.

I looked on her-the touch of grief

Had made her half divine,

She sought from earthly things relief,
Her heart had grown a shrine,

Where heavently thoughts like pilgrims pure
Their constant vigils kept;

Whilst like a saint in death serene,

Her passions slept.

But as the bow that hangs on high,
When rain and sunshine meet,
A brief bright wonder in the sky,
For loving gaze too sweet,

So in her heart where sorrow dwelt,
With bliss of dreams divine,

At times the earthly thrill she felt,

As pure as fine.

Perhaps twas but mine angel that gave sign
That the last thoughts of thine

Dwelt on thy distant brother as they turn'd
With love that burn'd

To husband, children, her that e'er shall pine,
Dear mother thine and mine,

Who vainly for thy last embraces yearn'd
When far she learn'd

The doom that dealt despairing pangs of grief,
That is without relief,

Ah me! a maddening voidness holds my soul In depth of dole,

But thou, O dearest one whose days were brief As those of flower and leaf,

Has sailed the sea where sorrow's waters roll, And reached thy goal.

The earth will ring again with voice of bird, All nature will be stirred,

But oh! for thy sweet innocents and me,

And friends that be,

And mother dear and husband fond be heard

From thee no cheering word,

Till in God's Heaven, from sin and sorrow free,
We come to thee.

He has also his lighter mood when his verses have a quick movement which is in keeping with the subject dealt with, vide his song of the journals, from which I extract the following opening

stanzas:

North and South and East and West, Speed we over land and sea, Nurslings curst and nurslings blest, Thought and Type's prompt progeny. Man alive! Read and thrive,

Clear the chaff and store the grain, While through time, in prose and rhyme, Sounds the world its marching strain.

Dead behind us lies the Past,
Still his secrets we declare,
Oft the horoscope we cast,
Of the Future dark or fair,
Wisdom's cheer and Folly's sneer,
Poet's fit and Patriot's rage,
Statesman's right and soldier's might,
All are printed in our page.

He has laid the Roman Catholic community of Mangalore under a deep debt of gratitude by editing the "Christian Puran," a poetic history of the Bible in archaic Konkani, by the Revd. Father Stephens, an English Jesuit, who flourished in India at the time of Shakespeare. His elaborate preface to that work is a monument of deep erudition and ripe scholarship, for which he is entitled to undying fame among his countrymen. Dr. Casartelli, the Orientalist, contributed a highly eulogistic critique of it to the Manchester Guardian. Major Kirtikar, I.M S., also an Orientialist, wrote very appreciatively of his work. Mr. Saldanha also translated into English verse portions of the Puran. An extract is appended, as it may interest the general reader :-

Hymning the grand and hallow'd night,
They kept their watch of love and light,
Nor till the Saviour bless'd their sight
Was hushed their song of praise.

Hail glorious night! whose splendours gleam
Brighter than any sun could dream,
The Lord of Day in vain would beam
His rays at such an hour,

To-day the Son of God doth shed
The light of righteousness; and fled
Is all the darkness sin hath spread
Before His heavenly power.

A good Sanskrit scholar, he is an ardent admirer of Kalidas, whom he compares to Shakespeare in a couple of sonnets. He may be

pardoned if, like a true son of India, he gives the pride of place to the Indian poet :

KALIDAS,

Shakespeare of Ind they call thee, they who sway
Our land but their own bard they do not name
So after thee, regardless of thy claim
To that proud honour, for as the sun's ray
Lights first the east and on its upward way,
Becoming broader, sets the west aflame,
Even so, great genius to the east first came,
And sought the west but at a later day.
Should we, great maker, urge thy injured right,
And bid our rulers soon repair the wrong,
"No," answers he, "fools may for titles fight,
To wisdom's train no titles c'er belong;
Shakespeare and Kalidas both used their might
To please the world, not for the fame of song."

66

SHAKESPEARE.

And can we love thee less, or less admire
Thy magic world, O Britains' Bard Supreme!
Or ingrate-like, through country' pride, esteem
Thy pleasure-planned life conquest less entire ?
No, no, thy spell-bound beings all conspire
To bring their god the praise none else can dream,
On life's vast ocean falls thy fancy's gleam
Nor from its light can time or space retire.
We love thee still and midst the stars that shine
In Ind's poetic firmament we place

Thy honoured self; that centre thou canst grace
And that as guest for ever shall be thine;

B

In thee the rulers and the ruled shall trace A common joy wherein they all combine. The Irish Monthly, a literary journal of Dublin, published some of Mr. Saldanha's poems. The Thrush, a periodical devoted entirely to the publication of new poetry," printed a few of his translations in verse of Sanskrit poems. One of them was found worthy of a musical setting by a well-known composer in London and of being sung in the Eolian Hall, London. The late Sir Alfred Austin in a letter to Mr. Saldanha spoke of the pleasure given him by a perusal of his "graceful verses ".

Extremely sensitive to public criticism, Mr. Saldanha has never yet made up his mind to bring out a volume of his verses although urged to do so by many of his friends. Some time back he retired from the Professorship of English at the St. Aloysius College, Mangalore, the duties of which he had carried out with remarkable distinction, and he now lives the life of a recluse in a house on the slope of College Hill commanding the beautiful scenery of Mangalore, the "world forgetting" it is true, but I am sure, not "by the world forgot".

ETTER late than never.

The Government

of India have at last awakened to the necessity of an enquiry into the industrial possibilities of this country. At a meeting of the Imperial Legislative Council held at Delhi, on March 21st, the Hon'ble Sir Ibrahim Rahimtullah moved "that this Council recommends to the Governor-General in Council to appoint a committee of officials and non-officials to consider and report what measures should be adopted for the growth and development of industries in India." In the course of his speech the Hon'ble Sir Ibrahim suggested that the following may suitably form the principal subjects to be referred for the consideration of the proposed Committee:

(1) Whether representation should be made to the Home authorities through the Secretary of State for securing to the Government of India full fiscal autonomy specially in reference to Import, Export and Excise duties.

(2) Whether (a) Protection (b) Granting of Bounties and Subsidies (c) Guaranteeing certain rates of interest on capital invested in approved industries, should be availed of in such cases and for such time as may be deemed necessary.

(3) Whether a special expert staff should be maint ed to carry on research work and institute deta enquiries into the possibility of successfully initiat and establishing, new industries in India and to su expert advice for the development of existing dustries.

(4) What means should be employed for securi sufficient supply of skilled labour.

(5) What special railway facilities in the matt fares and otherwise are needed.

(6) Whether any special measures are necent attract capital and secure banking facilities.

Sir Ibrahim, in suggesting these poin inquiry and report, made a very exhaustiv G detailing the various means by whic ha Governments have developed the reso C their respective States. Sir Ibrahim right that the first step in the direction of i reform was 66 fiscal freedom for India."

It appears to me, however, that unless the the Imperial Government are free in fiscal n results will not be adequate. If the Gove India were free to adopt measures solely in the of the people of this country without any resti limitations in fiscal matters, our industrial de would be in a fair way of successful accom India wants fiscal autonomy as the first step to

industrial regeneration and if Indian public opinion is to have any weight in the determination of this question we ought to get it at once.

The Hon'ble member only pleaded for what other civilised Governments have done. The Indian Government should take a direct hand in co-operating with and helping the development of, the industries in India.

If Japan and Germany have succeeded within a short period of about 40 years to reach a foremost position as a manufacturing country amongst the nations of the world, by the joint co-operation of Government and people, there appears to be no reason why India with all its natural advantages should not reach an equal, if not a higher standard. For many of their manufacturing industries both Japan and Germany are obliged to depend upon imported raw materials. If, in spite of this drawback, they have successfully accomplished their aim there appears no reason why India should not be able, with the cordial and whole-hearted support of her Government, to achieve success with all the necessary raw materials available on the spot.

Then followed a lively debate in which all the non-official members took part and warmly supported Sir Ibrahim's resolution. Sir G. M. Chitnavis asked for an urgent and definite move forward. The Hon. Mr. Dadabhai pointed out that the conservation of present industries is more important than the creation of new ones; the Hon. Mr. Bannerjee gave eloquent testimony to the dominant note that Government should no more retain a position of isolation but should participate freely and actively in the industrial development of the country. Pandit M. Malaviya complained that there had been no subject in which less had been done, though much had been said than in the question of Indian industries. The Hon. Mr. C. E. Low combated the despondent view of some of the previous speakers and preached a robuster, and more cheerful, faith of confidence and hope.

Sir William Clark, on behalf of the Government, announced that upon the recommendation of the Government of India, His Majesty's Government had approved of the appointment not of a mere Committee but of a more important body-a Commission, whose duty it will be to consider and report upon the possibility of the further industrial development of this country. The Commission is to be presided over by Sir Thomas Holland, the late Director of the Geological Survey of India, who will be assisted by seven or eight members of whom three are Indians. So far, we understand that Sir Fazulbhoy Currimbhoy, Sir Rajendranath Mukherji and Sir Dorab Tata, representing the three great communities of India, will be Members of the body. We are surprised that

Madras has no representative on the Commission. The Hon. Mr. Low, now Secretary in the Commerce and Industry Department of the Government of India, will join the Commission early. We are glad that such well-known men as Sir Horace Plunkett and Mr. Hopkinson will serve on the Commission The terms of reference to the Commission are as follows:

They will be instructed to examine and report upon possibilities of further industrial development in India and to submit their recommendations with special reference to the following questions (a) whether new openings for the profitable employment of Indian capital in commerce and industry can be indicated and (b) whether, and, if so, in what manner Government can usefully give direct encouragement to industrial development (1) by rendering technical advice more freely available, (2) by the demonstration of the practical possibility on a commercial scale of particular industries, (3) by affording directly, or indirectly, financial assistance to industrial enterprises, or (4) by way of other means with the existing fiscal policy of the Government of India

It will be noticed that in framing the terms of reference no mention is made of the fiscal policy of the Government of India. The Commission will not enquire into the most important items of the question of Tariffs and the authority of the Government of India in regard to the regulation of foreign commerce. This is deplorable indeed. As has been so pertinently pointed out, it is acting the play of Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark. But the Hon. Mr. Clark, in justifying the course adopted by the Imperial Government, put in the usual plea that at a time like this it was not politic to raise the question of fiscal freedom for India. The war in Europe is brought in to serve every insupportable plea. He warned the Council against regarding protection or indeed any other measure as in itself a panacea for all industrial ills. He explained that the fiscal relations between Great Britain and the Empire including India would have to be revised, and that fiscal questions could not be taken up with propriety during the war. It would also be difficult, he said, to find a committee capable of going into local industrial matters and of revising the entire fiscal relations between England and India. As a practical measure it was better, in his opinion, in the interests of the industrial development of India, that the enquiry should be confined to what could be dealt with effectively. He looked forward to the day of adjustment with evident enthusiasm and called on the country to await the end of the war :

The Prime Minister has categorically stated in the House of Commons that if any action affecting economic

relations after the war is contemplated as a result of that Conference (at Paris) the Government of India and the Governments of the Dominions would all be consulted before definite action is taken. That does not look as if it was proposed to neglect India after the war, It is clear that the same pronouncement must affect the question of protection, which hag also formed a large part of the speeches to which we have listened to-day, since the question of any important modification in our fiscal system is manifestly inseparable from the question of the fiscal relationships of the parts of the Empire and of the rest of the world. We can all, I think, appreciate the ebjections to raising in war time a question which affects India's relatious, not only with the United Kingdom, but also, with foreign countries. In a sense, pro. tection is a very live issue in India, since it is an issue in which all classes take a vigorous interest and on which most educated Indians hold strong opinions, but in view of this pronouncement by the British Government it is not an issue which can be taken up at the moment, nor, as Sir Guy Fleetwood Wilson said when we discussed the same subject three years ago, is it a question on which the Government of India are in a position to declare a policy of their own. Their policy is, and must be, the policy of His Majesty's Government.

This is just what makes the condition of

Indian industries so deplorable. The perversity of the notion that the economic policy of this country should be so adjusted as to serve the interests of the manufacturers of Lancashire is at the bottom of all our economic woes. The Hon. Mr. Clark justly pointed out that it is of "immense importance, alike to India herself and to the Empire, that Indians should take a large share in the industrial development of their country." This is by no means possible if the fiscal policy of this country is made to serve the interest of foreign merchants. Very rightly therefore are the non-official members and those interested in the development of Indian industries, vexed at this limitation in the scope of the Commission's enquiry. It is to be hoped, however, that this unnecessary restriction will be removed, so that the work of the Commission's enquiry may not be hampered in any way and that fruitful results may follow the findings of such an important body.

understanding properly cleared up.

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It is said that the Hindu Widow' Home Association has obtained an unduly larg representation in the constitution of the Unzersity. Out of the sixty Fellows who would constitte the Senate of the University, thirty or fully on half are to be elected by that Association, and th is believed to be unjust to the two other electoras. It is, however, necessary to remember that idea of the Indian Women's University was taken up by the Hindu Widows' Home Associa tion. At that time it was difficult to know whe amount of support it would receive from the side public. The H. W. H. Association had membership of about 400 strong, while it expected that the promoters of the idea would 1 able to secure about 250 members of the (b) clas The response which has been received is altogeth beyond the fondest hopes of the promoters, a they are quite ready and willing to plead guil to the charge of having underestimated amount of support likely to be received by t movement. But at present nothing can be do

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