MISS CARPENTER IN BOMBAY.

Press, Volume XI, Issue 1433, 12 June 1867, Page 3

MISS CARPENTER IN BOMBAY.

[From the " Times of India."] On Friday evening, March 8, Miss Mary Carpenter again addressed a number of the educated natives of Bombay, mostly Hindoos, who met by private invitation at the house of Dr. Atmaram Punduraug. Among those present were Messrs Morobo Canoba, judge of the Small Causes Court, Dadoba Paudurang, Pranial Mathooradas, Haghoonath JNarayan, Hurriohund Sudaahew, Junardhuu Gopall, solicitor High Court, Shamrao Bhaskar, interpreter High Court, Shamrao Narrayan Laud, Hurriohuud Chintamou, Balla Mungesh, M.A., aud Drs. Bhua Dajee, Narayan Dajee, Atmaram Pandurang, Curtsetjee Erarnjee, Burjorjee Frarnjee, Ambaram Ceyulram, graduates of the Grant Medical College, and a large number of others. Miss Carpenter first spoke of the necessity for, and the usefulness of, normal schools for the education of females in this country. She was so far convinced of the importance of the measure that she could not see how tho native communities of India could expect, without its assistance, to raise themselves to the same position, intellectually and mortal!j', as the people of England. No doubt there was a desire on the part of the educated natives of Bombay to promote female education, but something more was required to make the present institutions come up to the expectations that ought to be formed of them, and this could only be done by competent female teachers. She had undertaken to send out a lady to take charge of a normal school which it was the intention of the educated natives of Ahmedabad to open in the city. The people of Ahmedabad and Surat appeared to her to bestow more care and attention on the promotion of female education than those of other places, and during her short stay there she received abundant proof of the interest they take in the subject, and of their desire to adopt her suggestions. In Ahmedabad she was surprised to see nearly twenty-five ladies of rank and respectability coming to meet her one day at the house of the Collector, for the purpose of talking over the subject of female education. Miss Carpenter said she was glad to receive a memorial signed by a number of educated young men and members of the Students' Literary and Scientific Society, expressing their desire to establish normal schools. She had promised to assist them in laying it before the Secretary of State for India; but she hoped that that zealous and energetic boay, the Students' Literary and Scientific Society would, meanwhile, act in the matter, and she would have great pleasure in sending out trained European female teachers. Miss Carpenter had found the people of Calcutta very backward in the cause of female education, but she hoped they would follow in the wake of their brethren in the Bombay presidency. She also spoke of the benefits arising from the establishment of Social Science Associations. She was astonished to notice an entire absence of sympathy on the part of the educated natives towards their countrymen in a low position in life, and thought that it arose from a want of truly religious feeling. She next drew the attention of her hearers to the superiority of Christianity over any other system of religion, supporting her allegations by the opinions of learned theologians, and quotations from the Scriptures. She was sorry not to have the pleasure of meeting educated Parsees, and speaking to them on several subjects of interest, and expressed a hope that, before her departure for Bombay, an opportunity might be offered her. The assembly separated at ten o'clock, highly interested with the discourse they had listened to. As an instance of the ups and downs of commercial life in America, the history of a few years in the life of a member of the present Congress, who was recently imprisoned for debt in the od region of Pennsylvania, but was released by the interference of Congress, his arrest being a violation of privilege, is of interest. Charles Vernon Culver, the person referred to, made his first appearance in the oil region six years ago, at the outset of the petroleum excitement, and opened, on borrowed capital, a small banking office at Franklin, at Venango county. He was young, of affable address, and great suavity, and soon won a large circle of friends, and by an unobtrusive interest in the Methodist Church, and occasional exhibitions of charity, both of which are '' taking" in America, he rapidly gained popularity and extended his business. New York city became familiar with his name, and he made business connexions there and at Philadelphia, which extended as rapidly as the petroleum excitement, and Mr Culver became the great " oil capitalist" as Johnny Steele was its " millionaire." In a frenzy of excitement the Republicans of the oil district nominated Culver-for Congress in 1864, and elected him to an unsought seat in the House of Representatives. He never took his seat, however his extensive business not permitting such a waste of time ; but he remained in the petroleum country, building Reno, a flourishing town, with a daily newspaper, constructing a railroad at a cost of 1,500,000 dols, with General Burnside as its chhf engineer, and erecting a magnificent private residence, filled with rore and costly works of art. When Sir Morton Petoand his party were in the oil region, they were his guests, and he feted them with lavish prodigality. Confidence and credit iv him and his houses in New York and other places were without limit, until a few months ago, when the petroleum business had waned, a sudden draught on his New York house found not enough funds in their safe to pay it, and Culver, Perm, and Co- failed for liabilities estimated at 6,000 000 dollars. At once there was a rush of creditors, a seizure of such assets as could be captured, a general smash-up of many in the oil regions with whom he had dealings, including the Venango National Bank, and finally the arrest of Mr Culver for fraudulent indebtedness, and his lodgment in gaol at Franklin, not one of his many former friends being willing to be bail for him. The Republicans who in 1864 had so ostentatiously sent him to Congress, without his consent, would have nothing to do with him in 1866, and he remained under arrest until Congress met in December and released him. He has not yet taken his seat, and probably will not take it. Beginning on nothing six years ago, Mr Culver made 10.000.000d01s in five years, lost every penny of it, got 2,000,000d01s in debt, and is now a beggar. He is Btill a young man, however, I •nd may jet retrieve his fortunes.