It is thought, therefore, that some account of those now existing in India will be generally interesting, especially as they are, I believe, the only ones at work in any part of the British Empire.
The Thomason Civil Engineering College, Roorkee, is the oldest in point of date, having been founded in 1847, under the auspices of the Honorable James Thomason, Lieut.-Governor N. W. Provinces. Designed at first chiefly to supply the want of European Overseers and Native Subordinates on the Ganges CanalWorks, it was established at Roorkee, in the vicinity of which the most important of those works were then in active progress. Its operations were subsequently much extended and the Course of Study from time to time carefully revised as experience showed what changes were necessary . The general scheme, however, has been little altered from that originally drawn out by Lieut. (now Lieut.-Col. Maclagan) the first Principal, who filled that Office for more than ten years, and to whom the College is mainly indebted for the success it has attained.
The College is divided into the Senior, First, Second, and Third Departments. The Senior consists of Officers of the Army, the First of young Civilians; both of these Departments pursuing the same Course of Study to qualify them for the Public Works or Survey Departments. The Students remain two years, and on the successful completion of their studies receive Certificates and appointments as Assistant Engineers , or Surveyors in the Government service.
The Second Department chiefly consists of English Soldiers, (though there is also a Civilian and Native Class attached ,) who remain for one year, and on passing out are appointed Assistant Overseers in the Public Works Department.
The Third Department is entirely for Natives, (the instruction being in the Vernacular,) who remain two years, and are passed out as Sub-Overseers or Sub-Surveyors of the First or Second Class.
All Students have to pass an Entrance Examination: the instruction is gratuitous, and there are certain Scholarships attached to
