Claudius Buchanan, Richmond Terrace, near London, to John Ryland, [in London], Friday Evening, 6 January [1809].

Dear Sir,     

         Dont be alarmed. I can write to you in the most affectionate manner.  The disputes am.g our friends in the East, have I doubt not, by this time, passed away.  I really do not well underst.d them; they were in perfect harmony when I came away.---The chief difficulty appears to be this, The 2000£ was voted to the correspond.g Commitee, whereas no Comee was ever formed, at least in my time.  But I lately informed the Bible Soc.y that this was of no consequence as I doubted not that M.r Brown & M.r Carey (whom they supposed to belong to the Comee) wo.d apply the money to the p[ur]poses intended.

         The Christian Institution in the East was established for a purpose which you & M.r Fuller will heartily approve; “to comprehend all parts of India & all denominations.” It extends to Bombay, Malabar, Madras, & the Malay Islands.  There are six departments (exclusive of Bengal) where the Scriptures are now actually translating or printing, viz.  Malayalim, Travancone printing at Bombay; Cingalese at Ceylon; Malay, M.r Jarrett from Sumatra; Telmja Visagapatam; Portuguese, Madras, for the Portug. Xtians which people the Coast; & Tamul, Tranguelar, where other Tracts besides the Scrs.s [Scriptures] are publishing.  There are other deparments besides these.  The 3 chief members first nominated for each Presidency was M.r Udny for Bengal, Sir J. Macintosh for Madras ^Bombay^ & Colonel Macauley for Madras; with whom the Bible Soc.y might correspond, if it sho.d approve of the Institution. – An acco.t of the Inst.n was sent home in July 1807 but it was suppressed, on account of the agitation of the public mind on India missions.

         Immed.y on the estab.t of the Xtian Inst.e it was resolved that all sums which had been subscribed in the name of the Baptist Miss.s should be applied to the works of the Baptist Mission (which has been done to the last farthing) & that all future sums should be distributed generally to Oriental Translations accord.g to their comparative merit & importance.

         Mess.r ^Felix^ Carey & Marshman, ^& one more^ were invited (not as Missionaries but as Linguists) to become members of the College for Translations, which is only ano.r name for the Xt.n Inst.n; but they declined it.  This however seemed of no consequence, as thy wo.d proceed with their own works as before; & the Xt.n Inst.n was ready to give them every aid.

         In M.r Carey’s letter there is a misconception of some particulars; owing to this perhaps, that I never had one word of conversation with him on the subject.  1.st He says that the prospectus of the College for Translations contained a proposal to “alienate all the property of the Mission from the Baptist Soc.y.” – Now this was not either expressed or understood for it was a professional principle of the Inst.n that it sho.d have no connection directly or indirectly with any Missionary Society: its object being solely the diffusion of X.n truth by means of books.  I only asked the names of 2 ^or 3^ of its members.  ^Old Carey himself was not asked.  He belonged to F. Will.m^ [Fort William] Nor did I want their signature immediately.  They might have kept the paper as long as they wished.  But I know not particularly what passed between them & M.r Brown on the subject. 

               2.  Disposing of the Funds.  What was collected in the names of the B. Soc.y was disposed to themselves.

         3.  M.r Martyn earnestly requested that Sabat m.t be appointed to him.  It was never intended that Sabat sho.d remain with the B. Missionaries.  He only staid there abo.t 2 1/2 months, till the arrival of his wife.  His destination was previously fixed by the Xt.n Inst.n at Dinapore with Mirza Fitrut & M.r Martyn. 

         4.  Treasurer---All instruct.s to the Treasurer were made with the concurrence of Mes.s Udny & Brown as Members of the Xt.n Inst.n; directing, amongst other things, that what remained of the Sum subscribed in the name of the Miss.s sho.d be applied to works at Serampore.

         M.r Carey seems to me to have written from memory.  I am sure he did not communicate with M.r Brown or Udny in one sentence ^or they would have corrected it^.  As to the 10,000 R.s by M.r Grant, the sum was not paid to the Bap. Soc.y –

         If M.r Carey wished for more partic.r information on any subj.t I wish he had asked for it before I left Bengal; as I paid him & the other Miss.s a friendly visit some days before my departure.  But not a word of your letter transpired. But I dare say all irritation has by this time passed away, & that they can pray as earnestly for the success of the Xtian Institution in the East as yourself or M.r Fuller.  It is the same work; tho’ there be many laborers, in diff.t regions & of diff.t names.

         Had I been in India I sho.d have directed both the 10,000R [Rupees] & the 2000£ to have been given to the B. Miss.s entirely, rather than that they should have given publicity to the world of their complaints.  But I have nothing further to do with it.  M.r Udny & M.r Brown will, I am perswaded, conciliate as much as shall be in their power. – I have been thus particular, Dear sir, because you appeared to be very anxious to know somewhat on the subject.  If you desire fuller information on any part of it, I shall be happy to see you here tomorrow at 11 o’clock, & I remain, Dear sir

                                                                     sincerely yrs

                                                                                 C. Buchanan

Richmond Terrace

Friday Even.g 6th Jan.y

To the Rev.d D.r Ryland

It seems hardly necess.y that D.r Fuller sho.d go up to London.  There are no [paper torn] to adjust.  You may be sure that M.r Brown has written very fully to the Secr.y on the subject.  I wo.d recommend that if the Bib. Society send out more money, they send it to the Baptist Miss.s expressly.

Address: none.

Text: NLW MS. 14348D, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. Claudius Buchanan (1765-1815) was originally from Scotland. He served as an Anglican minister and evangelical missionary for the Church Missionary Society in India. During his time there, he he served as a Chaplain, Vice Principal of the College in Fort William, and Vice Provost of the College of Calcutta. He devoted much of his time in India to the translations of the Bible into various languages in use in India, including Malayalam and Sryiac.