than that of any other Indian language publication*1 Both in typography and contents the Samachar Darpan maintained a
fairly good standard. Its coverage of local news was certainly better than that of any other existing newspaper, English or vernacular. Again, by reprinting news and comments from other Bengali newspapers, the Samachar Darpan enabled its readers
to have some acquaintance with the different sections of
Bengali opinion. Although Marshman junior was its editor, the editorial staff included some of the distinguished Hindu
2
pandits of the time. In fact, so greatly dependent was the missionary editor upon the assistance of the Hindu pandits, that at least on one occasion when the pandits delayed their return to Serampur from their village homes after the Puja holidays, the publication of the newspaper was delayed, for which the editor apologised to his subscribers.^ The
association of these pandits in the production of the
Ihe Friend of India 7 July 1836.
2. The Samachar Darpan of 2 July 1836, for instance reported that landit Jaygopal Tarkalankar who had been appointed
Professor of Sanskrit literature at the Government Sanskrit College, Calcutta, was for several years associated with its editorial board. S. S.K. ii, 163*
166
Samachar Darpan gave it somewhat an Indian character and certainly contributed to its success and popularity.'*’
The Government seemed to have appreciated the useful ness of the Samachar Darpan as a medium of communication with the literate public. In fact, the press in Bengal was coming to be recognized as an instrument by which the views of the people and the Government were known to each other, In 1826 the Government requested the missionaries to bring out a
Persian edition of the Samachar Darpan, with a view to provide a better communication with people in Upper India which did
2
not have any Indian language newspaper as yet. Accordingly, the Persian newspaper called Akhbar-i-Serampur, was published on 6 May 1826.D The Government subsidised this newspaper with a monthly grant of one hundred and sixty rupees.^ But after about two years it was discontinued, for want of sufficient patronage. It appears that the Government was also not sat-
g isfied with its style which was considered to be somewhat poor.
1, 2
.
3. 4. 5. 6.
"The Burp an /the Samachar BarpanJZ, upon which the natives are accustomed to look with complacency, owes whatever
purity of style, or happiness of expression it may possess, to the revision of the pundit; and the editor claims no merit beyond that of being able clearly to convey his own meaning- and to appreciate the suggestion of his learned native associate". The Friend of India 26 Pebruary 1835. Bengal Public Consultation 16 February 1826, nos. 53-56, Brajendranath Banerji, Bangla Samaylka Patra (Calcutta
1940) 122.
Bengal Public Consultation 14 April 1826, no,43. Bra j endranath Bane r .j i , op", c it. 123.
167
It could not obviously compete with the other newspaper, the Jam-i-Jahan Numa which was better edited and was patronised
by commercial interests.1 Prom July 1829, the Samachar Darpan began to appear in both English and Bengali; the English and Bengali portions represented translations of
2
each other. This English-Bengali edition of the Samachar Darpan must have been popular because it facilitated the learning of English so eagerly sought by the Bengali youth of the day. Prom January 1832, the Samachar Darpan began to appear twice a week; the additional number being published every Wednesday, and the price was raised from one rupee a month to one and half rupee. But as a result of increase in the postage rate, the Samachar Darpan again became a weekly paper from 8 November 1834, the publication of the Wednesday number being discontinued.^
In December 1841, the missionaries decided to dis continue the publication of the Samachar Darpan. The reason given was that J.C. Marshman who was still its editor did not have sufficient time to conduct it owing to other
1. See below p.
2. The Samachar Darpan 11 July 1829, S.S.K. i, xii. 3* Ibid., 31 December 1831, S.S.K. ii, 176-7*
168
preoccupations,'*' But the main reason seems to be the fact that it had not been very successful in promoting the primary object with which it was established, namely, the propagation of Christianity, Again, by 1841 many other Bengali newspapers owned and edited by Bengalis, were there competing with the Samachar Darpan, The missionaries, therefore, could find no reason to tie down their activities to newspaper business
2 just for the sake of business.
As a pioneer in the field of Bengali journalism the Samachar Darpan holds a unique position in the history of the Bengal press * Although conducted by the missionaries it had come to be accepted as an Indian newspaper. Reformist and liberal-minded Hindus, generally found in the Samachar Darpan a valuable ally because of its strong support in favour of social reform and education. To the rising generation of Bengali youth it served as "an adult school master".^ Its
1. Besides editing the Samachar Darpan, J.C.Marshman was also the editor of the English weekly newspaper, the Friend
of India. In July 1840 he became the editor of the Bengali edTtion of the Government Gazet't e . He now felt that with this additional assignment it was no longer possible for him "with a due regard to the interests of his subscribers and his own reputation", to conduct the Samachar Darpan as efficiently as before. The Friend of India 30 December 1841.
2. The Samachar Darpan was later revived under Indian
management in 1842, but lasted for a year. The missionaries again revived it in 1851, but it was finally discontinued in 1852. S.S.K. i, xii-xiii