832 EEPORT— 1895. 



TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17. 



A Discussion on interference with the civilisation of other races was opened by 

 the reading of the following Paper : ' — 



1. Protest against the Unnecessary Uprooting oj" Ancient Civilization in 

 Asia and Africa. By Robert N. Oust, LL.D. 



The tendency on the part of Europeans, and English and French especially, 

 to denationalise the customs of populations which come under their influence, is 

 to be deplored, so long as those customs are not contrary to the moral laws of 

 the human race. It is not in any way evident that the customs of European 

 nations are in themselves better than those of the Asiatic and North African ; as 

 reo-ards the barbarous races of Africa south of the Sahara, Oceania, and North 

 America the argument is not pressed, but is restricted to those regions where the 

 inhabitants have an ancient civilization of their own, such as Persia, India, China,, 

 and Japan. 



Any forcible change of dress, language, social practice, and municipal law, 

 is to be deplored : the progress of education, civilization, and contact with nations 

 in a superior state of culture will do its own work insensibly without wound- 

 ing the self-respect of ancient nations : the argument applies particularly to 

 British India. Nothing can be more prudent and rational than the action of the 

 British Government, but associations of irresponsible persons are found in Great 

 Britain interfering with the prejudices of a great nation of nearly three hundred 

 millions, which may eventuate in very serious consequences. The study of the- 

 gradual development of an Asiatic society by voluntary adoption of European 

 influence will be most interesting to the student of anthropologj\ 



The following Papers were read : — 



2. The Light thrown on Primitive Warfare by the Languages and Usages- 

 of Historic Times. By Rev. G. Hartwell Jones, M.A. 



The institution of war dates from the highest antiquity; nor was it an unmiti- 

 gated evil. It deeply influenced civilisation. Early Greece and Italy may be 

 taken as types of other ' Aryan ' countries, and the evidence they afibrd can be 

 supplemented by evidence from other quarters. 



The sources of evidence are (1) the dead languages, especially Greek and Latin ; 

 (2) survivals among civilised races and the customs of backward savages to-day ; all 

 of which point to the evolution of civilisation in Greece and Italy from a primitive- 

 barbarism. 



The influence of war was far-reaching. It left a deep impression upon (1) 

 language, as is seen in the words common to diS'erent branches of the * Aryan '" 

 stock; (2) society: for example, marriage and social distinctions; (3) religion. 

 Religious feuds were often the occasion of war; the gods intervened in these 

 struggles, as is seen from the prominent place occupied by war-gods in the- 

 mythologies of ' Aryan ' races. 



The history of primitive warfare exhibits three stages of growth. It is impos- 

 sible to differentiate them clearly, but we may distinguish w^ar (1) in the hunting 

 stage. Here the methods would be of the crudest kind — stones, charred stakes, 

 horns, and a rude bow and arrows were employed ; battles were marked by cruelty 

 and treachery. (2) The ;jrt«forffZ stage. Here the ox figured frequently; it was- 

 often the cause of hostilities, as witness some names for battle. (3) With the rise 

 of agriculture war assumed a fiercer aspect, greater issues being at stake. 



' An account of the discussion has been published at the office of the East 

 Anglian Daily Times, Ipswich. 



