History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

CHAP. VI.] THE ALEXANDRA INSTITUTION. 325

English school for native girls, and started a subscription list for its support and maintenance, heading it himself with a handsome donation of four thousand rupees.

The school was named the Alexandra Native Girls’ Institution, after Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, in commemoration of Her Royal Highness’s marriage with the future King of England and Emperor of India. Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen-Empress has, it is understood, taken a lively interest in the progress of the Institution, not only because it is named after her beloved daughter, but because of Her Majesty’s well-known solicitude for the advancement and happiness of her Indian subjects, and particularly for the success of every scheme calculated to raise the position of women in the scale of civilisation.

With the object of raising funds for building a schoolhouse for the Institution, its indefatigable founder, Mr. Manakji, resolved upon holding a bazaar, and in furtherance of that object solicited a contribution from Her Most Gracious Majesty, who was, however, unable to comply, as it might have led to similar applications from other deserving quarters ; but the Duchess of Roxburgh, in a letter dated Osborne, 16th January 1868, informed Mr. Manakji that Her Majesty’s interest in the “success of the Alexandra Institution is, I assure you, very great