of grants from public funds, be classed higher (cæteris paribus), than work which serves but purposes of luxury or decoration. Articles of clothing or of domestic use had therefore, when the work was well executed in detail, a comparatively higher value assigned to them, than decorative embroidery. Another guiding principle adopted by the Committee was to take the age of each individual scholar presenting a piece of work for examination as the basis on which to adjudge the relative merit of care and skill exhibited by the execution of the needlework in question. No preference was given to the European style of sewing as compared with the Chinese mode of sewing which differs somewhat, owing to the peculiar shape and manipulation of the ordinary Chinese needle. The sum total awarded was about the same as that awarded in former years. The Committee was, on the whole, well satisfied with the quality of the needlework done in the Grant-in-Aid Schools of the Colony. On a future occasion an attempt will be made, if practicable, to exhibit the collected needlework of all the Grant- in-Aid Schools in some public building for a day or two, so as to afford the Managers and teachers of the Schools concerned an opportunity to compare the style and quality of the work of their own respective Schools with that of the work done in other Schools.
28. I enclose the usual Tables, I to XVI, containing the Educational Statistics for the year 1883.
I have the honour to be
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
The Honourable W. H. MARSH, C.M.G.,
&c.,
Colonial Secretary,
&c.,
&c.
E. J. EITEL, PH.Dr.,
Inspector of Schools,
GOVERNMENT CENTRAL SCHOOLS,
HONGKONG, 22nd January, 1884.
SIR,-I have the honour to forward the Annual Report and Returns for the Blue Book of the year 1883.
1. There has been a marked improvement in the English subjects, composition, grammar and history.
2. English grammar is now taught in the School so low as the 9th class, so that out of 365 boys presented for examination, no less than 286 were examined in grammar, and 213 passed. From this it may be reasonably expected that in the next year or two there will be considerable advance in the knowledge of grammar throughout the School up to the highest classes.
3. Great progress may be noted this year in the algebra and Euclid of the first class, which were only restored to the time table in the middle of 1882.
4. All the Masters and Teachers of the School deserve the warmest acknowledgment of their successful services in the past year; in which Mr. G. CHAPE must not be overlooked, as for 10 months he was an Acting Master in the 5th and 6th class during Mr. ARTHUR'S absence at the Magistracy, and dévoted himself with great zeal and energy to his work; Mr. MAY was appointed to be an extra Master in October, and assisted me with the lower half of the first class, thus enabling me to devote more attention to the upper half, which division has resulted in only one failure out of the 29 boys of the first class present at examination, as against 10 failures out of 34 last year.
5. In August last, when Acting Inspector of Schools, I observed some boys at the Government District Schools at Saiying-p'ún, Wantsai, &c. who possessed a sufficient knowledge of English to do themselves credit by a more advanced course of study at this school. I found, however, on enquiry that a small fee of $1 a month was the deterrent, I therefore suggested to the Government that 4 boys from these five schools should be elected annually by competition to free education at this school; provided that there should not at present be more than 12 such free scholars at any one time. Excellency the Governor was pleased cordially to approve of my suggestion; four boys were then im- mediately elected, three from Saiying-p'ún and one from Stanley, all of whom have passed a creditable examination in the 5th and 6th classes, one boy obtaining the first prize in the 6th class.
His