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similar situation as to advantages or hindrances. The greater success of one year does not transform the more average attainments of succeeding years into failure. This being so, all comparisons between schools should be avoided on principle. Every school in the Colony is doubtless doing its best to further education, and no man or institution can do more. Let it be granted that all the schools stand upon this common platform of excellence and no particular school on a solitary pinnacle. The successes of one school may one year appear to suggest that it is absolutely the best, but this hasty judgment is checked by the above consideration of varying conditions. During the last few years there has been some indication of decrease of harmony among the various schools of this Colony. This is not due to the introduction of the Government Scholarship, Local Examinations, Belilios Medals, &c., but to the unwise application of the results of these as a criterion whereby the system of each school, the energy and ability of each master, is to be adjudged as above or below the standard of competency. The only sense in which a school should admit fighting to be a duty incumbent upon it, is that every school is a company belonging to the vast army that battles all over the world against ignorance and crime. If the great victory is to be achieved it will surely not be by means of petty jealousies and internecine conflicts among the various regiments of the army. Let them fight side by side and not turn their swords against each other.
5. EDUCATIONAL THEORIES.--It is a trite and true saying that an ounce of practice is worth a ton of theory. Left in charge of a nephew and niece of tender years, the profound philosopher HERBERT SPENCER found his theory of education impracticable even for a few hours. The chief error of theorists on education would appear to be relegating to the schoolmaster the influence of parents, and the duty of developing the infantile mind which was assigned by nature to the mother. As regards Victoria College its singular conditions require a system of its own. With boys of 14 to 20 years of age at admission, who only stay in school from four to six years, the Head Master is unable to adopt ready made theories of FROEBEL, RAUB or other celebrated educationists, whose systems postulate a curriculum of 10 to 15 years and a commencement of school-life about the age of seven.
6. COST OF BUILDING.-Neither Dr. STEWART nor myself is responsible for the excessive outlay in the erection of this College. We were both advocates for a plain commodious building. Such items as $10,000 for a lead roof and $7,000 for monolith pillars formed no part of our conception of neces- sities for a school-building. It should also not be forgotten that the estimated value (at least $80,000 in 1888) of the old Central School should be deducted from the gross cost of the new building, as it was always understood that on the evacuation of the Central School the site was to be sold to partially cover the cost of its substitute.
7. COST OF ESTABLISHMENT.-A rate of per cent. on the house rental of the Colony would defray the expenses of Victoria College, whereas a Board School rate of 5 per cent. is very common in England, which is additional to the grant-in-aid paid out of the taxes. It is sometimes urged that Victoria College is chiefly for the benefit of the Chinese and that its maintenance falls heavily on the ratepayers of Hongkong. In the first place per cent. is not a heavy rate, and secondly the argument overlooks the large preponderance of Chinese ratepayers in the Colony. As one-ninth of the scholars are non- Chinese it would appear that the cost of maintenance is pretty equitably distributed among the rate- payers; for though Europeans possess one-third of the rateable property in the Colony a large portion of this European property is occupied by Chinese who are the real ratepayers, their European landlords of course recovering all rates from their tenants.
8. COST OF SCHOOL MATERIAL.-The charge of fees during the holiday months of February and August was specially made in 1884 to cover this expense, and has ever since amply effected its object, with a balance in favour of the Treasury.
9. STAFF. The number of masters, English and Chinese, now on the staff was recommended by me in a special report to the Government in 1887, and approved as absolutely necessary by a Commission consisting of Dr. STEWART, Dr. EITEL, and myself. During the past year Messrs. BOOTH and BOARDS returned to England at the end of their three years' agreement; and Messrs. MACHELL and WATTS were appointed provisionally as their successors. Mr. MACHELL is an enthusiast in matters connected with education, and labours in and out of school hours for the good of his boys and the prestige of the College. Mr. DEALY was absent on leave throughout the year.
10. NON-CHINESE BOYS.-I have long observed that non-Chinese boys have suffered great disadvantage in being placed in large classes of Chinese boys, generally five years or more older than themselves. They felt disheartened by their inability to cope on equal terms with their seniors, and being in a small minority were, in spite of the best intention of their masters, liable to be overlooked. In the Central School their numbers did not justify me in forming special classes for their behoof. At the opening of this school-year, however, I formed two sections, Classes I. C and III. C, composed entirely of boys not in Chinese dress, and the benefits accruing from this arrangement are already evident.
11. COLLOQUIAL ENGLISH.-Three years ago in my report (Gazette, 1890, p. 426, par. 8) I pointed out that the great need in the College was some stimulus without which boys, who are only day-scholars and never speak a word of English out of school-hours, cannot be expected to acquire the art of speak ing
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