May 29, 1905.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
HISTORY OF QUEEN'S COLLEGE. few years given by him and Mr. Falconer, the
Second Master.
The Yellow Dragon for May, among other interesting matter. contains an historical sketch from which we take the following interesting extracts :-The changes that have taken place in the city of Victoria, Hongkong, during the last forty years amount to a comple's metamor. phosis. The clock tower, now nearly a furlong distaut from the sea. was then not far from a wharf; in such close proximity, indeed, that in 1874 the celebrated typhoon piled up two ocean- goin steamers quite close to the clock tower; which fact would now appear to a stranger an absolutely incredible fact. But quite apart from the alteration produced by successive reclama- tions of land from the harbour, it is on the slopes of the hill abor, Queen's Road, the main course of traffic, that the change is most ap- parent. Forty years ago, villas and bungalows scattered among gardens, trees, and bamboo graves afforded a pretty country off ct close to the centre of mercantile activity, but now these sites are occupied by densely packed streets and lanes. Thus it is that Queen's Coll-ge (as for- merly its predecessor the Government Central School) appears in a city, no longer in the country.
It may be accepted as crtain that with the growth of the city there would be a corr. spond ing increase in the number and size of educational establishments, and a de.el... ment in the system of Education pursued by the Government. In the first five years of the history of the Colony, educa- tion was left to individual efforts, chiefly missionary. In 1847, the Governor, Sir John Davis, introduced a Grant-in-Aid System. It was not, however, till 1860 that a Board of Education was formed, and the scheme evolved of a Government Central School directly under the control and management of the Government. Dr. James Legge, Superintendent of the London Mission, the famous Sinologue and subsequently (1874) Professor of Chinese at the University of Oxford, was the life and moring spirit of this new educational departure. He may correctly be termed the father of educati`n in the colony, as by his broad liberal views, the success of the new scheme
sued. The appointment of the two Headsters
was entrusted by the Government to his nomination
Mr. Frederick Stewart, M.A.. Aberdeen Hon L. L. D. in 1880) was appointed the first Head Master of the Government Central School and Inspector of Schools in 1861, arriving in the colony March, 1862. At the time of his departure for Hongkong, Dr. Stewart was As istant Master at Fareham School, Hants, awaiting his call to Presbyterian Orders. Forly years ago, the study of English was viewed by the Chinese as a luxury, a novel curiosity; not as now a necessary, a potent factor in success. There Was & mistaken impression (not entirely eradicated even now) that a process of saturation of ideas, without any mental exercise was the natural consequence of securing and retaining & seat in school for five or six years, after which, however low a standard of examination might have been passed, the man or boy (hardly deserving to be term d the student, might feel entitled to lay claim to a knowledge of English. It is not surprising to find that at the opening of the Central School, no fee could be charged. In- stead of boys being refused admission, they actually required to be enticed to undertake the study of English, and for many years quite mature boys, in some instances men over 30, were the pupils. The difficulties with which Dr. Stewart had to contend in the early days of the Central School were sufficiently grave, but in addition to these, he had to supervise the
In 1877, great excitement was caused by the appearance of a pamphlet (popularly believed to have been penned by the late Mr. J. J. Francis, Q.C), entitled 'Does the Central School fulfil its raison d'être ?,' and for five years a brisk aud rather bitter warfare ensued in the local press. In his Annual Report about this time, Dr. Stewart begged to be relieved of the res- ponsibility of the Inspectorate of Schools. Dr. Eitel, of the London Mission (formerly of the Basel Hakka Mission). Sinologue and Chiuese Lexicographer, was appointed Inspector of Schools, March, 1878, but the Central School remained a separate Department. Dr. Stewari, in 1879, applied for the vacant post of Police Magistrate, to which he was appointed in March,
1881.
During the eighteen years he had held office, Dr. Stewart had done yeoman service in the interests of Education in the colony in general, and in the Central School in particular. It is now 25 years since his transfer to the Magistracy and 16 years since his death, but it is pleasant to find the large number of men, of ages ranging from 45 upwards, by whom his memory is still kept green, and to whom his name still acts as a spell and a watchword
Sir John Pope Hennessy, then Governor, appointed a Commission the results of whose labours were published in 1882. The Com missioners were invited to consider whether in preference to building one new large college, the interests of education in the Colony would not be better served by the erection of five District schools of 500 each. reserring the Central School for purely Secondary Education. he scheme, which mauifestly had much in its favour, appears to have been viewed by the publio as an attempt to derogate fron the dignity of the popular Central School and was vetoed by the Commission, who approved of a large Central College being erected on a site already bought by the Government higher up the hill, which for this purpose had rather prematurely been denuded of rafe paying honses.
In November. 1881, Mr. G. H. Bateson Wright, M.A. (D.D. in 1891) Queen's College, Oxford, where he was then engaged in private coaching, was nominated by Professor Legge and recommended by the Provost of Queen's, Professor Sayce and Dr. Neubaur for the post of Head Master of the Government Central School, Hongkong, to which he was appointed by Earl Kimberley. Immediately on his arrival Mr. Wright held the Annual Examination of the school; and though not in a position to write a report on a year's work with which he had no personal acquaintance, at the public Prize Distribution, in a speech to the Governor. Sir John Pope Hennessy, he stated that he was much struck with the attainments in the English language of the Chinese boys, and that the results of the examination reflected great credit on the management of the school.
and the labours of the masters.
395
fell into abeyance, though they are still in full force at Singapore, which speedily followed Hongkong's lead in the establishment of Government Scholarships.
In July, 1888, the Oxford Local Examinations were held for the first time, Mr. Wright being Honorary Local Secretary, and have since been an annual event. The reasons why they com pletely superseded the Cambridge Local
Examinations, which were held for the last time in December of the same year, were because Oxford Junior and Senior certificates are issued to candidates irrespective of age; distinctions and honours being reserved for those under the ages of 16 and 19 respectively and because Oxford agreed on account of the immense dis. tance of this centre, to provide advance infor- mation of variable subjects, in order that the books might be procurable in time, which favour Cambridge declined to entertain.
1889. The 10th July was a joyful occasion. Early in the morning, the Head Master received private information from the Colonial Secretary that he was authorised to take possession of Queen's College immediately. The transfer was quietly effected in an incredibly short space of time. On 9th July 510 boys were present, on the 15th after the tranfer 716, rising to 796 in September.
In October, 1889, Hon. Frederick Stewart, L.L.D., Colonial Secretary, died of pneumonia. At his interment, the whole community turned out as one man, and the 800 boys of Queen's College marched in classes and sections ander the charge of their respective masters, at the end of one of the most imposing funeral pro. cessions the colony has ever beheld. strange fatality that Dr. Stewart should have birely lived to see the occupation of the college. the erection of which was entirely due to his foresight a dozen years previously, and to his unwearying continued representations.
It was a
1894 will ever be memorable as the year of the Great Plague. It is true that the plague has, more or less, occurred every year since; but the panic caused by the first outbreak of the epidemic has never been repeated. In '94 the streets were deserted, very few chairs and rick- shas were plying.
THE BOXER INDEMNITY.
The Waiwapa has concluded with foreign ministers the arrangements regarding the Boxer indemnity as follows:—
1.-The payment of the sum of eight million pounds sterling being the difference in exchange up to date shall be made within 15 days from the signing of agreements by telegraphic draft, and interest at the rate of 4 per cent. per
annum
shall be paid counting from the lat January 1905, on the said eight million pounds sterling.
2. Bonds shall be handed over to the Powers respectively against the sum still unpaid of the indemnity.
3.-Payment of principal and interest will be made by monthly instalments payable at the end of each calender month (foreign calender) The annual interest at the rate of 4 per cent. shall be paid semiannually. As to the manner o payment of the indemnity and interests either by the gold cash of respective powers, or by silver at the rate of London market on the day, or a bill of exchange or by telegraphic draft "shall be at the discretion of China, and the same the case about the place and at which bank the payment is to be made.
1884 was a great year for the Central School. A Public Tiffin was given to the late Head Master on the occasion of the foundation of the Stewart Scholarship. On the 26th April the foundation stone of the present college was laid by Governor Bow n, the Head Master, remarking that though higher up the hill, Queen's College could never look down upon the Central School. Some years previously the site had been cleared, and another tedions wait of five years was to follow before the occupation of the college was an accomplished fact. In December, Walter Bosman, of the 4.-The sum already paid in this year shall Central School, was, after examination by be paid back to China at Shanghai and for
the sum Government Special Examiners, elected first
China will pay interest at the rate Scholar. He had a brilliant career, coming of 4 per cent. per annum, and the sum will be out first in all the examinations at the paid in accordance with the new arrangement. Crystal Palace Engineering Institute, and being subsequently employed as Director of He is Public Works at Eshowe and Durban. the proud possessor of letters of thanks from the late Marquis of Salisbury, Mr. Chamberlain and the Minister of Foreign Affairs at Lisbon The course of studies was naturally for many for his successful delimitation of the frontier years purely elementary. That Dr. Stewart had thetween Zululand and Portuguese East Africa. an eye to the future is manifest from the valuable The Government Scholarships of value £20 a collection of electric and physical apparatus he year for four years, awarded biennially, were procured thirty years ago, of which, however, 'instituted by Sir George Bowen in imitation of little or no use appears ever to have been made, those existing at the Royal College, Mauritius. Lectures in Elementary Chemistry were for a After five or six competitions, these scholarships
education of the whole colony, and pay periodi. cal visits to schools in outlying districts.
The Central School was an unpretentious one. storied building in the shape of a capital H, two wings united by a central hall, four classes being also held in the lower floors of the two house intended to be the respective residences of the Head Master and the Second Master.
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The sum of sight million pounds sterling will be loaned from the Hongkong and Shang. hai Banking Corporation by the Board of Revenue.
Russia is the only power which wishes to be rate of London market on the paid at the days of payment while all the other powers preferred telegraphic draft.
Taotai Yuan is now negotiating the matter with the local Russo-Chinese Bank, the manag- ing director of which is waiting for instructions from the Russian minister to Peking as to the arrangement.-Shenpao.