THE WAR.
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY, JANUARY 20TH, 1917.
FOOD SHORTAGE IN GERMANY.
RAIDS ON DENMARK AND HOLLAND FORECASTED
ACTIVITY IN THE WEST.
General.
CARE OF SOLDIERS · GRAVES.
LATEST CABLES. (THROUGH RÄUTER'S AGENCY.)
SOLDIERS GRAVES.
HOW THEY ARE BEING CARED FOR.
LONDON, January 19th. Presiding at the Soldiers' Graves Com- mitter, the Prince of Wales stated that 160,000 graves had been registered · in ́ France and Belgium. Sixty of the 400 burial grounds had been beautifully laid out under the advice of the Director of Kew Gardens. We were also caring for the French cemstories in the line taken over, and the experience gained in France and Belgium was being applied clsewhere. He welcomed the first atten- dance of the Dominions and India.com- mittermen, as the committee had sidered the marking and care of tho Dominion and India soldiers graves by Great Britain.
DEATH OF LORD ELGIN.
LONDON, January 19th. The death is announced of Lord Elgin, KG., K.0.8.1, Q.CIE. P.O, LL.D., D.C.L.
[The deceased was the ninth Earl of Elgin and Kincardine: He was Trea surer of the Household and First Com missioner of Works in 1888, and Viceroy of India from 1894 to 1899. From 1005
to 1008 the late Lord Elgin was Secretary of State for the Colonies. He was in his 6th year having been boin at Monk Iands, near Montreal, on May 18th, 1849.
EARLIER CARLES,
1
CALLING UP AGRICULTURISTS
WAR OFFICE MEASURES.
LONDON, January 17th. The War Office is calling up half of the unexempted agriculturists, and is making arrangements to placs thousands. of men unfit for service in the ranks at the disposal of the farmers.
THE WAR LOAN.
TOTAL MOUNTING UP.
- LONDON, January 17th.
Franco-Belgian Front.
LATEST CABLES.
(THROUGH HEUTER'S ACIKUT.} BRITISH PROGRESS.
LONDON, January 19th Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig re- ports:-We progressed at night-time northwards of Beaucourt, and bombard- Bd defences eastwards of Bois Grenier end eastward of Ploigsteert. The enemy artillery was active southward of Sailly
Saillisel and eastward of Bethune.
HEAVY ARTILLERY... DUEL.
PARIS, January 19th.
A communiqué states :-There has been an artillery duel of considerable inten- sity in the Vosges, in the Lorraine and Boissons sections. The rest of the front has been quiet.
EARLIER CARLES.
BATTLE IN THE SNOW.
DASHING ATTACK BY THE CANADIANS.
LONDON, January 18th: Router's correspondent at Headquar The progress of the War Loan continues ters, writing on Wednesday night, says to absorb interest.
Municipalities and great commercial houses are piling up the total rapidly with large contributions. The oloven highest subscriptions yesterday amounted to ten millions sterling.
NEW
BRITISH LOAN
AMERICA,
IN
New York, January 18th. Messrs. Morgan announce the flotation of a British Loan of fifty-five millions sterling, in the form of five-and-a-half per cent, convertibles, dated February 1st. Twenty millions will mature in year, and the remainder in two years,
THE "FIELD" RAID.
A PROTEST BY THE EDITOR.
LONDON, January 18th.
Mr. Theodore Cook, the editor of the Field, in a letter to the Times, protests against the police and military raid on his office. He explains that he bought the rights of a new and powerful explo ́FOOD SCARCITY IN GERMANY. sive, invented by a neutral, that an im portent Ally had successfully tested it, but that the War Office refused to adopt
the explosive.
DENMARK AND HOLLAND IN
DANGER.
LONDON, January 18th.
A letter by a neutral who has toured through a dozen leading German centres is published. He says that though he did not hear of actual starvation, the feeling is growing that Germany is faced with the prospect that she will not be able to
continue the struggle unless raids are made on Denmark and Holland for meat, corn, butter and oil.
The greatest scarcity is in leather, while soldiers from the front complain must bitterly about the deterioration of food.
CONFERENCE AT BERLIN.
AMSTERDAM, January 18th. The Austrian Premier and Food Dicta tor have gone to Berlin to confer on the
food question.
ANGLO-RUSSIAN CO-OPERA-
TION.
Mr. Cook declares that two officers of
the War Office are persecuting him, and he demands a public enquiry, He says that the Field is absolutely unconnected with the powder controversy. NEW RUSSIAN WAR MINISTER.
PETROGRAD, January 18th. General Belinieff, former Chief of the General Staff, has been appointed War Minister in succession Schouvaieft.
General
THE BANK RATE.
LONDON, January 18th. The Bank of England rate of discount is now bi per cent.
Italian Front,
LATEST CABLES. (THROUGH KRUTER'S ACEROF.) REBELLION AT TRIPOLI TURCO-GERMAN FUNDS.
that, the Canadian raid in the snow in
the morning was interesting because the assailants were in proper battle order and the Germans were expecting an attack. Their resistance was a fair mea
sure of their powers of defence, while the ground was virgin soil, not having been fought over since October, 1914.
Heavy guns had for ten days slowly bombarded, effectively cutting the wire.
It was snowing in the morning when the Canadians dashed out, covered by the smoke of the bombardment, on a front of 850 yards. There was hard fighting in the first line, where a number were taken prisoner, and' the second line, throo hundred yards in the rear, was entered, the Canadians remaining half an hour. The enemy loft, but resisted with bombs. He was repulsed elsewhere and surrender- ed most freely.
There were twenty-eight prisoners from one dug-out, and most of the other dug- outs were bombed, hence their losses were heavy.
slight, and they brought back all their The Canadians' casualties were very wounded.
FRENCH REPULSE AN ATTACK. LONDON, January 18th. A French communiqué says:-After a heavy three-hour bombardment, at Bois des Chevaliers on the heights of enemy made a series of reconaissances
the Meuse, which were repulsed with loss.
GERMAN REPORTS,
the
LONDON, January 18th. & Gerruan official message says:We evacuated an advanced position at Berre on January 12th, but the British attack ing there yesterday sustained beavy losses.
The Balkans.
EARLIER CABLES, (THROUGH KHUYAN'S AGEN(Y.) THE GREEK SITUATION, A CASE OF HORSON'S CHOICE,
LONDON, January 18th. The Times correspondent at Athena says that King Constantine, thankful to have saved the Throne, would have accept- ed any ultimatum in preference to en barking on an uncertain military adven. ture, for it was known that General Sarrail would have been able to devote himself to the entire destruction of the Greek Army.
AN EXTRAORDINARY CEREMONY,
LONDON, January 18th, An account of an extraordinary cere money at which an anathema was pro nounced against M. Yeniseios in Athens, on Christmas Day, by the ecclesiastical party," has reached Renter's correspond- ent. The episode reads like a savage rité. Rome, January 18th.
It appears that the Metropolitan of The rebellion at Tripoli was originated Athens solemnly excommunicated a bull's head, presumably symbolising M. Venise by the intrigue of the well-known native los body. The Prelate cast a Brst stone agitator, Baruni, who fled from Tripoli it, after which each member of an Prince Golitrin, the new. Russian Pre-and returned supplied with Turoo-Gorrganised crowd acted similarly, and
PREMIERS EXCHANGE
MESSAGES
LONDON, January 19th,
mier, has telegraphed assuring Mr. man funds and declared that he was authorised by the Sultan to organises Lloyd George of loyal co-operation, ren- dering more intimate the Anglo-Russian rebellion against Italy. He stirred up union, and ensuring the triumph of bon-two tribes and concentrated our and right,
Mr. Lloyd George has replied that he is happy to feel that he can rely on Prince Golitzia's support.
AN INDIAN WAR LOAN,
LONDON, January 18th. The India Office has announced the
raising of a specia! War. Loan in India in 1917-18 of an unlimited amount, which will be entirely handed over to the British Government for war purposes, Terms will be announced in an Indian Snancial statement. They will be not Less favourable than Home borrowings,
three
columns, estimated at 6,000 strong, against those who were friendly towards the Italiane, The Italians attacked the approaching columns and completely routed the enemy after five hours stiff fighting. The enemy left 400 dead on the feld. The Italian casualties were not heavy. The pursuit of the enemy is being followed up.
EARLIFE CABLES,
OPERATIONS AT TRIPOLI. REBELS COMPLETELY DEFEATED.
London, January” 18th,
An Italian communiqué sags:- Escom-d pletely defeated five thousand rebels at Zoare, Tripoli, on January 18th. The enemy's losses were a thousna d.
simultaneously uttered maledictions on
the man who plotted against the King." But King Constantine's appearance as a Hottentot witch doctor had unexpected results, for it appears that at night-time cairn of stones was covered with mÉMOSCA of flowers to which ribbons were attached inscribed From the Venirelists of Athens."
RELEASE OF VENEZELISTS.
Athens, January 18th, All the arrested Venizelints has been released.
WHY GREECE YIELDED.
ENEMY COUNTER-ATTACKS
REPULSED,
LONDON, January 18th. Roumanian communiques, which had been temporarily suspended, have been resumed.
THE ROUMANIAN CAMPAIGN. EDUCATION IN HONGKONG.
THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH,
- WHERE DOES THE FAULT LIEP
A considerable amount of interest bas been aroused over the question of the teaching of English in the local schools. Mr. Lau Chu Pak, whose authority on this subject can searealy he questioned, bas said that Chinese boys learning Eng
write lish nowadays do not, as a rule,, of a decade or two ago." In his opinion and speak the language so well as students the fault lies in the cramming of too many subjects into the boys' heads, and H.E the Governor, who endorses this view, has appointed a small committee to investigate the matter and to report upon what changes may be considered necessary in the school curriculum.
On January 17th, enemy counter attacks were repulood with great loss, We maintain our positions. There has boon a resiprocal bombardment on the Danube, in which the Russo Roumanion feet is participating ROUMANIANS REPULSE GERMANS,
LONDON, January 18th,
A wireless Russian official message saya: Our fire arrested attempts at an offensive to the south of the Oitzu,
The Boumanians pulsed Germans to the south of Monastirks and surrounded the height south-west of Prales. Mary prisoners were captured.
GERMAN REPORT.
LONDON, January 18th. A German official message announces that a Russian attack south of the Oituz road was repulsed.
The Russians are bombarding Tulcoa
and Isaccea.
AN INDICATION OF IMPROVE- MENT.
LONDON, January 18th. The French papers regard the appearance of Roumanian communiqués as indicating that the Romanian posi tiem has considerably improved Russian Trant.
of subjects in order to ensure passing in case they fail in one of the five which if taken alone, are virtually compulsory. A boy can tako as many subjects se bo pleases as far as the University is con corned; but, in the event of a boy doing very well in four of the five subjectă.ro quired and failing very narrowly in the favourably sider his position in refer fifth, I am sure the University would
ence to getting a full puss,
Have the University authorities over et the headmasters in conference to discuss these questions?
We have never met to discuss the matter, but the headmasters have mot and suggested modifications of it. O themselves and considered the syllabus this point 1 may say that the Daily Press is wrong in suggesting that the headmasters are having a ertain type of education forced upon them. I think the headmasters, as a body, are in sym. pathy with the present systera of educa tion. The editor of the Daily Press seems to think that a sound English training and the whole of the subjects required fer, the Matriculation examination a** incompatible that they cannot both be carried on together. He suggests split- ting up the education into two types one commercial, and the other having in view the University. As I have al ready said, I think both the University and the headmasters of the schools think that the present system is generally satisfactory
"Mt
As a general ruto, of course, a school curriculum is drawn up in accordance with the requirements of the examinas tions for which the boys have to sit, and it has been suggested that the demands made by the University Matriculation examination may be one of the causes which lead to the overcrowding of the syllabus. Mr. J. D. Wright, Professor of English at the "University, in an in- teresting letter published in the Daily Press on Thursday, protested strongly Wright My position," concluded ing the course of an interview with a versity Matriculation examination repre against this theory, and, yesterday, dur- Mr. Wright, is briedy this: The Uni Daily Press representative, he dealt some-sents a desirable standard for the Colony." what more fully with various points The question is, how is it best to be which have been raised during the dis cussion.
obtained! I think that the crucial ques- tion is the relations between the two reminime number of subjects for the English and Chinese. In the Straits Our representative asked: While the principal languages of the Colony- Matriculation examination is five, is it Settlements, where English is the only pot the case that some of these five sub-language taught to Chinose, the standard jects are sub-divided into a number of of general education, judging from the others, each of which requires special students who come from there to the study?
University, is high. For sentimental reasons one wishes to see Chinese an in- portant subject in the Hongkong Schoolsi But, ironi the point of view of instrue tion in other subjecte, undoubtedly the Hongkong boy is at a great disadvantage in having to give up so much time to Chinese,
BARLIER CABLES. (THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]
RUSSIAN SUCCESS.
GERMAN POST PENETRATED.
LONDON, January 18th. A German official message says:The Russians, attacking with teafold superior numbers, penetrated on advanced post north of Crashin, but were driven out,
Naval Activities.
EARLIER CABLES,
(THROUGH REUTER'S AGEVOZ.]
SUBMARINE PIRACY.-
RESCUED CREWS · LANDED.
LONDON, January 18th.
A steamer has landed eighty-four of the crap and Kanpurney (British) and Oosk crews of the submarined steaters Auchen (Danish),
Four of the crew of the Auchenerny were drowned. The sfcaneer was forced to throw over her cargo and to follow the submarine for four daya,
THE GERMAN RAIDER,
HER PROBABLE FATE.
LONDON, January 18th. Naval cxperts are confident that the German raider will shortly share the fate of the Greif. They are of opinion that she began operations in the North Atlantic and then went south.
Probably the Saint Thoders was used sa a supply ship or for the purposes of scouting, or she way imitate the Appam and make a dramatic appearance în a neutral port.
Mr. Wright--That is true of Mathema- tica.
Does it not also apply to English? No; at least not to anything like the same extent. English is divided into essay-writing, grammar, and dictation, and a set book.
I presume you will agree that the Chinese boy, in acquiring a knowledge of English, is handicapped?
"If Chinese is allowed to retain its pre- sent position, all that can be done is along the lines I suggested, i.c., soeing that absolutely the best and most useful Mr. Wright-Yes, the Chinese boy has books on English are in use, and by im tremendous difficulties in his way, and proving the class of Chinese teacher of I agree with the standpoint of the Daily the lower forms so that a boy in the Press-that the difficulties are much early stags. when acquiring English, greater for the Chinese boy than for the may, not meet with a defective pro English boy, because the English lan-unication and control of the language. guage is so absolutely different from the respect of the first point an associa Chinese language. Even after a Chinese tion of teachers would be useful; in boy does know some English his rate of securing the second point, the University. progress is slow. An English boy learn might be made use of by the Govern ing French or German, for instance, willment." But behind all this there is the find a great similarity between large not be relegated to a subordinate post- bigger question, whether Chinese should. numbers of French and German words
tion whether English could not be made and English words; but the Chinese boy to a degree to which it is not at present does not have the assistance that this the basic language of instruction" in all English, and he is to that extent hand that a boy in the upper forms of Queen's similarity gives in his sequirement of the schools of the Colony. It is a pity capped,
College or St. Stephen's College, to take two important schools, should be ham ispered by defective English. Could to not have got over the worst difficulties in the study of English by that time? This is a large question. No such change is possible immediately owing to the lack of Chinese teachers with the neces say command of English, and one would net like to give a hasty verdict about it Considering the difficulties of giving two such fundamentally different lan- To revert to sub-division of subjects, guages as English and Chinese a prac y say it is particularly true of Mathally equal position in the schools, the Hongkong schoolmaster, do very well and -matics?
deserve every credit. If the present system is retained it may be necessary to lengthen the school period of study. This is practically what the Governor's
Is it not a heavy handicap?
It is. In Mathematics the handicap not so great, as aymbolism enters largely into the teaching of that subject. As proof of this I may point out that at the recent Matriculation we had a number of Candidates from the Hankow and Shang- hai centres-six from each, I think. They all did very well in Mathematics, but, on the other hand, they all did very ladly in English.
Mr. Wright-Yes In Mathematics you have arithmetic algabra and geometry, which are all distinct subjects. You can-
remarks not say that of the divisions in English. The reading of a set book helps the stu: The experts paint out that the tonnage aut in his grammar and in his power of accounted for by the raider, totalling
afty-thousand tons, including the White Star liner Georgie, is not surprisingly targe considering the length of time, now six weeks, since the raider has been operating, and is unequal to the bag of the Moove during à aborter period.
THE JAPANESE NAVAL DISASTER.
NUMBER OF CASUALTIES STILL UNKNOWN.
Tokyo, January 17th. Boats from other ships were unable to approach the battle cruiser Tsukuba recently sunk as a result of an explosion but they picked up sailors from the water, many of them being wounded,
It is believed that the Tsukuba broke in two. About half the complement were ashore on leave, it being Bunday, and the exact pumber of fatalities will not be gnomg until the absentees have been re- called. It is believed that Commander Atime and a number of efficons were also ashore at that time of the explosion, OPIUM RAIDS IN LIVERPOOL,
LONDON, January 17th.. Thirty-one Chinese were arrested by the nolice in raids last night in opium dens in Liverpool. Much opium was goized. The police at one place were attacked by big retriever dog and a number of Chinese who throw boots and other arti cles from a house-top.
HONGKONG'S AUXILIARY
FORCES.
WIDER OPPORTUNITIES FOR USEFULNE68.
Timo Colonial Secretary forwards for publication the following communica
Panis, January 18th. The newspapers attribute the Greek acceptance of the Allies demands to General von Hindenberg's inability to tion send reinforcements to the Balkans, in view of the activity of the Russians, and
the probability of an Allied offensive,
WHERE SAMMENHAYN 2
LONDON, January 18th. The Foreign Office has no news of the reported arrizal of General von Falken- barn in Greece.
In pursuance of recommendations sade soran time ago (by) His Excellency the General Officer Commuting and Eis Excellency the Governor, sauction has been received to mate a wider use of the Hongkong Voluntoor Corps and the Hongkong Volunteer Reserve for mili- itary, purposes."
composition. In English the divisional subjects ran into one another much more than is the case with Mathematics. In none of the other thiree subjects that are necessary-Geography, Chinese and His- tory-ean it be said there is sub-division. In one to understand-as is implied in your letter in the Daily Press--that the standard of the Hongkong University Matriculation examination is approxi- mately the same as that of the Oxford Local, for which, as you say, boys sat before the Hongkong University was established?
about too rapid promotion amount to. It would be interesting to know what is the average age of Uni varsity students in Japan. I believe it would be found to be higher than in Hongkong."
AN OPPOSITE VIEW. INTERVIEW WITH MR. A, E, HARRIS.
It will be seen that Mr. A. H. Harris- does not share Mr. Wright's views re- garding the handicap from which the Chinese youth suffers from having to pass. all his examinations in English.
Do you suggest, Mr. Harris was asked, that an English boy who has to take
modern language as an optional subject, in as an obligatory subject, and a encounters the same difficultion as and write all his papers in a foreign Chinese boy who has to study and read. tongue
Officially we try to make the standard of examination the same. The standard Ve set is the standard of the Oxford ferred in my letter. There is one point Senior Encal, and it was to that I re- of difficulty about that matter: the diffi-
Mr. Harris- do not think there need culty of knowing what the English examiners in the Oxford Local expect of be so much dificulty in the Chinese Chinese candidates- whether they make mastering English, provided they give special allowance for Chinean candidates. their attention to English first. Tho The same, of course, applies to the other time that may be spent by an English subjects. Ons does not know whether they boy martering Latan and an optional. take into account the fast that they are language, if spent by a Chinese boy in Chinese when awarding points. If you the study of English, should enable the take the Oxford Senior Local as it is for Chinese boy to acquire a good grasp of English boys and compare it with our
the English language. I would
qualify Matriculation examination, the Oxford that to the extent of saying that the Chinese boy has a slightly harder task, Senior is as hard as ours, The Englia bat too much is made of the difficulty in both is equally hard, and the standard apon which the English boys are judged is as high as ours.
Why does the University refuse to accept, say, Cantonese and translations, upon the latter of which much time bas,. very properly, to be spent by Chinese students, on the instructions of the Government, as one of the two optional subjects required for a pass ↑
I know nothing about the regulations regarding the teaching of Chinese. The Vice-Chancellor draws up the regulations and is responsible for them.
For the comparison to stand would it. not be necessary for the English boy to
read for and pass the whole of the examinations for which he sits in Greek or Latin, or some other alien tongue!
Mr. Harris-I think not, because the English boy bag so, many other subjects. The Chinese boy is confined to English and Chinese, and the English boy has his own language to learn as well as two other languages. Although born in Eng land be has the elements of his own lan- gunge to learn,
Do you suggest that a Chinese boy has anything like the same opportunities of reading his own tongue text books on all the subjects required for the local
When you have sub-division of subjects, is it not almost inevitable that still other subjects should be attempted in order to satisfy the natural desire to obtain dis-examinations as an English boy would have if, for example, he was attending tinction in that group of subjects 1/
a school in France? I think that is for the schoolmaster to
Mr. Harrie-On that point I would decide. He should know what each boy say that the extent to which text-books is capable of doing, whether it is at all are provided by the Vernacular Associa probable that he will get distinction. Hetion in China is an unknown quantity would be allowed to attempt, but its ad-
to me, but I know that a good education. visability is a matter for the teacher to is given in the vernacular, Teaching in judge.
the vernacular is the method advocated by a large number of educationists in China
น
Is it not advisable that candidates should take more than the bure minimum