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and Men? Mess? Odell and Oliver, who had for some time given their gratuitous services to the College, met them here on that day at my request to afford them every opportunity and aid in examining the pupils and informing themselves of their view. They doubtless have reported to your Excellency their opinion of the then state of the College, and to that report I beg leave to refer you. I regret to state that causes already in operation have since that time increased the withdrawal of all our more advanced pupils. The unsettled state of China, the stream of Chinese emigration to other Countries, and the high wages which even a partially educated youth, speaking a little English, can command in the Colony, have combined in causing the removal of all the Chinese youth who had made satisfactory progress; and those who now remain, have been only for a short period under instruction, varying generally from a few months to three years only.
Chinese youths in the College are also of that age, which renders necessary their contemporaneous instruction in their own language and books. Under these circumstances, it would require many years to bring a Chinese youth to that point of Chinese learning and English grammatical composition, which would realize the ideal standard apparently existing in your Excellency's mind. The present difficulties in the way of education are seen in the facility with which Chinese boys turn to pecuniary advantage even a partial and imperfect acquaintance with English, are obstacles of a most serious