Scr. J. Hennessy.
he would read the former correspondence before he writes his despatches
This question of imparting English Speech in education has been debated for years.
upon in the past, it is touched upon in the report of the Education Commission 20343/82 and it's affected by the raising of the standard of grants for purely vernacular Schools which will be Approved in another despatch
The only new suggestion which is made & it seems to me a good one is that Hongkong should send one more scholar to England.
As to Competitive examinations See 15571/82 one for clerkships "It is not clear what he wants to do in addition to what has been done by
I think it would be well to answer this despatch to the effect that the 1st thing is to build a new Central School 2nd that we are waiting for the plans which he should send as soon as possible & that Lord Seeby be glad to consider any suggestions which he may like to make for encouraging English speaking (a subject which has already received much attention) provided that such encouragement does not result in the neglect of vernacular education, and for improving the system of competitive examinations which was started by referring to despatch of 11 Sept 82 on 15571/82
Sir. J. Hennessy. In that his lordship agrees to establishing in Hongkong the plan of establishing a system of English ...