to learn something of Chinese questions through Journal intercourse with the Diplomatic Corps at Peking & the members of Dr. Hart's staff; but in Canton
VR.
Cadets
It would be better to send all Cadets to Peking first, and afterwards to Canton, as Sir F. Rocher Jespersen proposed to do with M. May.
It would be best to go to Canton first, as the Cadets would probably have their hardest work there,
and also because they would learn facts rather than theories at Canton, & facts should be learnt first, theories framed & adopted afterwards.
As regards M. May's suggestion of teaching other Cadets in a similar manner,
I agree with the fact as stated in the part of this Memorandum which I have penned, that when a man has mastered the Mandarin language at Peking, he can easily pick up the Cantonese dialects, Sir J. Bowring's proposal may be affirmed.
But I have always understood that the various Chinese Dialects were little distinct from the Mandarin Chinese.
If Mr. Mitchel Kennedy can master Mandarin Chinese in 18 months, it will be desirable that he should do so. I fear that he will fall between the two stools, and master neither.
Ja 29/2
9.166
20 Agt!
20
def.
Dr. Sit...