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Stewart, and all others capable of forming a correct judgment with the national and official language of China, can agree with me that, for the future, about half the Cadets should be sent to study Chinese not at Canton - but at Peking, the Capital of the Empire, where the Mandarin, or official language, is used by all classes of the population, and where it is learned by the Attaches and Student-Interpreters of the British, and of the other foreign Legations. It will be remembered that our Cadets, on their return to Hongkong, with a sufficient acquaintance with the official language, can easily acquire here a colloquial familiarity with the local, or Cantonese, dialect; just as an Englishman who had learned Italian at Rome or Florence, could easily pick up the local Neapolitan or Venetian dialects, if he were to become a resident at Naples or Venice.
6. In my despatch No. 84 of the 3rd May ultimo, I reported that, of the four present Cadets, Mr. Lockhart has already passed his examinations with credit. He is now at Hongkong...