343
are afraid that there is not now much prospect of the Govern-
ment being able to obtain the services of young Europeans
of the Class to which Mr. Ball belongs, who have spent
their early youth in China and have acquired
a knowledge of
the language. Nowadays parents send their childern home
at such an early age that they rapidly forget what Chinese
they ever leant. The Government must therefore rely on
Chinese interpreters. Much may be done to improve the tone
of the Service by engaging young men of good character and
respectable parentage, and an adequate salary will reduce
the strength of temptation. As we have said before, in
ordinary suits in the Supreme Court there is not much fear
of deliberate misinterpretation. In important cases which
bear a political aspect, it will always possible to have
the interpretation watched by some qualified European
Officers.
($d.)
A.W.Brewin.
Thomas W Pearce.
Ho Kai.
H.J.Gompertz.
こ