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to be excluded or not from such schemes for the rehabilitation of British influence in China, as that which the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce has now before it. Incidentally the problem of the University's future seems to bear rather directly on the larger problem of the future of Hong Kong in the scheme of general British influence,"
The Boxer Indemnity Fund.
The Chamber passed the foregoing correspondence to the China Association, London, which replied (on August 22, 1928,) that the Committee was very much in sympathy with the sentiments expressed by Dr. Young but felt that until some semblance of order was evolved in China-or at least some sign of approaching settlement was visible, it would be difficult to give practical form to the suggestions made. The correspondence in connection with Hong Kong University would be of interest and assistance to the Committee. The question of the Boxer Indemnity Fund was in abeyance until an enabling Act was passed in Parliament, and it was not known when that Act would be brought before the House.
The Glasgow Chamber wrote on September 6, 1928:—
"It was reported to the Directors that the Foreign Secretary had been asked in the House of Commons, if, in view of the improved relations now existing between this country and all parts of China, he would consider as to the desirability of giving effect to the Recommendations of the Boxer Indemnity Committee. The Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs in reply stated that it was not clear that the administrations in China had yet achieved any degree of permanency, stability or authority and that it would be useless to attempt to give effect to the Recommendations of the Boxer Indemnity Committee so long as the present condition of confusion and uncertainty prevailed throughout China.
"The Directors gave very careful consideration to the scheme suggested by Dr. Young of Mukden and unanimously resolved that so far, at least, as the present time was concerned, it was not practicable for the Chamber to move towards the initiation of a scheme on the lines suggested.
"It was pointed out to the Directors that the Advisory Com- mittee appointed under the China Indemnity Act had recommended the endowment of Chinese Studies in connection with the school of Oriental Languages in London, Cambridge, Manchester and elsewhere. It was resolved that the Foreign Office be urged to
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include Glasgow University in the event of the recommendation of the Advisory Committee being given effect to.
"A reply was received to the effect that, owing to the events in China, all action with regard to the Indemnity had been suspended, and that we must await the appointment of a Board of Trustees, to whom application should be made."
GRADUATION DAY ADDRESSES.
Observations bearing on the subject were made by the Vice- Chancellor at a Congregation for the conferring of degrees held at the University of Hong Kong on January 14, 1929. The Vice- Chancellor said:
In the course of the last year, the Honourable Sir Shou-son Chow and the Honourable Mr. Kotewall, went out into the highways and hedges to gather money for a Chinese School. A sum of $170,000 has already been collected and a further contribution of $30,000 has been guaranteed. (Applause.) These sums are exclu- sive of a contribution which the University has already received from the generous hands of Mr. Tang Chi Ngong, now a member of the University's Court, as is also Mr. Kwok Siu Lau. Government also sanctioned a special and supplementary grant of $32,200. On the strength of these sums, a special diploma course in Chinese Classics, and English, is being started from the beginning of this year. Translation from Chinese into English and from English into Chinese is being stressed in this course which has unfortunately so far attracted only six regular and three external students. This development has been carried out in the teeth of considerable criticism and opposition. The Chinese who are interested in the University know quite well that had it not been for our Chancellor, the attempt initiated two years ago, on the strength of $40,000 collected in Malaya, to provide better facilities in this University for the study of Chinese, would have had to be abandoned altogether. It is now for the Chinese to show that they appreciate what has been done for them by supporting this special course. If it is not supported, it will not be maintained. It may seem reckless to launch out at the present critical juncture into new endeavours. It is so. But the idea underlying this insistence on the vital importance to this University of a Chinese School, is one at which
China is stumbling forward into a new phase of national existence. Our Chancellor believes that national character is an it is not easy to cavil.
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