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there were more. All those we met were being driven by Chinese or Sinkiangese. The only substantial traffic is by camel or donkey caravan or cart over the caravan track which runs for long distances either close to or actually along the road. The camel caravans pass at night, the donkeys and carts (drawn by ponies) by day, at this time of year. When it gets hotter, all go by night, and during the hottest season few, if any, pass at all. The donkey caravans are about 15 per cent. faster than the camels. The average daily number passing at this time of year on a census taken at Chih Chou Ching is 300-400 camels and 400-500 donkeys. The number of carts we did not ascertain, but they would only be in dozens. Their loads going west are very largely wool, which now all goes to Russia, though before it went mainly down the Yellow River into East China, and the return load east is to a very great extent petrol. The transport north and south is not fast, as it takes fourteen to sixteen days by bus from, e.g., Hami to Khotan, the road going right across the desert. There are road stations about every 25 miles used by the caravans, and at longer distances, stations where motor drivers and others can stop for rest and food, which latter, of course, has to be carried for the through journey. There is no through traffic by lorry passing from Russia into Central China, as the distance is so great that the lorry would use more than its own full load of petrol in completing the journey. For some reason, which is not clear. but which is partially financial, the Sinkiangese Government will not send their mails into China by air, with the result that letters often take a fortnight or more to reach Lanchow, either by lorry or by caravan, and thence they go by plane.
151. There are now twenty-seven telegraph offices in the province and a number of radio stations. All the main points in the north are linked by telegraph and there are also about 1,000 kilom. of telephone wires (long-distance). In Urumchi there are 350 telephone subscribers. Broadcasting has been started in Urumchi and there are 800 receivers. Some attempt is being made to extend reception outside Urumchi, to which area at the moment it is limited. A small wireless factory has been started in Urumchi to deal with repairs for receiving sets.
Education.
152. The Government is particularly keen on its educational programme, both from the point of view of general progress and of its own particular problems. Owing to the fear of foreign interference and of the incursion of Chinese from other provinces, it is necessary for the Government to use Sinkiangese for its development work, but, unfortunately, the standards of education are deplorably low owing to the complete neglect of education by former Governors. The Governor is therefore attempting to increase the intelligence standards of his own people as rapidly as possible. In the meantime, the progress of the province is being hampered by the lack of suitable staff even in clerical posts. Many persons in comparatively responsible positions have often had no education beyond that in an elementary school. At the time of the April revolution education was practically non-existent as a public service in the province. There were a few dozen elementary schools and that was all. The principal reforms carried out since then are as follows:
(1) An attempt has been made to unify the administration and organisation of education throughout the province. The educational reforms have had to take into account three special characteristics of the problem, the racial differences in the population, the generally low intellectual level of the people, and the very sparse means of communication. In addition to these there is very great difficulty in obtaining teachers, whose standard of education is very low, and there is a great lack of teaching material of all kinds.
(2) A determined attempt is being made to train teachers in normal schools as quickly as possible. In 1939 in the districts of Urumchi, Ili, Darchen, Aoshan, Hami and Yengtze the number trained was 1,320. In addition to this regular training, a number of short-term courses of three or six months, have been held for teachers in Hotien, Kashgar and Akashu districts in particular.
(3) Text books have been compiled in four different languages: Chinese, Wei-er Wu, Mongolian and Karsak. This has to some extent solved the problem of text books in the province.
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