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(vi) The Great Towns, their Industries and Commerce (47). (vii) The Defences of the Empire (49).
The book of lectures is intended primarily for use in connection with the higher standards in the schools of the Eastern Colonies, and each lecture might furnish material for two or three weeks' class teaching. The style employed is simple and straightforward, the object being-it must be repeated to attempt to put before the eyes and instil into the minds of Sinhalese, Malay, and Chinese children some idea of the United Kingdom, its approaches, its history, its resources and industries, its everyday life, and, finally, of its powers of defence.
When this book was completed, other parts of the Empire were, in a circular despatch from Mr. Lyttelton, who had expressed his hearty approval of the scheme and had presided at a specimen lecture given by Mr. Mackinder in December, 1904, invited to have editions which would suit their own special requirements prepared at their own expense. The response was gratifying, and by the end of July next six editions of these lectures on the United Kingdom will have been issued for the following Colonies or groups of Colonies and India :-
(i) Canada.
(ii) India.
(iii) Eastern Colonies.
(iv) Mauritius and East Africa.
(v) West Africa.
(vi) West Indies.
The issue of an edition for South Africa is also in contemplation. The initial lecture (The journey from the Colony to London) is, of course, different in each edition, and allusions and comparisons in the other lectures differ slightly in the various editions in order to suit local requirements. The lectures may also well be used in the United Kingdom, and arrangements are being made for a composite" edition, containing the substance of the introductory lectures of the several editions and including the other six lectures to be placed upon sale in this country.
"
To accompany the six editions of the lectures the Committee have sent out to the Colonies and India a total of 64 sets of slides, consisting of some 23,000 slides in all. The expense of the original edition was rather under £700; and the entire expense of both the lectures and the slides, which has been borne exclusively by the Indian and Colonial Governments, amounts so far to between £3,000 and £4.000. It is hoped that there will be further editions as the scheme becomes more widely known; and, as criticisms and suggestions are received from the parts of the Empire which have already participated, modifications and improvements may be looked for in the future, the scheme being at present in its infancy.
It will be judged from the foregoing that the Committee working with Lord Elgin's approval as with that of his predecessor are beginning to see the end of the first section of their labours, viz., the preparation of illustrated lectures on the United Kingdom for use in the schools of the Colonies. They are now anxious to take up the other side of their scheme and to arrange lectures on the Colonies for use in the schools of the United Kingdom. The Colonies and India have done, or are doing, their share in paying for the preparation of the lectures on the United Kingdom. The money needed to provide lectures on the Colonics should therefore be forthcoming from the United Kingdom, and the Committee are happily in the position of being able to announce that the initial difficulty has been surmounted.
They had desired to secure a sum of at least £3,000 to cover, among other expenses, the cost of sending a highly-skilled photographer to visit the self-governing Colonies, India and all and each of the Crown Colonies and Protectorates in order to take views and illustrations such as the nature of the work demands and such as Mr Mackinder, under whose supervision the artist will work, has found by experi- ence to be required. When prepared, the slides and lectures will be on sale to educational authorities and the public.
Cordial as has been the co-operation of the Colonial Governments, it has been found that it is necessary to supplement the photographs which have been kindly sent from many Colonies by views to be taken to order for the particular purpose; and again it is held to be all important in order to secure uniformity that the same hand shall be at work throughout.
The Committee were so fortunate as to interest Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales in their work, and through her powerful and gracious support and that
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of Lady Dudley and a committee of ladies who were good enough to collect the necessary funds without having recourse.to any public appeal, a sum of some £4,000 is now available, and the Committee are enabled to make a beginning of a work which it will take some years to complete. They wish to record their warm gratitude to Her Royal Highness, to Lady Dudley, and the Committee already mentioned for making the undertaking possible.
They also wish to emphasise the fact that the work is in no sense whatever antagonistic to or intended to supplant the admirable work of the representatives of the Colonial Governments in this country in educating the public of the United Kingdom as to the great self-governing Colonies. The present scheme when carried out will be the complement of what has been, and is being, done by dealing in a uniform manner with the Empire as a whole; and in carrying out their scheme the Committee will invite and doubtless receive the help and guidance of the Govern- ments of the respective Colonies.
Lastly, the Committee most gladly recognise and desire actively to support the work which is being done by such valuable agencies as the Victoria League and the League of the Empire. Mr. Mackinder was asked to join the Committee in the first instance as representing the Victoria League, and the presence of Sir Philip Hutchins ensures co-operation with the League of the Empire.
16447
(No. 68.) (Extract.)
No. 140. HONG KONG.
GOVERNOR SIR M. NATHAN to THE EARL OF ELGIN. (Received May 4, 1907.)
Government House, Hong Kong, April 5, 1907.
*
*
During the year illustrated lectures were delivered at most of the schools on facts relating to the Empire. The lectures which, together with the slides, were provided by Mr. Mackinder, were greatly appreciated by the scholars, whose interest in the various subjects was increased by the ocular demonstration of them. With the exception of minor matters, such as the darkening of rooms to make the lantern slides clearly visible, which was a somewhat difficult matter, and the length of the lectures, which had to be given in two parts, as they were too lengthy for one sitting, the teachers are full of praise for the courses of lectures supplied, and are satisfied that they have proved highly instructive to their pupils.
18600
*
*
*
No. 141.
SOUTH AFRICA.
*
HIGH COMMISSIONER THE EARL OF SELBORNE to THE EARL OF ELGIN, (Received May 25, 1907.) [Answered by No. 147.]
(No. 352.)
MY LORD,
High Commissioner's Office, Johannesburg. May 6, 1907. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, General, of March 7th, 1906,* on the subject of a scheme for giving to the school children of each Colony a better knowledge of the United Kingdom and other parts of the Empire by means of a series of lectures illustrated by lantern slides.
2. The suggestion made by Your Lordship that it would be convenient if the Transvaal Government could purchase the proposed South African Edition of the lectures outright, was one with which I was in entire accord, but before seeking
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their consent to the arrangement, I thought it desirable to ascertain whether it would be acceptable to the other Governments concerned.
3. I first approached the Government of Cape Colony. Having secured a promise of their support, I invited the Natal and the Orange River Colony Govern- ments to give a similar undertaking. This I obtained from each of the two Governments, and having already ascertained that the scheme was a suitable one for Basutoland, I was in a position to inform the Transvaal Government that, if they would undertake the whole initial cost of the South African Edition, the Colonies and territories I have named would share the outlay with them in equal proportions. To this arrangement the Transvaal Government have readily
consented.
4. To sum up the position reached, the Transvaal will purchase outright and become the owner of the South African Edition at a cost of £100. The Govern- ments of Cape Colony, Natal, the Transvaal, the Orange River Colony and Basuto- land are each prepared :—
(a) to defray its share (one-fifth) of the cost of preparation of new lectures
and slides, viz., £20;
(b) to purchase one set of slides, entailing an expenditure of, roughly, £43 10s. (the Basutoland Government also ask for a lantern and equipment);
(c) to purchase copies of the descriptive lectures, understood to cost 2s. 6d. a copy. (The Cape, Transvaal and Basutoland Governments have each asked for three copies.)
A number of photographs are being collected locally and will be forwarded to Mr. Mackinder by the Transvaal Director of Education, who has undertaken to complete the necessary arrangements.
5. I have authorised the Resident Commissioner of Basutoland to incur the estimated outlay in this connection of £70 7. 6d. in case it should be required before the close of the current financial year, and I trust Your Lordship will approve the expenditure. Should the payment fall in the next financial year it will be provided for under the head of Education.
I have, &c.,
Attached to 18600
MY DEAR LUCAS,
No. 142.
SOUTH AFRICA.
SELBORNE,
High Commissioner.
THE EARL OF SELBORNE to MR. C. P. LUCAS. (Received May 25, 1907.)
High Commissioner's Office, Johannesburg, May 6, 1907. AFTER Considerable correspondence and, I fear, much consequent delay, I have at length succeeded in getting the South African Colonies into line in regard to the Colonial Office scheme of "Imperial Education.”
A despatch* goes to-day in which I state that the Transvaal is prepared to undertake the whole initial cost of a South African edition of the illustrated lectures on the terms suggested by the Secretary of State, and that the Cape, Natal, Orange River Colony, and Basutoland are ready to fall in with the arrangement.
thought that, having taken the matter so far, it would now be convenient to leave it in the hands of the Transvaal Director of Education, Mr. J. E. Adamson, who could act as an intermediary between the various Education Departments and Mr. Mackinder for the purpose of completing the arrangements. ready to do this, and will communicate directly with Mackinder as soon as a Adamson is collection of local views which he is getting together is complete. I suppose you will, meanwhile, let Mackinder know what has been done, and in order to show you exactly how the matter stands, I enclose a copy of the letter which I had sent to Adamson explaining all about it.
No. 141.
As
99
Thank you for your suggestion regarding certain references to the late war.
will see, you
I have passed it on to Adamson.
Yours sincerely,
DEAR MR. ADAMSON,
Enclosure in No. 142.
SELBORNE.
High Commissioner's Office, Johannesburg.
April 19, 1907. You have probably seen some correspondence relating to a movement which has been styled "Imperial Education." It is a movement which comprises a scheme for giving to the school children of each Colony a better knowledge of the United Kingdom and other parts of the Empire by means of a series of lectures illustrated by lantern slides. The High Commissioner had the matter brought to his notice by His Majesty's Government some two years ago; and as the result of corre spondence ascertained that the Governments of the Transvaal, Orange River Colony and Basutoland were in favour of the preparation of a South African edition of the lectures, and that the Cape and Natal Governments, though they preferred at that time to proceed in the matter independently, were disposed to sympathise with the movement.
On learning the attitude of the South African Governments the Secretary of State put forward a definite proposal. I need not recapitulate here the considera- tions on which the proposal was based, seeing that they are fully set forth in Lord Elgin's despatch of March 7th, 1906, a copy of which was forwarded to the Trans- vaal Government on December 6th last. I will only say that it was to the effect that the Transvaal Government should undertake the whole initial cost of the proposed South African edition, subject to the other Governments which partici- pated in the scheme repaying their share of the outlay. The High Commissioner has laid this proposal before the Governments named as being favourably disposed towards the scheme, and has secured their concurrence in its details. That is to say, the Transvaal Government is prepared to undertake the whole initial cost of the South African edition. The Governments of Cape, Natal, the Transvaal and the Orange River Colony and Basutoland are each prepared:
(a) to defray its share (one-fifth) of the cost of preparation of new lectures
and slides, viz., £20;
(b) to purchase one set of slides, entailing an expenditure of, roughly, £43 10s. (the Basutoland Government also ask for a lantern and equipment).
(c) to purchase copies of the descriptive lectures, understood to cost 2s. 6d. a copy (The Cape, Transvaal and Basutoland Governments have cach asked for three copies.)
Before acquainting the Secretary of State with the decision of the various Governments, Lord Selborne would be glad to know whether it would not now be possible for you to take the matter in hand, and on behalf of the participating Colonies arrange with the author of the lectures (who is Mr. H. J. Mackinder, Director of the London School of Economics and Political Science), for the compila- tion of the South African edition.
There are a number of photographs which the Governments interested have furnished, or purpose to furnish, with the idea that a selection might be made from them for the purpose of illustrating the lectures. These will probably be found to be of use not only in the South African edition but in the others. There are seventy-six photographs, forwarded by the Cape Government, at present in this office, and they will be sent to you if you are willing to undertake the further arrangement of this matter. Twenty photographs have already been supplied by the Natal Government to Mr. Mackinder through the Colonial Office. The Trans- vaal and Orange River Colony are understood to be collecting a number of local views.
The only specimen copy of the lectures available in this country was forwarded to the Transvaal Government in the High Commissioner's despatch of December 6th, and you have probably seen it. Lord Selborne has been informed that this lecture was written and revised with the utmost care, but he nevertheless thinks that there are one or two references to the South African war which it might be considered desirable to eliminate.
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