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3. At the present time difficulties are constantly arising from Colonial scholars becoming straitened and indebted, so that they are driven to ask the Colonial Office to sanction advances on account of their scholarships, which are not always repaid, and are in any case likely to have a demoralising effect on their character. In these circumstances I am of opinion that the amount of the scholarships should be at least as liberal as is suggested by the Committee; and it should be based on the assumption that the parents of the students will not be able to contribute towards, the expenses of their sons, as I think the scholarships should give access to the highest education to the boys of greatest ability in the Colony irrespective of the financial circumstances of their families. There is, however, no reason why the increased expenditure necessi- tated by such an increase in the value of the scholarships should not be met by a reduction of the number offered.

4. I cordially agree with the recommendation that the students should be pro- vided with medical advice at the expense of the Colony.

5. If the suggestion of the Committee that a Director should be appointed- whether an officer of this Department or not-to have the guardianship of the students, be carried out, as to which I should be glad to receive an expression of your opinion, a small fee should be paid to him by the Colony.

6. I concur generally with the views expressed by the Committee on the other points which they discuss; and while I have no desire, in view of the great variety of conditions presented by the Colonies, to press the adoption of the scheme upon them. I nevertheless consider that it would be of great advantage to all concerned if some uniformity of system on the lines recommended by the Committee could be attained; and I should in that case be prepared to consider further whether encouragement could not be given to the scholars by facilitating the employment of those who distinguished themselves most in the public service of the Colonies.

10454

(No. 77.)

I have, &c.,

J. CHAMBERLAIN.

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4. The proposals in your despatch are calculated to put an end to all analogy between scholarships as hitherto granted in the United Kingdom and those to be granted in Crown Colonies; and they must necessarily, as you have foreseen, diminish the number of scholarships which a Colony will grant in future.

5. I have laid the matter before the Executive Council, and annex an extract from the proceedings of that body.

Pursuant to the advice of the majority of the Council, provision will, in future, be made for offering one scholarship of £250 a year annually, the Colony defraying the cost of medical attendance (when necessary) on the pupil.

6. As regards a Director of Studies, I have to point out that Sir Charles Mitchell, in his despatch, No. 347, of 19th October, 1897, paragraph 2, limited the scholar to Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin, in order that he might reside under discipline. Under these circumstances a Director of Studies ought not to be required for Straits scholars. 7. With reference to paragraph 6 of your despatch, I am strongly of opinion that no scholar should be led to expect that public employment will be provided for him at the close of his University career.

The Colony will have entirely acquitted itself of all obligation to him when it has provided for his receiving for four years the best education a British University can give, free of cost.

This will not, of course, prevent the Colony employing an ex-scholar when it requires his services, as in the recent case of Mr. Keun.

8. Personally I feel satisfied that the raising of the scholarship to £250 a year will not prevent future requests to the Colonial Office and Crown Agents for advances, &c., from the scholars from this Colony, who all wish to save enough on their four years' scholarship to allow them to continue to reside in Great Britain for five or even six years.

They know that the local Government sets its face against these requests, but some hope to gain their end by importunity in England. If, as I gather from paragraph 3 of your despatch, this importunity is difficult to resist, it might be a simpler course for this Government to pay £250 on the scholar's arrival in England, and on each anniver- sary thereof, to a banker, on whom the scholar might draw. If the tutor of the scholar's College would countersign the cheques, as suggested in paragraph 3 of the Committee's report, it would, of course, be a check against extravagance, but I think it would not be fair to ask a College tutor to take such a step. Side by side with the scholar's progress in study he ought to be making progress in independence and self- help, and the control of his own finances ought not to be too great a burden for him.

I have, &c.,

J. A. SWETTENHAM.

SIR,

No. 2.

STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.

ACTING GOVERNOR SIR J. A. SWETTENHAM to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.

(Received April 2, 1900.) [Answered by No. 15.]

Government House, Penang, March 10, 1900.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your despatch, No. 39, of the 30th January last, on the subject of persons holding scholarships from Colonial Govern- ments studying in the United Kingdom.

2. The system of granting scholarships has been borrowed by the Colonies from the United Kingdom, the Government in the Colony taking the place of a Trust pr pious foundation in the United Kingdom.

3. I believe that in that kingdom, although the scholarships are, with very rare exceptions, under £100 a year, such a thing as a request from a scholar to the trust or pious foundation to sanction an advance on account of the scholarship, or to augment it, or to grant other relief, practically never occurs. Such a request would only invite

a refusal. I believe also that none of these trustees or pious foundations provide medical advice for their scholars, and I believe further that nine British scholars out of ten never need or take medical advice throughout their entire University career, although the grantors of the scholarship exact no medical certificate of bodily fitness from successful candidates as this Government does.

I believe also that it frequently happens in the United Kingdom that the person best fitted for a scholarship is obliged to forego entering for it because his parents cannot defray the expense of a University career.

Enclosure in No. 2.

EXTRACT from the Proceedings of the Executive Council.

February 28, 1900.

The report of the Committee appointed by the Secretary of State to consider the The Acting Colonial Engi- arrangements for the Queen's scholarships is considered.

The

neer, Auditor-General, Acting Colonial Treasurer, and Attorney-General advise that the report of the Committee be adopted, but the scholarships reduced to one. Acting Resident Councillor, Malacca, advises two scholarships being maintained under present conditions, and the Acting Colonial Secretary advises that two scholarships be kept up and that the scholars be allowed free medical attendance.

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