CO129-237 - Governor Des Voeus Acting Governor Stewart - 1888 [1-6] — Page 519

20 The Chinese taught in England is not the Chinese required in Hongkong. 30 Supposing the Chinese taught in London were that current in Hongkong, the course

of study pureed is ill adapted to the object in view and alien to that adopted in the East.

4 . A knowledge of the character is the only knowledge attainable in England, and euch knowledge could be as well acquired in China concurrently with the study of spoken language.

the

5. His impossible to leaven from foreignon how to speak Chinese.

a

Of the year hitherto passed

by Cadet in England, three hours.

spent in the Colonial

tuere

a

day

office. and three hours in learning imaginery Chinese. I think that a Cadet should spend six months in the Colonial Affice for the purpose

official of being brained in and that when practionable, the

al work.

term

(

513

bren of two years study in China should be extended to two year and

a

ha

half. Both the Cadet and the public would be benefited there by

I take advantage of this opportunity

to record my opision that Peking is not

to which to send. Hongkong the place

Cadets, the reasono

is never

Chinese

being that letingese

Hongkong; that a

heard in Hongkong;

chive Official of any standing whe

spoke Pekingese

and happened to alight in this Colony would probably be

accompanied by an interpreter; that opportunity of keeping up

there is no

a

proficient knowledge of that dialut, and that the Cadet, on his return

from the North, has to bend his to the acquisition

the local

energies

of the language in which, in the ordinary: he should have already been

Course,

able to converse-

Ihave (Signed) F. Sercorbe Smith.