CO129-316 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [1-4] — Page 237

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CORY.

Report on the work of the Department of Practical Chinese in the University of London

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for 1901 - 1902.

The progress made in this newly

established Department of the University has been steady and encourages the hope that before long its success may be com- mensurate with the sanguine anticipations of its promoters.

A brief outline of the history of

the scheme from its inception may help towards a clearer under- standing of its present position. The teaching of Chinese in London was started in 1900 under the auspices of the China Association by a few generous annual subscribers whose ultimate

ambition was the creation in the University of London of a fully equipped Chair of Chinese, such as is to be found in Berlin and other European Capitals, but is even now non-existent in England. The Committee charged with the management of the scheme engaged the services of two native Instructors, and, as a temporary measure, suiting its accommodation to its limited means, commenced operations in rooms near Bloomsbury Square, which though small and somewhat inconvenient, had the advantage of being easy of access from all parts. A fair number of students found their way there, the greatest number attending simultaneously in any one term being nine, some of whom did very satisfactory work. In the summer of 1901 an Agreement was arriv- ed at with the Senate whereby the scheme was adopted as a Department of the London University, and, under the terms arranged, the teaching migrated to the University Buildings in South Kensington. It was soon apparent, however, that the University had no surplus of accommodation, and that the installation of what must. for a time at least, a struggling

Department