CO129-344 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 577

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

575

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

28491

[July Rec

*

TREGE 10 AUG 07 SECTION 3

[21607]

(No. 233.) Sir,

No. 1.

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received July 1.)

Peking, May 15, 1907. IN my despatch No. 170 of the 4th ultimo I referred to some projected educational reforms which a Mongol Prince of my acquaintance was introducing within his territory, and I have now the honour to transmit to you copy of a Memorial presented on his behalf, in which he has asked permission to draw an advance of five years' allowances for the improvement of education amongst his tribesmen.

The request has been granted.

Inclosure in No. 1.

I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.

Memorial by the Li Fan Pu on behalf of Prince Kung-sang-no-erh Pu, Dzassak of the Kharachin Tribe. (Translation.)

THE Board begs to submit to the Throne the following representations from the Prince :-

'In order to effect an improvement in the state of education among the Mongols, which would strengthen the dependencies and frontiers, and further the Imperial desire to promote learning and foster talent, the Prince in 1902-1903 opened schools at his own expense for the benefit of the Chinese and Mongol youth of his own banner. During the years that have elapsed this enterprise has been proved to be a great success. In the winter of 1905-1906, Sung Shou, then Military Governor of Jehol, and the Board of Education reported these facts in a Memorial, asking sanction for an award to be given, which was granted. Again, in the summer of last year, an honorific tablet was granted by the Throne to the Prince. Now that the Imperial commands have been laid upon all the people to advance education in the interests of good government, there is great eagerness to enter the schools, and it is urgently necessary that they should be extended. The Prince is aware that he has received many Imperial favours, and that education and the cultivation of talent is a matter of local advantage, and no more than his duty. But, the territory of his banner being cold, and not very productive, and the people being indigent, it is no easy matter to raise money. During these years the expenses of the schools have been met from the rents of the banner. But last autumn the growing crops of the whole banner were damaged by frost and snow, whereby not only was the payment of rent rendered difficult, but there was even a loss on the outlay for fodder and seed. In these circumstances it is a matter of serious difficulty to raise money, and the Prince can think of no other plan but to implore the Imperial favour to grant him an advance of five years' salary to support the schools of his banner. It is not that he does not know that the Imperial Treasury is at present ill-supplied, but, the matter being one of the greatest urgency, he cannot but represent the facts, and beg that the Board will lay them before the Throne on his behalf."

The Board begs their Majesties' instructions in the matter.

The advance is sanctioned.

[2570 a~~3]

Imperial Rescript.