CO129-531-10 Hong Kong University- encouragement of Chinese students to counteract American influence 30-5-1931 - 1-9-1931 — Page 46

4.7

am told), a definite feeeling against the higher education of

Chinese, due largely to a fear that they would supplant British,

Se disastrous did this state of things appear to me alike as

regarde British influence for good in China, and from the point of

view of our trade, that I took up the project of a University, though

the majority of British opinion was opposed to it. Its salient

characteristics ware!. It was residential; English was the medium

of instruction; Chinese from China ani el nowhere were welcomed; it

was affiliated to Oxford and Cambridge and students were discouraged

from going to England until they had graduated and their charactera

were to a large extent formed.

It had been our hope to arente « Chinese Faculty with the

object of training men for high administrative and political officein

China who would act as a counterpoise to American influence; but

though supported by both Pakin and Canton who made generous contribu-

tions and sent students, this hope has never been fulfilled, and the

University has been in chronie financial difficulties. The circum-

stances of its foundation precluded an adequate endowment. This was

a riak deliberately accepted,

Apart from a sum of 415,000 to pay off debts owing to the

University by Chinese students, a map of 2250,000 only has been

allotted to the University from the Boxer Indemnity. (Mr. Asary I think

was in favour of at least a million). The interest on this sum would

.0,000 at most, and this will not suffice to do much more than

meet the existing deficit due to the fall in silver which has halved

the salaries of the Staff, and provide some scholarships. The Hongkong

Government which now gives a very heavy subvention ($350,000) 1#

unwilling that a new faculty (e.g. Chinese) should be started unless

assured that it will be self-supporting.

It