CO129-610-4 Hong Kong University- Institute of Chinese studies 28-3-1949 - 28-3-1949 — Page 5

UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

17th March, 1949.

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My dear Adams,

Simon, Professor of Chinese at London University, has been for some months in Hong Kong and has been tremendously of service in the organizing here, in the University, of the teaching of Chinese to British Army officers who no longer can study in Peiping or Nanking. We have a scheme in operation that has the approval of the War Office.

The enclosed passage from the Minutes of a Senate meeting will show you the notions of the developments which in part have arisen out of our concern over the Army teaching. We have had a cable from Turner the Director of the London School of Oriental and African studies approving in general terms but adding that the proposal should come through the Colonial Office or Foreign Office. I have discussed the business in detail with the Governor of Hong Kong who strongly approves of the Institute partly for its value as a place of training in Chinese for senior government officers and partly from his interest in Chinese studies. He will shortly send a despatch to the Secretary of State in which he will indicate the extent to which the Government of Hong Kong will support an Institute in which Government officers could receive their language training. An essential part of the scheme is that Military and Government officers should do the first year of their Chinese language training at the London School and continue here where the method used should be adjusted to the method used in the School. The University's responsibility would be to give accommodation for classes and make available all its Librery resources, both those of the Fung Ping Shan Library (a very adequate working library of Chinese books) and the Hankow Library (about the completest collection of books and journal mainly in English on Chinese affairs from the late 10th century onwards). The Chinese Department of the University in any case is to be reorganised. A new professor will be appointed, we hope, in time to take over his work in July or August, and a complete overhaul of courses is intended. It is anticipated that our senior Chinese teachers would have a share in the supervision of research work in the projected Institute.

I want to keep you informed of what is in discussion as at some point the Colonial Office may well refer the matter to the Intr-University Council.

Yours sincerely,

(Sgd.) D. J. Sloss

Vice Chancellor.