Sessional_Paper_1895 — Page 41

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With regard to education, it appears that the attendance at the several schools, which. fell off last year, has now recovered its normal proportions. Including Queen's College, there are now 16 Government Schools, and 105 Grant-in-Aid Schools, (of which latter 10 have been opened during the year) in addition to numerous Chinese "Kaifong" Schools.

It has often struck me as extraordinary-not to say discreditable-that, after 55 years of British rule, the vast majority of Chinese in Hongkong should remain so little "Anglicised.” I have thus been led to enquire more thoroughly than I have hitherto done into the system of education adopted in the local schools, and I am of opinion that too much attention has hitherto been paid to purely Chinese subjects. With a view therefore of promoting a more general knowledge of English amongst the Chinese, the Government proposes in future to subsidise only those schools in which special attention is paid to the teaching of the English language and modern subjects. It is hoped that this will tend to educate the rising generation of Chinese to more enlightened views and ideas, and to dispel the ignorance and blind superstition, which have proved and still are proving such a stumbling block to the promotion of their moral and physical well-being.

The silver question remains as much a problem as ever. I had hoped that before this the evils of a depreciated dollar would have been compensated for in some degree by an influx of . English capital into the Colony, but the stability of exchange appears to be beyond all control, and so long as that is the case, English capitalists will probably prefer to assist the apparently failing industries of Lancashire rather than run any risk in industrial ventures abroad. I notice, however, that in Shanghai capital is being readily subscribed for the establishment of Cotton Mills and other industries, and I could wish to see a similar spirit of enterprise abroad in this Colony. With its unceasing water supply the "model settlement" has advantages in this respect which are denied to Hongkong; but there is no reason why local difficulties should not be faced and ultimately overcome, or why this valuable entrepôt of Eastern commerce should not also become ere long a great industrial centre.

Past and passing political events in the Far East are of special importance to Hong. kong. The peace of Shimonoseki, which brought the hostilities between Japan and China to a close in May last, has not been unproductive of disappointment, nor is the political horizon yet quite as clear as could be wished. It is to be hoped, however, that the Great Eastern Problem will work out peacefully and beneficially. In the meantime we may rest assured that the interests of Great Britain and her possessions will be safely guarded and judiciously forwarded by Her Majesty's Government as opportunity offers, and in this connection I would incidentally remark that whilst for a time at least local interests may necessarily be postponed in favour of purely Imperial interests, I have every reason to believe that the questions most particularly affecting this Colony have by no means been lost sight of.

In conclusion, gentlemen, I thank you for the patient hearing which you have accorded to me. The period which I have reviewed has been one of activity in sanitary reform and improvement in many other directions. I have looked in vain for the symptoms peculiar to a people "writhing under injustice" and "taxed up to the limit of endurance," and I have discovered only that happy condition of progress and prosperity which usually obtains in a well-ordered community. To the maintenance of that progress and prosperity, to financial economy, to sanitary improvements, and to the furtherance, generally, of the best interests of this community, I shall faithfully continue to devote myself. With your ready and loyal co-operation, gentlemen, I can safely look forward to some additional measure of success during the term of government that still remains to me.