,,department ,,of ,,the ,,interior1 ,,bureau ,,of ,,education4 ,,progress ,,of ,,western ,,education ,,in ,,china ,,and ,,siam4 ,,department ,,of ,,the ,,interior1 ,,bureau ,,of ,,education1 ,washington1 ,august #c1 #ahhj4 ,the attention of school officers and teachers is invited to the following interesting accounts of the progress of western ideas and educational methods in ,china and ,siam1 forwarded to the ,department of ,state by the ,united ,states minister at ,peking and the ,united ,states consul at ,bangkok1 respectively4 ,,john ,,eaton1 ,commissioner4 ,,washington3 ,,government ,,printing ,,office4 #ahhj4 ,,correspondence ,,relating ,,to ,,western ,,education ,,in ,,china ,,and ,,siam4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i4 ,,china4 ,mr4 ,evarts to ,mr4 ,schurz4 ,,department ,,of ,,state1 ,washington1 ,may #ab1 #ahhj4 ,,sir3 ,i have the honor to transmit herewith1 for the benefit of the ,bureau of ,education1 copies of dispatches ,nos4 #fjj and #fab from our legation at ,peking1 detailing the progress of western education in ,china4 ,the inclosure with ,no4 #fjj1 being printed matter1 is too voluminous for copying1 but will be sent for perusal if desired4 ,i have the honor to be1 sir1 your obedient servant1 ,,wm4 ,m4 ,,evarts4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,seward to ,mr4 ,evarts4 ,no4 #fjj4 ,,legation ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states1 ,peking1 ,february #ba1 #ahhj4 ,,sir3 ,there has lately been published in the ,north ,china ,daily ,news1 at ,shanghai1 a statement1 from the pen of ,mr4 ,john ,freyer1 of work done in the translations department of the arsenal at ,shanghai4 ,this so-called arsenal is a large establishment1 in which vessels of war are built1 guns cast1 and small arms made4 ,it employs1 or did employ a few years ago1 on the occasion of my last visit to it1 about fifteen hundred hands4 ,these were all ,chinese1 with the exception of some half dozen superintendents and specialists4 ,it had grown to these dimensions in a very few years1 and appeared likely to receive the continued support of the government4 ,i was aware that a scientific school and a department of translations had been established in connection with the arsenal1 but ,i was not prepared to learn that so much has been accomplished by the latter of these as appears from ,mr4 ,freyer's report4 ,of what the school is doing ,i am not informed at the moment1 but it appears that a very large number of our text books have been translated into ,chinese in the translations department1 and that the ,chinese connected with it have shown a degree of zeal which promises much for the future4 ,while referring you to ,mr4 ,freyer's very interesting paper for the details of this work1 ,i may remark that the education of the ,chinese in our knowledge is going forward in many ways4 ,you are familiar with the facts in regard to the educational mission in the ,united ,states4 ,about one hundred and twenty young ,chinamen1 supported and paid by this government1 are now in various schools and colleges in our country1 gaining all that is available in the way of knowledge from us to bring it into use here4 ,perhaps half as many more are studying in ,europe4 ,here at ,peking1 the university presided over by ,dr4 ,martin is progressing very favorably4 ,there is a school at ,foochow connected with the arsenal there1 and another one at ,canton4 ,all of these educational enterprises are sustained by the government4 ,besides these1 however1 there are many schools1 of a more or less advanced order1 in charge of and supported by the several foreign missionary bodies1 where other branches than those directly connected with the moral and religious purposes of the missionaries are taught4 ,educational work is fortunately of such a nature that its results are felt in a constantly increasing measure4 ,it has been progressive everywhere else1 and there is enough in ,mr4 ,freyer's paper alone to show that it will be progressive here4 ,the people are eager to avail themselves of the opportunities offered to them1 and the government appears as the patron of western knowledge4 ,under such circumstances it is possible to take a hopeful view of the future of ,china1 despite all her conservatism4 ,i have the honor to be1 sir1 your obedient servant1 ,,george ,f4 ,,seward4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,seward to ,mr4 ,evarts4 ,no4 #fab4 ,,legation ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states1 ,peking1 ,february #bi1 #ahhj4 ,,sir3 ,recurring to my dispatch ,no4 #fjj1 in regard to the work done in the translations department of the ,shanghai arsenal1 ,i have now the honor to hand to you a leading article which ,i have taken from the ,shanghai ,courier1 in regard to foreign education for the ,chinese1 and to say that ,i have asked our several consular officers to report to me what is being done at their several ports in the direction indicated4 ,i have the honor to be1 sir1 your obedient servant1 ,,george ,f4 ,,seward4 99 99 99 99 99 ,extract from the ,shanghai ,courier of ,friday1 ,january #cj1 #ahhj4 ,foreign education for the ,chinese4 ,a greater knowledge of western civilization than is now possessed is essential to the progress of the ,middle ,kingdom4 ,to individual ,chinese1 foreign education is something of a fortune1 and is the surest capital with which they can be invested4 ,the saying that knowledge is power is well borne out in this case1 for foreign knowledge is almost certain to obtain for a ,chinaman a lucrative appointment and an improved social position4 ,parents are now realizing this fact1 and many of the well-to-do ,chinese are anxious to send their sons to ,europe or ,america to be educated4 ,the advantage of such an education can hardly be overestimated in the case of those who have before them official or public careers4 ,at the same time there are considerable drawbacks to going abroad1 and it may be questioned whether1 in many instances1 equally good results could not be secured without incurring so great a loss of time and expense--a loss so considerable as to prevent the benefit from being enjoyed by all but the wealthy or those supported by other than the family funds4 ,for of course the sons of even what may be called the middle classes cannot afford to leave their country in order to be educated1 and1 unless they can receive foreign instruction in ,china1 will not receive it at all4 ,it cannot be denied that residence abroad possesses some advantages which cannot be obtained in ,china2 yet1 except in rare cases1 those particular advantages are not the most needed4 ,why should not useful knowledge be imparted to the ,chinese as well in ,china as it can be in ,europe or ,america8 ,the drawbacks to a ,chinaman's residing away from his home for the time needed to follow a regular course of instruction are sometimes not duly considered4 ,the ,chinese are apt1 as has been pointed out1 to be too much ,europeanized4 ,especially are they likely to neglect their native language1 and so on their return lessen their opportunities of usefulness and prospects of promotion4 ,particularly is this so with a large class who hope to qualify themselves for the position of professors4 ,a teacher must not only be acquainted with his subject1 but he must also be able to impart his knowledge to others2 which it is impossible he can do if he has only an imperfect acquaintance with the language which is the medium of communication4 ,it should always be borne in mind that foreign knowledge1 though exceedingly useful1 is not all-important to a ,chinaman1 and that even its usefulness may be greatly diminished if it is obtained at cost of the neglect of his mother tongue4 ,looking1 therefore1 to the expense of being educated abroad1 and to its serious inconveniences1 especially to the fact that it must ever be beyond the reach of all but the rich1 it is of great importance to consider how a similar education can be had in ,china4 ,it would be very incorrect to speak of the local polytechnic as a failure1 but it is1 as yet1 a long way from having realized the objects of its promoters4 ,its educational facilities are great1 and though it is now doing good and useful work1 we trust to see it become something very different to what it is at the present moment4 ,there are few institutions in ,hong ,kong which have conferred greater benefits on the ,chinese than the ,central ,school2 and it is surprising that an attempt has not been made to establish something of the kind at ,shanghai4 ,the ,st4 ,john's ,college will1 it is hoped1 contribute towards supplying what is a seriously felt want4 ,at this institution the course of instruction comprises the ,english language and literature1 geography1 history1 the evidences of ,christianity1 natural science1 mathematics1 natural philosophy1 chemistry1 astronomy1 mental and moral philosophy1 and international law4 ,this is a sufficiently extended curriculum to begin with1 but it is intended to enlarge it if the project be successful4 ,pupils are required to be fifteen years of age and to possess some knowledge of the ,chinese classics4 ,we believe that the ,hong ,kong ,central ,school owes much of its success to the purely secular character of its teaching2 and many who take great interest in the foreign education of the ,chinese will perhaps note with regret the religious element of ,st4 ,john's ,college4 ,but the two institutions are of a different character1 and it could hardly be expected that the work carried on at ,st4 ,john's should be purely secular4 ,the promoters have1 however1 met possible objections in a spirit which1 under the circumstances1 must1 we think1 be considered liberal4 ,they wish it to be distinctly understood that ,st4 ,john's ,college is a literary and scientific school1 and not per se a theological institute4 ,a student must attend the daily prayers at chapel and the usual ,sunday services1 but in other respects he is free to devote himself to the secular side of the daily routine of class work4 ,many people would have been glad if the authorities had allowed attendance at prayers and ,sunday service to be voluntary1 and probably the chief end in view might have been better reached in that manner4 ,yet1 though the requirement may restrict the usefulness of the institution1 preventing it being generally availed of1 we are pleased to call attention to it as being calculated to confer great advantages on the ,chinese youth1 and to offer it the encouragement of publicity4 ,it may be well to note that the charge for board and tuition is exceedingly moderate4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,hay to ,mr4 ,schurz4 ,,department ,,of ,,state1 ,washington1 ,august #ac1 #ahhj4 ,,sir3 ,i have the honor to inclose herein1 for transmission to the ,bureau of ,education1 a copy of a recent dispatch from the late minister to ,china1 ,mr4 ,geo4 ,f4 ,seward1 covering the replies which he has received from the ,united ,states consular officers in that empire as to the efforts which are being made for the education of the ,chinese in foreign branches of knowledge1 either by the government of ,china1 by private enterprise1 or by missionary efforts4 ,i have the honor to be1 your obedient servant1 ,,john ,,hay1 ,acting ,secretary4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,seward to ,mr4 ,evarts4 ,no4 #gje4 ,,legation ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states1 ,peking1 ,june #aa1 #ahhj4 ,,sir3 ,i have the honor to hand to you herewith copies of the answers which have been received from our consular officers in this empire to the inquiry made in a circular addressed to them as to efforts being made to educate the ,chinese in foreign branches of knowledge1 either by the government of ,china1 by private enterprise1 or by missionary effort4 ,the circular referred to was forwarded to the ,department with my dispatch ,no4 #fjj4 ,while these reports are not as full as ,i could have wished1 they still furnish an outline of the work which is being done1 and may be of interest to the ,department4 ,i have the honor to be1 sir1 your obedient servant1 ,,george ,f4 ,,seward4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,goldsborough to ,mr4 ,seward4 ,no4 #ajg4 ,,amoy1 ,april #bc1 #ahhj4 ,,sir3 ,in response to your dispatch ,no4 #hf1 of ,february #bg1 #ahhj1 ,i beg to state that there are two private ,english schools at this port for the education of ,chinese1 conducted by native born ,chinese1 who possess a fair knowledge of the ,english language1 but there is no institution of the kind founded or supported by the government4 ,the missionaries have several schools of their own for the tuition of ,chinese boys and girls in the ,chinese language4 ,i have the honor1 c41 ,w4 ,,elwell ,,goldsborough4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,cheshire to ,mr4 ,seward4 ,no4 #ee4 ,,foochow1 ,march #bi1 #ahhj4 ,,sir3 ,i have had the honor to receive your dispatch ,no4 #gh1 calling upon me to furnish you with such information as may be available to me in regard to the education of ,chinese in foreign languages within this consular district1 whether in schools founded and supported by the ,chinese government1 or by private enterprise1 or by missionaries1 as far as the secular branches are concerned1 and also to report upon the schools established at ,hong ,kong by the colonial government4 ,i now beg to submit the following report3 ,the ,tung wen ,kwan is the only scholastic institution under government auspices for teaching foreign knowledge in ,canton4 ,it was established by order of the ,tsung li ,yamen about sixteen years ago4 ,it is under the official control of the viceroy1 the haikwan 7superintendent of customs71 the ,tartar general1 and two lieutenant ,tartar generals1 but the practical control is left almost entirely in the hands of the ,tartar general1 to whom it affords opportunities of patronage1 for the staff is large1 and the members thereof not only benefit by the salaries they receive but their official appointment as officers of the college 7,tung wen ,kwan7 forms a stepping-stone to promotion in other branches of the public service4 ,the staff consists of three superintendents1 7the chief of whom holds rank about equivalent to that of a major general71 three ,chinese teachers1 a foreign teacher with a ,chinese assistant1 two ,chinese clerks1 doorkeepers1 cooks1 and other servants4 ,the number of students is fixed at thirty1 of whom twenty are classed as students proper and ten as supernumerary students1 the latter being intended to fill vacancies as they occur in the former2 and when1 from various causes1 the total number falls to twenty or twenty-five1 fresh supernumeraries are added to make up the number4 ,the students proper receive a small pay of three taels a month1 but the supernumeraries receive nothing except a free breakfast every day4 ,it is difficult to define the raison d'tre of the ,tung wen ,kwan ,college2 in theory it is established to provide the ,chinese government with a staff of interpreters and persons conversant with foreign literature and foreign habits of thought2 but1 so far as can be judged by patent facts1 the patronage above referred to is the element most appreciated1 and it may be well to notice the extent to which the theoretical object has been carried out1 and how far the ,chinese government has availed itself of the material for the production of which something like eight hundred dollars a month has been expended for the last sixteen years in the maintenance of the college4 ,about ten years ago fourteen students were drafted from ,canton to the ,peking college4 ,of these1 five have retired from various causes1 six are still attached to the ,peking ,college1 and the remaining three have appointments in legations abroad1 one in ,washington1 one in ,london1 and one in ,japan4 ,since #ahgj not one student has been drafted to ,peking2 none of the ,canton students have in any way been called upon to render service to their government4 ,most of them have received an honorary literary degree 7,hsin ,tsai7 equivalent to ,b4,a41 and three or four of them are nominally interpreters1 for which they receive a small additional pay4 ,year after year passes1 and boys of #ag grow up to be men of #bg1 marry and become fathers1 and go on with their foreign studies without so much as a word of encouragement from their own authorities4 ,under such discouraging circumstances it must be that studying is often done in a perfunctory way2 and yet1 while some of the students have1 as ,i understand1 a very good knowledge of ,english1 wanting only practice outside the school walls to render it equal to that of any ,chinaman who has not had the advantage of living abroad1 they constantly witness men of less technical knowledge than themselves1 men of lower stamp altogether1 men picked up here and there without any proper steps being taken to ascertain their fitness1 called upon to perform the very duties for the performance of which the students of the ,tung wen ,kwan are in theory specially educated4 ,the course of study1 ,i am informed1 consists chiefly of the ,english language1 together with but subordinate to which there are geography1 arithmetic1 history1 algebra1 mathematics1 and astronomy4 ,a very small proportion of the students have made any progress in algebra or mathematics1 few are even fair arithmeticians1 and much that they are called upon to learn of geography1 history1 and astronomy is soon forgotten4 ,this arises from no want of ability1 but from an utter want of encouragement on the part of the ,chinese authorities for the students to trouble themselves with such studies4 ,without a reasonable knowledge of the language they are liable1 on the motion of the foreign teacher1 to be dismissed from the school1 and in the acquisition of that they are to some extent buoyed up with hope1 a hope that sometimes becomes lamentably faint1 that the language will ultimately be of service to them2 but with respect to the other branches1 ,i am given to understand1 no person in authority1 except the foreign teacher1 seems to know or care whether they are taught or not4 ,the students consist almost entirely of ,tartars 7including bannermen74 ,originally about one-third were ,chinese1 but it was found that1 after learning ,english at the expense of government1 these latter generally disappeared4 ,the ,tartars are much more bound to the government1 and are loyal1 both from training and self-interest4 ,as young men1 they are far more noble and honorable in their character than the ,chinese1 lacking in a great measure the low cunning which characterizes the latter1 especially when they get official employment4 ,but it is hard to say how far their natural nobility and honor would suffer if they were thrown into that vortex of corruption and dishonesty which pertains to official life4 ,i am informed that there has1 for the past year or two1 been an intention to add a ,german and a ,french department to the ,canton ,college1 and that extensive premises have been erected for this purpose1 but some difficulty about funds seems to have caused further steps to be postponed4 ,private schools4--,there are no private schools worthy of the name in ,canton for teaching foreign languages4 ,now and then a small school is opened1 in which ,english is professed to be taught by a man whose knowledge of that language is too limited to fit him for other employment1 and after a brief struggle these schools die out1 one after another4 ,there is no doubt that the advantages offered by the government schools in ,hong ,kong are too great to enable private schools in ,canton to compete with them4 ,missionary schools4--,none of the missionaries in ,canton teach ,english or any other foreign language to their ,chinese pupils now1 nor have they for some years4 ,they found by experience that it was very difficult to teach ,english to their pupils because of their inaptitude to learn western languages2 that the object of the majority who came to their schools 7formerly7 to learn ,english was simply to get a sufficient knowledge of that language to enable them to get some lucrative employment with foreigners1 and as soon as they had acquired a little smattering of ,english they disappeared and passed away beyond their ,christian instruction4 ,i shall endeavor to furnish you with some particulars in regard to the schools established at ,hong ,kong by the colonial government shortly4 ,i have the honor1 c41 ,f4 ,d4 ,,cheshire4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,scruggs to ,mr4 ,seward4 ,no4 #ba4 ,,chinkiang1 ,march #bd1 #ahhj4 ,,sir3 ,i had the honor to receive on the #bast instant your dispatch ,no4 #fc1 of the #bgth ,february last4 ,in response thereto ,i regret to say there is not a school of any kind1 native or foreign1 public or private1 secular or religious1 within this district in which ,chinese are educated by foreign methods or in foreign knowledge4 ,the missionary schools are all conducted in the native language1 and their curriculum1 confined to purely religious and sectarian instruction4 ,a few young men among the native residents of this port take lessons in the ,english language from a native interpreter educated at ,hong ,kong but now employed here in the customs service4 ,but they seek to know no more of our language than is barely necessary to aid them in business transactions with foreigners1 and what they do thus acquire is little else than the barbarous and childish dialect known as ,pigein ,english4 ,i know of but one exception1 and that is the case of ,general ,wong1 the military commander here1 an educated ,chinaman1 who is ambitious to enter the diplomatic service of his country4 ,i am1 sir1 c41 ,,william ,l4 ,,scruggs4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,de ,lano to ,mr4 ,seicard4 ,no4 #afd4 ,,foochow1 ,may #e1 #ahhj4 ,,sir3 ,i have had the honor to receive your dispatch ,no4 #aji1 asking me for such information as may be available to me in regard to the education of ,chinese in foreign knowledge in this consular district4 ,there are at the ,foochow arsenal two schools1 one under ,english and the other under ,french management4 ,in the former the number of students varies between #cj and #ej1 and the studies pursued are ,english1 arithmetic1 geometry1 geography1 grammar1 trigonometry1 algebra1 and navigation4 ,in a four and a half years' course the students receive from the government a monthly stipend of #d4 ,there is a naval and a mechanical branch of the same school1 each having an average of #be students receiving the same monthly allowance from the government1 which also pays a very liberal salary to the professors in charge4 ,the school under ,french management has about #dj pupils1 in four divisions1 studying ,french1 arithmetic1 elements of algebra and geometry1 trigonometry1 analytic geometry and calculus1 mechanical engineering1 transmission of power and friction4 ,the branches of this school are a school of design and school of apprentices1 the pupils pursuing many of the studies enumerated above and receiving the same stipend of #d a month4 ,the professor is also very liberally paid4 ,i know of no schools founded by private enterprise in which foreign studies are pursued4 ,there are several schools for both males and females conducted by foreign missionaries in which other than secular branches of study are pursued1 say1 the elementary branches1 such as geography1 mathematics1 astronomy1 c41 but all in the ,chinese language4 ,i am unable at present to state the number of pupils usually in attendance in these latter schools4 ,i have the honor to be1 c41 ,m4 ,m4 ,,de ,,lano4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,shepard to ,mr4 ,seward4 ,no4 #de4 ,,hankow1 ,april #aj1 #ahhj4 ,,sir3 ,referring to your ,no4 #he1 on the subject of educating natives in foreign sciences1 ,i have to report that ,i cannot learn of anything done in my district of any moment4 ,at sundry times some foreigners wanting employment have opened small schools in ,hankow1 intending to teach people of any age to read ,english4 ,the results have been inconsiderable1 as the enterprise has in all cases been abandoned as soon as more lucrative pursuits have been available4 ,besides this1 ,i know of no efforts made in the direction of your inquiry except some work of ,dr4 ,a4 ,c4 ,bumr1 of the ,american ,episcopal mission at ,wu-,chang1 who1 before he left1 gave some instruction to a few converts in the theory and practice of medicine4 ,in his view his results were encouraging1 but not fully developed4 ,i am informed also that ,dr4 ,manby1 now located here in charge of the ,london ,mission ,hospital1 is preparing a system of instruction1 and intends soon to put it in operation1 for the systematic training of native pupils in the principles and science of physiology1 with surgical and medical training1 in a course of some years' duration in connection with his important hospital work4 ,beyond these ,i know of nothing done in the line of your investigation4 ,i am1 sir1 c41 ,,isaac ,f4 ,,shepard4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,bandinel to ,mr4 ,seward4 ,no4 #db-fbe4 ,,new ,,chwang1 ,march #cj1 #ahhj4 ,,sir3 ,in response to your excellency's dispatch ,no4 #ff1 ,i have the honor to state that1 as far as ,i can learn1 there is not within the three ,mantchoorian provinces any school founded or supported by native official or private enterprise in which foreign knowledge is imparted to ,chinese students4 ,from inquiries among the missionaries ,i learn that-- ,the ,roman ,catholics have a college under foreign supervision1 wherein #bf pupils are instructed in ,latin1 philosophy1 theology1 and the elements of geography1 mathematics1 c41 and whence #d pupils have been ordained as priests4 ,the ,irish ,presbyterian ,mission has a boys' school under the supervision of a clerical missionary1 wherein #bj scholars1 from #i to #ac years of age1 are instructed in geography1 penmanship1 and the course of 7#d7 reading books used in the government schools at ,hong ,kong4 ,they will learn1 when more advanced1 arithmetic and other subjects4 ,there is also the nucleus of a girls' school1 only two pupils1 supervised by the missionary's wife1 who teaches them plain sewing in addition to the above branches of knowledge4 ,mr4 ,carson also contemplates starting a day school in the heart of the city1 in connection with the above mentioned which are held in his compound4 ,the medical missionary of the ,irish ,presbyterian ,mission has in his own compound a boys' school with #ae scholars1 and in an adjacent building a girls' school with #i scholars4 ,many of these are too young to learn much1 but the elder ones learn geography 7,wade's book71 and three boys and three girls are taught to read and write ,english4 ,the ,scotch ,united ,presbyterians have a mission here1 but apparently neither in their boys' school1 recently discontinued1 nor in their girls' school1 which numbers #ad scholars1 has any foreign secular education been1 except indirectly1 imparted4 ,the girls1 however1 are learning foreign needlework4 ,i have the honor1 c41 ,j4 ,j4 ,f4 ,,bandinel4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,my ,,dear ,,mr4 ,,bandinel3 ,in our boys' school1 which we have now discontinued1 our object was to give the children of our church members a ,chinese classical education1 such as they would receive in a first class native school4 ,our principle was that of the grammar schools at home4 ,outside of the regular lessons1 there was daily the religious hour1 or morning and evening class1 where ,i instructed them in religious truth4 ,i only bound myself to spend one hour per day with the scholars1 and therefore never formally laid myself out to train them in foreign knowledge4 ,but ,i have1 of course1 introduced all manner of subjects in my illustrations1 making it a point incidentally to introduce whatever knowledge of historical and scientific subjects ,i myself possessed4 ,the school room has always been well supplied with books4 ,i think we have had almost every foreign work which has been translated1 and we take in for the school1 #ast1 the ,globe ,magazine2 #b;d1 the ,scientific ,magazine2 #c;d1 the ,child's ,paper4 ,i have several times had teachers who took a great interest in these periodicals1 and who did what they could to make the subjects intelligible to their pupils4 ,we still continue a flourishing girls' school4 ,we also teach the ,chinese classics there1 and with great success2 though the classics are1 as it were1 taught incidentally1 and scripture history1 c41 forms the bulk of the teaching4 ,the girls are being taught foreign needlework1 but have not made any very great attainments4 ,but in most cases the direct teaching has borne mostly on ,chinese subjects1 and we have trusted to the personal influence of the foreigners to communicate foreign knowledge4 ,yours1 sincerely1 ,j4 ,,macintyre4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,my ,,dear ,,mr4 ,,bandinel3 ,in reply to your letter of the #ahth instant1 ,i beg to state that the secular subjects taught in the school are geography1 penmanship1 and the course of reading books taught in the government school at ,hong ,kong4 ,these reading books1 four in number1 in a graduated series1 treat of a great variety of subjects1 both foreign and native4 ,as soon as the children are far enough advanced1 they will be taught arithmetic and other subjects4 ,the school is a free boarding school1 supported by the mission1 and our object is to train for ourselves a staff of native helpers4 ,believe me1 c41 ,,james ,,carson4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,my ,,dear ,,mr4 ,,bandinel3 ,the only secular instruction given in my school is in geography4 ,i have given half a dozen children1 three girls and three boys1 lessons in ,english4 ,the lessons are merely in reading and writing4 ,this is all ,i have to say in reply to your communication of the #aath instant4 ,i am yours1 very truly4 ,j4 ,m4 ,,hunter4 99 99 99 99 99 ,translation4 ,,most ,,illustrious ,,sir3 ,i make a brief answer to your excellency concerning the inquiry of the most noble minister in charge of the legation for the consulate of ,america in ,peking4 ,in our region1 ,mantchooria--that is1 in the three provinces of ,mukden1 ,kirin1 and ,saghalien--there has existed1 so far as ,i know1 no school or institution founded by the ,chinese government or established by private citizens in which pupils may study ,european sciences and acquire some knowledge of the arts of foreign nations4 ,as regards the ,catholic mission1 which has been intrusted to my care1 we have founded one college1 with ,drs4 ,boyer and ,hinard as rectors1 in which twenty-six pupils study ,latin language1 philosophy1 and theology1 as well as geography1 mathematics1 c4 ,four graduates from this college have been ordained priests already1 and are offering themselves with most pleasing readiness for the service of preaching and directing the ,christians of the region4 ,nor1 indeed1 am ,i able to give your excellency any information upon the subject of your question of yesterday4 ,meanwhile ,i pray ,god that ,he may bestow all blessings upon your excellency1 whom ,i desire to make certain of my respect4 ,most devotedly1 yours in ,christ1 ,c4 ,,dubrail1 ,bishop of ,bolina1 ,vicar ,apostolic of ,mantchooria4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,lord to ,mr4 ,seward4 ,no4 #aai4 ,,ningpo1 ,april #bj1 #ahhj4 ,,sir3 ,i am sorry that ,i have not been able to reply earlier to your dispatch ,no4 #eg1 requesting such information as ,i might have in regard to the education of ,chinese in foreign knowledge within this consular district4 ,nothing1 ,i believe1 has been done in this respect by the ,chinese government or by ,chinese officials in this province1 either to found or sustain schools in which foreign knowledge has been taught4 ,nor has anything worth speaking of been accomplished by private enterprise1 outside of missionaries4 ,there was a small attempt made here a few years ago to get up an ,english school for natives1 but it came to nothing1 very likely through the incapacity of the person who undertook it4 ,missionaries from the beginning of their work here have had schools of various kinds4 ,the object of these schools has1 of course1 been religious4 ,yet1 as in religious schools at home1 secular knowledge has been taught in them to some extent4 ,missionaries in this part of ,china have not1 as a general thing1 encouraged their pupils to learn ,english1 but they have tried to teach them history1 geography1 mathematics1 philosophy1 astronomy1 physiology1 medicine1 c41 and their efforts have1 no doubt1 been attended with some success4 ,the number thus instructed may not have been very large1 and bearing in mind the great difficulties under which the instruction must have been given1 we can hardly suppose that the results have been very great2 still1 something has been done4 ,a beginning1 at least1 has been made in the work of a higher and better education among this people4 ,though aside from these mission schools there have been in this place no organized efforts for the education of ,chinese in foreign knowledge1 one will yet often meet with ,chinese who have acquired more or less of this knowledge4 ,some of these have been taught in schools elsewhere1 either at other ports or in foreign countries1 and others have1 in one way or another1 been so related that this knowledge has in various degrees come to them4 ,and these instances are continually increasing4 ,the number of ,chinese who speak ,english1 and who have more or less ,english education1 is less here than at some of the other ports4 ,they naturally go to places where there is a demand for these qualifications4 ,there has1 so far1 been very little demand for them here4 ,this reminds me of a matter to which ,i have long been wishing to call your attention4 ,it is the inconvenience and disadvantage under which consular officers are placed in being required to write their dispatches in ,chinese to ,chinese officials4 ,i wish to say something on this subject1 but perhaps ,i had better do it in another letter1 and when ,i have more leisure4 ,i have the honor1 c41 ,,edward ,c4 ,,lord4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,ii4 ,,siam4 ,mr4 ,evarts to ,mr4 ,schurz4 ,,department ,,of ,,state1 ,washington1 ,may #ag1 #ahhj4 ,,sir3 ,i have the honor to transmit herewith1 for the information of your ,department1 a copy of dispatch ,no4 #aej1 dated ,march #ah1 #ahhj1 from the consul at ,bangkok1 ,siam1 in relation to the system of education lately introduced into ,siam4 ,i have the honor to be1 sir1 your obedient servant1 ,,wm4 ,m4 ,,evarts4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,sickels to ,mr4 ,payson4 ,no4 #aej4 ,,consulate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,,of ,,america1 ,bangkok1 ,siam1 ,march #ah1 #ahhj4 ,,sir3 ,i have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of ,department dispatches ,nos4 #eg1 #eh1 and #ei1 dated respectively ,december #a and #f1 #ahgi1 and ,january #f1 #ahhj1 all at hand by the same mail4 ,in regard to the information required by the ,department of the ,interior1 referred to in ,no4 #eg1 ,i have the honor to inclose a private letter on the subject from ,rev4 ,dr4 ,mc,farland1 the principal of the ,king's ,college and the originator and founder of the new system of education lately introduced into the kingdom4 ,this letter contains all the information procurable on the subject4 ,dr4 ,mc,farland was for many years in charge of the ,american ,presbyterian mission schools in ,petchaburi1 and is well qualified for the position to which he has been transferred4 ,although too modest to claim any merit for himself in this new work1 ,i am satisfied from my own observation and the reports of the committees who have the matter in charge1 that our countryman's success in the conduct of this new school has been fully up to the expectations formed1 has met with ,his ,majesty's approval and given him full satisfaction4 ,i do not1 however1 think that this success1 or indeed any1 if much greater1 will induce the government to extend the area of operation and establish at present any general school system throughout the kingdom1 or even at the prominent points4 ,the ,siamese are vast projectors and their ideas in the beginning are large1 but their plans taper very much and very abruptly as the charm of novelty passes away and demands on the purse increase4 ,there is1 besides1 a strong party of the old rgime who do not approve of education in any form1 particularly in foreign languages and studies1 who believe implicitly in the wisdom of their ancestors1 and obstinately oppose themselves to any attempt at removing the ancient landmarks wherever posted4 ,the party of progress1 ,young ,siam1 appreciate the value of the old adage1 ,the more haste the less speed1 and their policy is to move slowly and gradually1 temporizing rather than raising bitter issues1 abiding their time1 until its efflux shall have removed the more acrid and influential members of the old conservative party and left the field clear for the introduction of more modern and more enlightened ideas4 ,the ,king is young2 the contemporaries and counsellors of his father are old4 ,he has all the advantage on his side and can afford to wait4 ,in the mean time the influence of this school is extending itself by means of the younger branches through the principal families of the kingdom1 and can scarcely fail to produce in the new good time favorable results4 ,i am1 sir1 your obedient servant1 ,,david ,b4 ,,sickels1 ,united ,states ,consul4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,my ,,dear ,,mr4 ,,torry3 ,in compliance with your request1 ,i will now give you some items of information in reference to the educational work recently commenced in ,siam4 ,so far as ,i know1 the desire for the education of ,siamese youth originated with ,his ,majesty the ,king4 ,being in ,bangkok in ,november1 #ahgg1 ,his ,excellency ,phya ,bhaskarawongse1 the ,king's private secretary1 sought a private interview with me1 and informed me that ,his ,majesty desired to have a school started in ,bangkok1 and asked me what ,i thought of taking charge of it4 ,i asked time to consider the subject4 ,his excellency then requested me to write out a plan for a school4 ,in a few months after this1 ,i replied favorably to the proposition to take charge of a school and also presented a plan4 ,his excellency then secured for me an audience with the ,king1 at which time ,his ,majesty informed me that he had fully determined to have schools4 ,about a year after this1 or in ,october1 #ahgh1 ,i entered into an engagement in an article with the committee appointed by the ,king to take charge of a school for five years4 ,that school was opened in ,bangkok on the #ast of ,january1 #ahgi1 with #ej scholars1 mostly sons of noblemen and a few princes4 ,these #ej scholars were selected by the committee1 placed in the school under my care and control1 and they are taught and boarded at government expense4 ,day scholars receive their tuition and books free1 but are required to pay their boarding4 ,some board at the school2 others board at home4 ,the whole number in attendance during the first year was #ajd4 ,the object of this school was to furnish an education in the ,english and ,siamese languages to as many as can be accommodated4 ,the ,king has not afforded educational advantages to the people throughout the country1 as has been stated4 ,i think ,his ,majesty wishes to open other schools1 but they must make an experiment with this one first and see how it succeeds4 ,this is the only government school in the country where ,english is taught4 ,there is a school numbering about #fj pupils and supported by the ,king where the ,siamese language only is taught4 ,besides these government schools there are several private schools1 besides those managed by the missionary societies4 ,yours1 ,l4 ,g4 ,mc,f,a,r,l,a,n,d4