The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-02 00:00:00

Establishment of a European College at
Pekin.

SHANGHAI, March 9.
Subjoined is the ti nnslation of a memorial ad-
dressed by the members of the Tsong-li-yeti- men

(Council for the School of Languages) to the Em-
peror of China, proycsing the establishment of a
European College at Pekin :

"PEKIN, Jar. 28, 1867.
We have had the honour previously to address

to your Majesty a report, in which we stated the
necessity of introducing into China the study of the

mathematical sciences and of astronomy, pointing

out also the facilities it would be advisable to offer
to those persons who should enter into their pursuit.

Your Majesty has deigned to approve our recom-

rnendations.

" We have therefore considered that as the ma-
thematical sciences serve as the basis for the con-
struction of all kinds of machines, it wou!d be ad-
visable to join to the already existing classes of the
school of languages of the Tsong-li-ya-men a special
class for their tuition, and to admit thereto, after
an examination of their fitness, Chinese and Mant-
chou doctors of letters (ku-jen) and bachelors of the
five classes (pa kong), as well as civil functionaries

of the fifth rank and below, furnished with diplomas,
as licentiates of letters (tsin-che) obtained at exami-
nations. The classes should be taught by European

professors. We only await your Majesty's authori-
sation to lay before you the regulations we propose
to establish. Your Majesty has deigned to invite

us to do this the fifth day of the 11th moon.
"In proposing to your Majesty to favour the
study of the mathematical science, the Tsong-li-ya-
men is not impelled by a sentiment of blind admi-
ration for knowledge of this kind possessed by the
Europeans, nor by an extravagant love for novelty.
The reason is, that in reality the construction of
machines for warlike and industrial purposes, so
important in our days, is based entirely upon the
sciences. China wishes to construct her steamboats
for herself ; but to enable her to do so European
masters must initiate her iu the principles of the
mathematical sciences and point out the course to
pursue. It would be a mistake and a fruitless ex-
penditure of labour and money to hope that the
Chinese cculd attend such a result by their imagina-
tion alone.
" We have seriously reflected upon the subject
before presenting to your Majesty this present me-
morial. We know that persons more accustomed

to debate than to reflect will say that we are con-

cerning ourselves with matters of only moderate
utility; that we wish to set aside the ancient Chinese
modes to follow foreign practices ; and that it is
contrary to Chinese dignity to allow ourselves to be
instructed by European masters. Those who speak
thus show that they know little of what is passing
in the world.
" Up to the present time China has tried to be
powerful by her own resources, but it is clear now
that Chinese genius has produced all it is able to
produce, and that intelligent persons do not conceal
from themselves that, in order to walk alone in
future, it must first resolve to receive from Euro-
peans those sciences and arts in which it is deficient.

This fact has long been perceived by able men such
as Ly-hong-tchang and Tso-tsang-tang, who have
not ceased to repeat and to lay stress upon it in
their reports to your Majesty.
" Last year Ly-hong-tehang established a large
machine factory at Shanghai, and requested that
persons from the capital might be sent there. More
recently Tso-tsang-tang asked leave to establish at
Fokien workshops and schools in which European
masters might teach the sciences, in order that the
Chinese might subsequently be in possession of all
the knowledge indispensable to the construction of
steamships. Clearly, therefore, it is urgent that we
should instruct ourselves in all these sciences, and
this opinion is not confined to the undersigned.
" Some will say that it would be more advanta-
geous to continue the practice hitherto pursued. Why
riot hire steamships and purchase from Europeans
the amu s they manufacture ? Is this not more simple?
Should we not then have all we require without em-
barrassing ourselves with expenses and useless
trouble ? Those who will argue iu this manner are
no doubt the people who believe that cannons and
muskets are the only things China ought to take from
Europe, and this is a serious mistake. But even were
such the case, and had the course hitherto pursued
bee❑ at the same time practical and easy, it is not
the less demonstrated that we should always remain
dependent upon foreigners for these articles, and
that we should have to resign ourselves never to be
acquainted with their manufacture. Further, ac-
quaintance with this manufacture of arms and ma-
chines, while placing us in a position to produce
them for ourselves, does not deprive us of the op-
portunity of pursuing our ancient course, and of
profiting by the industry of others. We should then,
however, do so with a knowledge of the subject.
it appears to us useless to demonstrate whether
knowledge is preferable to ignorance.
" It would also be a serious mistake to imagine
that China abandons her ancient knowledge to adopt
that of foreigners. The Europeans admit that they
have borrowed from China— or at any rate from the
East--the notions upon which their sciences are now-
adays based. With their spirit of research and con-
stant application they have increased these notions,
drawn from them all the profit possible, and have
finally discarded antiquated theories in favour of
those more modern and exact. The root is Chinese,
but the tree that has been developed is European.
This is the case with arithmetic and astronomy,
and perhaps also with other sciences. If China had
nentinued to cultivate the sciences she would not
now be reduced to have recourse to the experience of
other nations. Clearly this would be far preferable.
" But is the idea of having recourse to the science
of the Europeans and of requesting lessons from
them new? Did not the Emperor Kang-hi, with
his vast intelligence, recognise this necessity by ad-
mitting many among them to the mathematical tri-
bunal and treating them like Chinese functionaries?
Recent generations ought not to set aside, as they i
have done, the science of numbers since our philo-
sophers themselves have placed it at the head of
human knowledge.
" 'ln ancient times,' says the books, warriors
and agriculturists were acquainted with astronomy,
which was forgotten afterwards through a pro-
hibition of the Emperor. Kang-hi, our sacred
ancestor, caused it to revive. Literates gave them-
selves up to its study with ardour, and published
numerous books. It was said then : Whatever is
unknown is a cause of disgrace to the literates.
And is it not in fact disgraceful for a man who
makes a display of science to look up at the sky
without knowing anything of the millions of stars .
he sees shining above him ? Even if the school we
desire to establish should never exist, literate per-
sons would not, we hope, be willing long to remain
iu their present ignorance. If they were not desi-
rous of recommencing these forgotten studies, they
would have all the stronger reason for so doing in
presence of the sacrifice the State is now willing to

make.'
"To those who may say that China humiliates
herself in seeking instruction from foreigners, we
shall reply that if' one thing in particular can make
a nation blush, it is to be ignorant of that which
others know.
" What immense
'
progress have not Europeans
made during the last fifty years in the construction
• of eteamshi pS --to cite only a single fact -.incessantly
seeking After better combination.-,, and vieing with
J
each other in labour and efforts ? Even span has
Pent to Europe officers intended to se,k instruction
in the various sciences there taught. Thus, without
speaking of European nations, each of which seeks
to raise itself above the others by knowledge and
civilisation, Japan has not wished to remain in
the rear. That country also desires to take its place
among the strong, while China al,ne, continuing
obstinate in her indifference and her ancient cus-
toms, would condemn herself to stand aloof from
the general activity. This is a true reason of dis-
grace..

If we do not feel humiliation in being inferior
to others, but only in taking others as our instruc-
tors, without considering that, by the desire of
equalling, we may perhaps attain the glory of sur-
passing them, it naturally results that we shall
never know anything, and shall have the eternal
humiliation of inferiority.
" We foresee, also, that it will be said :—The