The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-09

a remote province in the interior, hun
dreds of miles away, was written wholly
in English. 1t turned out that both the
correspondents had learned English in the
Chinese government schools.
OF course there are plenty of Cinnamon
who are competent to teach our country
men the native language, but it will be
readily understood that when once the
British get settled in a treaty port the
temptation to plunge into actual business
using an Interpreter where needful, is very
strong, and little leisure remains for mas
tering the Chinese character and Vocabu-
larry. Moreover, the British reluctance to
learn a foreign tongue is no new thing
1t is not surprising, therefore, to find
the China Association persuaded that as
we are on the eve of great changes In
China, steps should be taken to instruct
young Englishmen in Chinese before they
arrive in the country where they propose
to make their living.
The China Association points out that
the need of being able to communicate
freely with the natives will be greater in
proportion as access to the interior is IA
cilitated and places of contact are multi
pied. AS inland navigation, mining, rail-
way extension and other works are set on
foot, engineers and clerks will certainly
be required, and if the people of this coun-
try are to hold their own in competition
with Belgians, Germans, Russians or
Danes ii is essential that the British
should have some previous acquaintance
with the Chinaman. Even though the ed
ucation may have to be completed in Chi
ma, the young man who starts with a ba.
sis or even the rudiments of knowledge
and with an Insight into the principles
and methods of acquiring Chinese. will
clearly be preferred to others who have
avoided all study of the language till thew
have arrived on the spot
striking example of the mischief
wrought on British commercial interests
by more or less complete dependence on in
terpreters is to be found in the develop
ment of the compradore system, an i'm
portant feature peculiar to Anglo-Chinesa
business. The compradore-a Portuguese
word signifying buyer-is the native Off
cial or servant who in the days of the ear,v
European trading settlers used to be in
trusted with the job of purchasing nro
duce and goods for export direct from the
native growers or merchants. In process
of time, the compradore has come to make
such excellent use Of his linguistic ana
business opportunites-as being often the
only person able to talk Chinese and en-
powered to deal with natives-that nowa
days the compradore of British bank or
firm often makes more than the firm H.
self. This is pointedly commented on bv
F. Bourne, of the consular service. in his
excellent report to Lord Salisbury on the
trade of Central and Southern China is
sued last year Mr.. Bourne also laid stress
on the want of some recognized agency for
teaching Chinese, to which Mr.. Harrison
and Mr.. Gundry are now inviting atten-
ton.
In Mr.. Gundry's memorandum il is stat
ed that, though an official decision has NOT
been arrived at the University of London
is favorably disposed and inclined to grant
the necessary accommodation for the
teaching of Chinese. This attitude on the
part of the university is both enlightened
and gratifying and there is little doubt
that the necessary financial support will
De forthcoming TO enable Chinese teachers
to be engaged as assistants to English pro-
fessors.