The closing exercises at the above institution took place on Tuesday night, 18th July, 1899, when some three hundred and fifty students, teachers, and visitors assembled. The function commenced at 7.45 when Dr. A. P. Parker, president of the College, took the chair sny ted by the faculty, Dr. Y. J. Allen, Mr. J, P. Donovan, and others interested in the advancement of the Chinese. Dr. Parker opened the proceedings Ly an interesting speech dealing with the flourishing condition of the college and the favourable progress made by the students. He stated they had two hundred and thirty-two scholars enrolled and applications for admission were far in excess of their complement, consequently they werepurposing to enlargethe premises by building additional dormitories and class rooms. At the conclusion of his speech one of the pupils, Master Yang Tzling, read an able essay on the present outlook of Government schools; this was followed by an essay read in English by Master King Yeu-ching on the necessity for longer terms of school training, pointing out the pernicious habit of parents withdrawing their children generally at the very time when their studies were most productive of good, for the sake of seeing them take up the struggle for wealth. Master King's delivery was splendid, it having but the faintest foreign accent. Master Loh Yang-sung gave an essay on the advantage Christian schools held over the Government schools. This was delivered in the colloquial and his statements were extremely clear and pointed. Three amusing short essays followed on "Why they studied English." Among the reasons iven, one was as a means of acquiring
holding profitable intercourse with foreign-mow ledge, another for the purpose ut ers, as a means of amassing wealth, and tone young hopeful with lofty ambitions Tanguage he might be sent as an Ambas-stated that with a ford knowledge of the sador to England and thus would be able to serve his Emperor and his country English was also believed to be instrument: tal-in the prevention of imposition by business men, Mr. T. R. Jernigan then gave the following interesting and stirring address Mr. President, Ladies, and Young Gentlemen—It was a pleasure to accept the invitation from the President of this Institution to be present on this occasion and submit some observations to the students.
I shall not undertake to advise on subjects which your preceptors have explained to you in the course of your daily exercises, but I shall speak to you as one from the outside world, as it were, and tell you something about what I observe Veyond the walls of your schoolroom and playground.
There never was a period in the history of the world when the services of intelligent men were more needed, than the present, to form and direct patio thought into healthy channels, and there is no nation in the world that experiences, as docs China, the necessity of the services of intelligent and patriotic men.
Your country is unsurpassed in natural strength and resources, and yet the smaller nations of the world are exerting more Influence in shaping-the course of history than China. In the great International Parliament of the world China, which has a larger population and area than the whole of Europe, does not exert as much influence as the smallest nation of Europe, and it is proper that the real condition of your country should be brought to your attention, for in her young men China must repose her hope for the future.
Tt is-not meant to say thatthe insti tions of your country are wholly defoctit and to that cause may be attributed: the uninfluential position of Chin:, but 'T do mean to say that, while other nations have modified or changed their institutions to meet and guide the progress of civilisation, China has steadily refused to do either and, in consequence, has been left, behind.
The historians of China claim for their countrymen t e credit of inventing the mariner's compass, but with the invention no further attempt appears to have been made to make this invention useful, and it was left for others to take what China may have invented and improve it into the most important agency of successful Merit does not alone consist what can be done; the st be developed and practically applied in order to benefit the world, and had not the genius of others improved and practically applied the mariner's compass navigation would have been as dangerous and uncertain as it was centuries ago. But by the improvements made in what China is credited with inventing, ships can steer with accuracy to the most distant ports, and however dark the night and stormy the' sea the mariner is never without his proper reckoning.
Another great force in civilisation. is gunpowder; and China also claims the credit of inventing gunpowder, but again the merit did not go beyond the invention. This force, which is so potential in compelling obedience, and which has worked radical changes in the affairs of the world, missed beyond the control of China, because China would not utilise the' full scope of its power.
on remember that only a few years ago a nation much smaller in area and population than China sent an army across the sea, invaded your country, defeated its armies and destroyed its ships, took part. of its territory and demanded and Feceived a large sum of money. Why was China compelled to undergo such humilation by, comparatively, so small a nation?
was because that' small nation had utilised what China had invented. The Japanese had recognised the uses of gunpowder and the power that followed an intelligent use of it. There is no inherent superiority in Japan or the Japanese to China or the Chinese, but it is beyond the capacity of military science to successfully oppose a soldier armed with a cross-bow ora gingal to one armed with a rifle and gunpowder. Therein was the cause of the defeat of your country. Your country was not prepared, because it would not be, and its refusal to keep step with the march of progress continues to invite humiliation, On the walls of Peking may be seen astronomical instruments which have been there for centuries. They point towards the heavenly bodies, but what great truth astronomical science has China developed Your scientific scholars have been gazing, at the stars for four thousand years, wtutld with no great practical truths. mut their researches have supplied the Astronomical science in China has been stationary, while in nations of younger birth scientific men have made a map of the heavens and registered the stars. The movements of the sun and moon are foretold with accuracy, and the place of ey star is known with certainty. To sud perfection has this science been reduced that the influence of the heavenly: bodies upon land and water and man no longer remain the subjects of doubt. The eclipses half the world, and stil frighten many of which in former times frightened more than
Your countrymen," are traced to natural causes, without special significance,.and so well defined have been the movements.of the stars that,"even without a compass, the mariner could steer his ship by the sight of them.
If China was.the first. to dikelose to the world that a knowledge of the heavenly' odics was a science by which the méasure-, ment of time could bé"caleulated, others
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.