The following report, whose accuracy may be relied on, of the present critical situation of this school will interest our readera;—
This school has been existence for upwards of thirty years. On some occasion or other it lost its English professor, and for several years it has been under the direction of one of the former students whose education was completed in England.
Since the Arsenal came under the management of a French naval engineer, its general condition has anything but' improved—it may even be said to be ina very trid way. The question of the workshops, however, is one we do not intend to touch upon at present; but people will hardly be prepared for the news that the French director has hit upon the idea of compelling Chinese who want to learn English learn French instead, or to learn both French and English together. Such, however, are the facts; and it is well Known here that the Chinese authorities are pressed, on every poasihle occasion, to place the school in charge of a Frenchman, who could tench both languages—or who would, more probably, content himself with pretending to teach English. It is said that the Chinese students have been threatened with stoppage of their allowances if they refuse to be taught in French.
Could not the British Consul seek infor-motion from his French colleague or from the Chinese authorities as to the meaning of these proceedings, which are all the more inexplicable since a French school alreasly exists at the Arsenal? It would surely he worth while to know whether serious purpose is hidden under what has the outward appearance of being a mere farce.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.