The opening of a Training Depot for the Police at Gordon Road is certain to reanlt in a considerable improvement of the discipline and efficiency of all branches of the Shanghai Manicipal Police. The Indian and Chinese blocks have been open for some months, and already a considerable number of constables have undergone @ course of training io them. Quite recently the bauding for foreigners was opened, and eighteen constables are at present their daties from Sab-Inspector Vaugh-
As in the barracks of the Police Stations, the mea's quarters st the Depot are made as comfortable as possible, and provision is made for their leisure hours, as well as for drill and in-traction. Six airy bedrooms on the top floor accommodate three men each. On the first floor are the dining room, reading room, class-roome and hitcher including physical and' musketry drill and instruction in police daties and Chinese. Under Sub-Tospector Vanghan's saper-vision the men brush up their knowledge of arithmetic—particular attention being devoted to the working out of exchange and sums in local carrency—and composition, and master the rudiments of the constable's duties They are taught how to write official reports to their superiors of any incident their to realize their responsibilities and powers, and the scope of their duty, and to understand the Land Regulations By-laws and their practical applic tion, Each man is provided with copy of the Local Police Regalation: Chinese text-books, and a large notebook. Exercises in dictation, and essays are $0 arranged that writ acquire some knowledge of particular phase of their work. They also learn the locality of all Conenlates, Hospitals and Pablic Bail how to lence in " Coort of law, ud by visite to the Charye Rooms of large stations, local Courts and fires, acquire practical experience as well as a good working knowledge of the geo graphy of the Settlement. Formerly Foreiga recruit took his place in the racks of the Polics on patrol or oth duty an soon as he arrived in Shang! now he is given " course of inatraction extending over aboutthres months before he goes upon daty in the streets. The necessity for new departure is shown by the fact that many mme who join the Force bare almost forgotten how to write, have only the vaguest ideas of what is expected of them when they are placed upon a beat, and do not know the difference between a petty larceny and a burglary.
The system of training, ho is to be applied not only to recruits who join the Force from now onward, but constables at present in the Foreign Branch of under one year's service will also take their turn at the Dept. Of the eighteen men at present under Sab-Inspector Vanghan's care six only are raw reernite, The junior classes in the Chinese Inngaage are also taken by the Sab-Inspector, bat more advanced pupi come ander the tuition of Sergeant Thomas, one of the best Chinese lin-guests in the Force. Sergeant Thomas also supervises the training of the nese probationary constables, with the assistance of native instructors, and since the Depdt wax first opened about 470 Chinese have passed through his hands. Daring the three or four months the native probationer is at Gordon
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.