To the Editor of the "Noon-Ciuta Dany News"
Sim—With reference to the matter of certificates awarded by various bodies for proficiency in commercial subjects, those which carry or should carry most weight in Shanghai are from the British Chamber of Commerce.
In the annal report of that body which appeared last week in your columns it was regretted that there had been a serious falling off in the number of students who had presented themselves fur the last exam-nations. The stateraent also was made that suggestions had been Feceived that the Chamber lower the standards of its requirements and was indicated that this was deem-fed inadvisable, As regards the Shorthand examination there seems ty be a misunderstanding as to what is required Students who had sat at a previous examination had beea prepared for test_on commercial matter but found that they were expected to take Indian geographical terms including; "Tuticorin, Irawaddy, Burman Burma, Burmese, Arakkan, Tenasserim, Kachins, Karons, Nagas, Tamils, Maduro etc." To coreetly take such terms without previous preparation at even 80 words per Jminute would tax the ability of the most experienced professional reporter in Shanghai, who, of course, has no need of a stixdent's certificate, The students were greatly discouraged failure but the $18. entrance fee which they each had pald and which in some instances was" borrowed money. There was also a feeling that they had not been fiven a sporting crance.
It should be said that commercial shorthand covers a wide vocabulary of English to which is added all the commonly used commercial terms. To cover this is a heavy task for students of Chinese ant Russian par:
After several years practice it is possible for a good student to master legal or engineering phrases and in lime become a court or special reporter. These specialists corn much in three days as the commercial stenographer sonietimes receives for a month's work.
To. select test matter containing geographical proper names of foreign country is even more baffling for students. It is almost equal to using the entirely unfamiliar language of that country and students are sure fall. On this ground was based some of the requests that the Cham= ber might care to consider the dit culties facing the students and outline its requirements accordingly.
Shanghai, Apr. 26, Fespondent will not criticize any thing which he. does not understand thoroughly, or of leat write with good {lth and have merey on the poor China "that has become the world prey!
Hangchow, Apr. 28.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.