Smart Party of Pupils for Practical Work event of much interest and portance took place en March 24 board the Customs cruiser Hai Hsing when the 20 Chinese cadets the recently-formed Nautical School of the Customs College went on board ship and were inspected before sailing on their first cruise by Mr. FY. Chang, Director General of Customs.
In the inspecting party were also Mr. F, W. Maze, Inspector-General of Customs, Capt, H."E. Hillman, Const Inspector, Mr. H. D. Billiard, Statistical, Secretary of Customs, Capt. L. R. Carrel, Commander of the Hal Hsing, Mr. Wen Tsany President of the College, Mr. Hsu Tung-ya, dean, and Capt. K, M. Humphreys, un. retired, who was brought out from England. last summer to have charge of the teaching of the cadets.
The inspection was a great suc cess and in addressing the smart-looking young men at the end of the afternoon Mr. Chang expressed himself as well pleased with the {fogress they had made so far. He advised them to pay close attention to the instruction they were roceiving and he paid a high tribute to Capt, Humphreys? work in bringing them from a group of average young men to the body of smart and business-like enders they were yesterday, He also outlined the purposes of the college and he gave well-deserved credit for its forma-ion and success to Mr, Mazo,.who principally responsible for its being formed.
The cadets will sail on a training: cruise that will take them northward to Antung and will occupy about one month, During that time they will inspect every light between here and Antung and they will be able to put into practice the training they have been receiving.
Returning t Shanghai they will go back to the school in Route Prosper, Paris, but several further similar exuises are planned for them before they graduate at the end of three years with a rank which cor-Yesponds to that of midshipman. in the "Royal Navy. On graduation many of them will be retained in the Customs service and others will be given employment by various shiping companies, as the work of the and what it is accomplishing become well known in the matic time world and its graduates are already in demand, There is no other institution at present that does for the Chinese nation what the present college is doing and its chief aim is to build up a group of young men of high intelligence who will be the nucleus for the Chinese mercantile service. The fact of their going into Customs evulsers at the end of their training does not at all mean the end of foreign officers on these ships, but is vather in the nature of giving: China her own ships officered larg ly by her own people. Foreign of cers will be retained as at prose, and, working with them, the cad will got further opportunities to add to theft knowledge.
From every indication China will benefit greatly as. the cadets were smart and orderly and were quick about their duties in the approved naval fashion. 'They wore a uniform of dark blue with brass buttons and green piping on the sleeves. The jacket is closed at the and opened up in an inverted 'The waistcoat is of dark blue and' the trousers of the same material. The cap is the usual white-topped naval type worn at a vanish angle The ship in which they are ern ing is the largest light tender in the world, She was built at the Yangtszepoo yard of the New Eng-neering Company and was launched in 1924, Her usual patrol is made up of 'a northern and southern trip inspect Jing Mghthouses and vessels. Northward she goes to Antung and southward to Hongkong, in all she covers about 2,500 miles.' Under the care of Capt. Carrel she presented an exceptionally shipshape appearance and a speck of dust would have been hard to find. Brass. shone and the deck was spotless.
As the offal' party came on board its members were piped over standing at attention and the! one.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.