Politicians to-day take shelter for ast blunders behind the word over-production," but what the world is. suffering from is underconsumption,—not overproduction. It is not the' production system, but the distribution system that is at fault, All over the world applied science has been hampered—years ago. by Vigoted religious zealots, but that type has_almost died out, although, as Mys, Peat! Buck has discovered, it still survives in the land of the free. Applied Science in. England, Sindee Se Saas hampered by interference. by poli-ins, but things have. improved. Te in badly hampered to-day. in China by the chaos in the countrys and those polittelans who place sel before service cannot escape cast gation from true Rotarians, But in the end applied science will throw the searchlight of publicity upon' all traitors. to humanity. and Will be the greatest enemy of evil doers." The {nventions of gas lamps newspapers and cables helped the police!
In spite of selfishness and esrruption in high places. there are also some noble characters in Chinese public life; man struggling against infinity of traditions, "intrigues ud temptations, Let, us encourage Them and give them the praise that is. their div Nothing can stop the inrush of applied science in China, but selfishness and ignorance can retard it, One of the tinest important needs of the present isa greater use of the knowledge and experience in technical work of foreigner engineers, 'Who can enormously accelerate the development of the. great natural regourees of China for the beneht, primarily, "of the. Chinese nation, But'also' of alt humanity.
Technical Training Needed don come. to consider the jest method of developing applic Science work in China it becomes
tials obvious that one of the first, essonproper Any engineering organisation, however small, is very much like a military organist You must have not only captains of industry, but also non-commissioned officers and privates to carry on the det ed work. Now, although all of my life has been devoted to the training $f professional engineers, T have been devoted to. the training Professional engineers, T have been greatly interested in arrangements for obtaining better qualified workmen or artisans. It is therefore advisable to say a word on that Subject because T think it has been very much neglected in this part of the world. I would almost go so far as to say that in an undeveloped country such as ounce of practice is wort of theory. although that, means holds true in a highly or ganized industrial country, such as Great Britain or the United States. Tr is useless to expect that highly complicated modern machinery "can be manufactured during the next few years. in China, and therefore it is equally useless' to train people to design and manufacture it.
What is particularly needed is a number of men (and the bigger humber the" better) of diferent rales, who can honestly and in; felligently maintain complicated machinery which must be imported. For the maintenance and." repair must be a professional en.
who understands all the sign but beneath him there mast be Ito, 'a number of workmen and foremen who can do the repairs and intelligently run the machinery."
Trade School's Value To train this latter type it is cossential to have a. polytechnic or trade school, In Hongkong, the Government has recently organi trade school for this purpose. Boys at the age of about twelve fare. selected and for about four years they have a training in elementary" English," el read drawings intelligently, and a Instructed in the handing of tools. They have then a solid foundation of knowledge when they go into a big works as apprentices; but even then arrangements "are made that they shall have certain struction, during the Ahipy the school the present time it seems to me that Chinese boys are simply being trained for office work, what. we call white collar Jobs, the demand seems to be tess than the supply. What is badly needed igo hi. put of well trained artians. An "old idea. that an. apprentice in a works could pick up a knowledge of his craft by watching other workmen is in these days, at any, rate, a complete fallacy. "He needs instruction as badly' as does any boy learning arithmetic: or foreign language; and in the rush and tear of a works he does not receive that Instruction. Let. me therefore very humbly suggest You that it is most imperative that in Shanghai there should be - at Organised trade school and a convenient polytechnic for artisans, Hongkong University now come to the question of the profession of engineering. In this connection you will perhaps allow me to explain to. you that for twenty-one years we have been training young' Chinese engineers in the University at Hongkoni From an academic point of vie we have been not altogether—unsuccessful. because every Year we end our final. papers and scripts to assessors it Londow who are examiners in engineering "in the London and every year these assessors have certified that certain of our graduates have teach. ed the, very high standard of an Honour's Deg Engineering the University of London. Thus our Engineering graduates are eligible for post-graduate studies in the University of London. But my, advice fo, thems to. con-cal Work. Nog that practieal_ work contrate after graduation on bract
hax been negivcted "during their Arann inthe. Univer for "we power station, electrical," hydraulic have" very spacious. workshops.
and other laboratories where they Handle and test complicated y'iduring their University We have laid very partic tress upon this practical and all of our. instructors are British, who have had considerable practical experience with such But the University can never hope to reproduce exactly commer-
strongly urge our graduates to. 20 Hal conditions and we therefore to England to obtain a year or two of practical experience in works in that country. We have now organised a very complete system and we believe that this will produce exactly the right of professional engineer req China,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.