Edward C. Lord to G. F. Seward, April 20, 1880

Mr. Lord to Mr. Seward.

Sir: I am sorry that I have not been able to reply earlier to your dispatch No. 57, requesting such information as I might have in regard to the education of Chinese in foreign knowledge within this consular district.

Nothing, I believe, has been done in this respect by the Chinese Government or by Chinese officials in this province, either to found or sustain schools in which foreign knowledge has been taught. Nor has anything worth speaking of been accomplished by private enterprise, outside of missionaries. There was a small attempt made here a few years ago to get up an English school for natives, but it came to nothing, very likely through the incapacity of the person who undertook it.

Missionaries from the beginning of their work here have had schools of various kinds. The object of these shools has, of course, been religious; yet, as in religious schools at home, secular knowledge has been taught in them to some extent. Missionaries in this part of China have not, as a general thing, encouraged their pupils to learn English; but they have tried to teach them history, geography, mathematics, philosophy, astronomy, physiology, medicine, &c., and their efforts have no doubt been attended with some success. The number thus instructed may not have been very large, and, bearing in mind the great difficulties under which the instruction must have been given, we can hardly suppose that the results have been very great. Still, something has been done. A beginning at least has been made in the work of a higher and better education among this people.

Though aside from these mission schools there has been in this place no organized efforts for the education of Chinese in foreign knowledge, one will often meet with Chinese who have acquired more or less of this knowledge. Some of these have been taught in schools elsewhere, either at other ports or in foreign countries, and others have in one way or another been so related that this knowledge has in various degree come to them. And these instances are continually increasing.

The number of Chinese who speak English, and who have more or less English education, is less here than at some of the other ports. They naturally go to places where there is a demand for these qualifications. There has, so far, been very little demand for them here.

This reminds me of a matter to which I have long been wishing to call your attention. It is the inconvenience and disadvantage under which consular officers are placed in being required to write their dispatches in Chinese to Chinese officials. I wish to say something on this subject, but perhaps I had better do it in another letter and when I have more leisure.

I have, &c.,