Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 3, 1888, Part I

No. 207.
Mr. Denby to Mr. Bayard.

Legation of the United States,
Peking, May 11, 1888. (Received July 21.)

No. 640.]

Sir: In the year 1881 an institution called the Imperial Naval College was established at Tientsin by the Viceroy Li Hung Chang, for the purpose of preparing Chinese cadets for the navy of the Imperial Government after the system prevailing in Western countries.

The college has two departments of sixty students each, executive and engineering, the former under the direction of Mr. Yen Tsung Kwang, a graduate of the Foochow Arsenal and of the Royal College at Greenwich, England, and the latter under two English professors, also of the Royal College. I learn that in its inception, development, and present successful position the college owes much to Mr. Yen.

The students of the college are selected from all parts of the Empire. After an examination in Chinese literature they are admitted for a probationary period and set on to study English. If they show signs of success in acquiring this language, they are retained for a period of four years in the executive school and much longer in the engineering. In the executive school solid geometry and geometrical conies, trigonometry, navigation, natural astronomy, theoretical algebra, statics, are taught, while in the engineering the course is in studies such as are usually taken in technical colleges.

A torpedo department has been successfully inaugurated by one of the English professors, who has filled up in a very complete manner a workshop with every requisite for instruction in this sine qua non of modern naval warfare.

Examinations are held quarterly, and I understand the results have proved more than creditable to the students. It is another proof of the extreme quickness with which the supple Chinese intellect masters difficult problems.

At a recent examination the average of marks gained by the pupils, many of whom had been but a short time in the school, was about 50 per cent., a result which reflects the utmost honor on the Chinese and English professors. The Chinese pupils, I learn, readily master the western mathematical methods, as is shown in most of the foreign schools in China. But the fact should not be lost sight of, that the Chinese savants have perfect mathematical methods of their own and for hundreds of years have been able to calculate eclipses, etc. One feature of the establishment which should be remedied is the time spent in elementary education. If the Government should establish a sort of preparatory school where English mathematics and elementary science could be acquired, without wasting, as it were, the power of high-class specialists, it would be a great advantage.

About three years are spent in teaching the elements of mathematics and science by men who could with much more profit to the public service be engaged in special teaching.

However, in making this observation, I do not wish to be regarded in the light of a critic.

Not unlike the system in our own Naval Academy, the students are entirely maintained at Government expense and are further in receipt of adequate pay.

The Chinese Government will no doubt foster this and all similar institutions with the utmost care. From this school will come the men to whom must be confided the reorganized navy of China.

I inclose copy of a proclamation, issued by the manager of the college, inviting candidates to compete at the entrance examinations.

I have, etc.,

Charles Denby.

[Enclosure in No. 640.—Translation.]

Proclamation concerning entrance to Naval College, published in the Shih Pao, April 30, 1888.

A proclamation from Sin, Expectant Taotai of Chihli and manager of the imperial naval college at Tientsin, in the matter of inviting candidates to compete at the entrance examination:

Be it known that in each of the engineering and executive departments of the naval college at Tientsin there are a prescribed number of sixty candidates who are being trained for service in Imperial navy. Since the college was established in 1881, a class of thirty cadets have graduated, and they have been appointed on board our men-of-war, or have been sent abroad to study the tactics of naval warfare. They are all receiving ample salaries and substantial promotions, being selected as the country’s bulwarks against the insults of foreign foes.

At present a class of thirty-nine students have just completed their studies, and will be placed on board training-ships some time during the fourth moon.

Exclusive of those who have already been examined and selected to fill the vacancies made by the graduating class, there yet remain twenty and more candidates to be selected.

Therefore, I, the manager, promulgate this proclamation to invite candidates to compete at the examinations, and the scholars and people of the district of Tientsin are hereby informed that should any of them belonging to respectable families have sons or brothers who are under eighteen years of age, having strong constitutions and robust intellects and who can write essays or other literary productions, desire to be examined, they must first submit to the college authorities a statement of the candidate’s age, his place of birth, and his antecedents; and then, upon their arrival at the college, he will be examined. And those candidates whose family genealogical records are untainted, and who possess requisite literary ability, will be selected fairly by the manager, who will show no respect of persons. You must not seek the indirect assistance of the college faculty, thereby hoping to receive admission on any ground other than that of personal merit. If candidates are unable to compose literary essays, it will be unnecessary for them to undertake the trouble of coming from afar. Candidates who are selected will first have their names enrolled and wait for further announcements by the college. When the day arrives for them to enter upon their studies they will proceed to the college, accompanied by one of their relations, who will draw up the necessary papers of agreement. After that they will enter upon their studies, and at the expiration of three months’ probation, those who are finally selected will be given a monthly allowance of 4 taels each. Should any afterwards distinguish themselves by exceptional scholarship, awards and promotions will be accorded to them.

Let the people be inspired with ambition and be not negligent of their best interests.