instructed are imparted to them in their native language, English is entirely omitted. Interesting and extraordinary, however, as it is to hear American ladies imparting instruction in the Chinese language, this method of teaching has many drawbacks, and the mission itself and society in general would derive far more advantage, if these poor females should be instructed in English, thus widening the horizon of their knowledge.
In the boys' school, also supported by the mission, another method of teaching is in use. The children learn an epistle first in Chinese, afterwards in English, when they are called upon to translate the Chinese into English. Thus we heard one lad rehearse the Book of Ruth, first in Chinese, and then in English. He was then examined in English upon the meaning of certain passages, when he replied with great accuracy in the same language. Education in these schools is mainly intrusted to ladies. Two of these, Miss Jones and Miss Conover, displayed remarkable attainments in Chinese, besides their really marvellous store of information. None of the teachers are married, while none of the wives of the missionaries interfere with the school, but employ themselves in superintending the education of their own children. We found forty Chinese boys receiving their education at the expense of the mission, whose parents have to sign a written engagement that they will not withdraw their children from the institution for a period of ten years, in fact, till the completion of their education. This precaution is absolutely
necessary, owing to the fickle nature of the Chinese, else it would be a by no means rare occurrence for the parents to insist on the child returning home, possibly just at the critical moment when the beneficent influence of Christian culture is beginning to spring up in the soul. On the whole, this mission has splendid results to show. We saw one scholar, who at present forms one of the staff of teachers, and speaks and writes English absolutely better than his native language. Another young Chinese, sent out at the expense of the mission, spent eight years at Yale College in Massachusetts, and at present earns his maintenance by translating English documents into Chinese and vice versâ, for the mercantile houses of the place.
Dr. Bridgman is at once founder and president of the first scientific association in Shanghai, the "North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society," including among its members almost all the foreigners resident in Shanghai, who assemble regularly every winter for intellectual and literary recreation, and publish from time to time in a periodical of their own, details of the efforts, adventures, and experiences of their colleagues in promoting the objects of the association.
An extraordinary meeting was held in honour of the Novara voyagers, at which about forty persons were present. The President, Dr. Bridgman, welcomed our commander and his subordinates with a few cordial remarks, which was responded to by Commodore Wüllerstorff, after which the writer of these lines had the honour to deliver in English a
brief address, touching on the chief aims of the Expedition and its scientific objects, stating that its chief purpose was less the promotion of purely scientific knowledge, than by ample, long-continued practice to provide material of suitable quality for our youthful budding navy, to unfurl the standard of Austria in localities where it had never before been seen, to effect treaties of commerce with foreign nations, to knit the various capitals which we should visit in our cruise by the tie of science, to open correspondence with their various institutes, and to make collections, chiefly of those objects of natural history, the acquisition of which, owing to their great value or the difficulty of transport, is almost impossible to the single traveller. The hearty reception which had been accorded the Expedition in Shanghai rendered it doubly incumbent on us to explain the various purposes we had in view, and the original points of inquiry to which we were restricted by the track definitely assigned to us, as also to account for the shortness of our stay in each port, and the fact that our prescribed route led us sometimes to visit places either politically or nautically well known.
After the close of this short lecture, several of those present rose to speak, amongst others the United States Plenipotentiary, Mr. Reed, who expressed his sincere pleasure at having been privileged during his stay in China to meet with the commander of an Austrian frigate engaged with his gallant companions in so grand a mission.
Mr. Reed spoke in high terms of the scientific exertions
being made by Germany, and recalled in animated terms the splendid services of A. von Humboldt, whom the news of the death of Washington (14th Dec. 1799) found already occupied in scientific research in the primeval forests of South America, and who still (August, 1858) continued to display such marvellous intellectual activity.
Besides Mr. Reed, we also made the personal acquaintance of the French Plenipotentiary, Baron Gros; the ambassadors of England and Russia were already gone, the former to Japan, the latter to the Amur. We were introduced to Baron Gros at the house of M. de Montigny, the French Consul, who during a residence of many years in China has occupied himself not alone with upholding the prestige and influence of "la grande nation," but has also rendered conspicuous services to science and agriculture. To him is due the credit of having in 1847 dispatched to Europe the first seeds of what is called the Chinese sugar-cane (Sorghum saccharatum), and of having introduced to agriculturists that remarkable species of grass, with which, in consequence of its many useful qualities, hundreds of thousands of acres have since that period been planted in various parts of the globe. M. de Montigny distinguished the members of our Expedition in every way, and presented them with numerous specimens of seeds from Northern China.[149]