SIR: There has lately been published in the North China Daily News, at Shanghai, a statement, from the pen of Mr. John Freyer, of work done in the "translations department" of the arsenal at Shanghai.
This so-called arsenal is a large establishment, in which vessels of war are built, guns cast, and small arms made. It employs, or did employ a few years ago, on the occasion of my last visit to it, about fifteen hundred hands. These were all Chinese, with the exception of some half dozen superintendents and specialists. It had grown to these dimensions in a very few years, and appeared likely to receive the continued support of the government.
I was aware that a scientific school and a department of translations had been established in connection with the arsenal, but I was not prepared to learn that so much has been accomplished by the latter of these as appears from Mr. Freyer's report. Of what the school is doing I am not informed at the moment, but it appears that a very large number of our text books have been translated into Chinese in the translations department, and that the Chinese connected with it have shown a degree of zeal which promises much for the future.
While referring you to Mr. Freyer's very interesting paper for the details of this work, I may remark that the education of the Chinese in our knowledge is going forward in many ways. You are familiar with the facts in regard to the educational mission in the United States.
About one hundred and twenty young Chinamen, supported and paid by this government, are now in various schools and colleges in our country, gaining all that is available in the way of knowledge from us to bring it into use here. Perhaps half as many more are studying in Europe. Here at Peking, the university presided over by Dr. Martin is progressing very favorably. There is a school at Foochow connected with the arsenal there, and another one at Canton.
All of these educational enterprises are sustained by the government. Besides these, however, there are many schools, of a more or less advanced order, in charge of and supported by the several foreign missionary bodies, where other branches than those directly connected with the moral and religious purposes of the missionaries are taught. Educational work is fortunately of such a nature that its results are felt in a constantly increasing measure. It has been progressive everywhere else, and there is enough in Mr. Freyer's paper alone to show that it will be progressive here. The people are eager to avail themselves of the opportunities offered to them, and the government appears as the patron of western knowledge.
Under such circumstances it is possible to take a hopeful view of the future of China, despite all her conservatism.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
GEORGE F. SEWARD.
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