1 JULY 1916, Page 19

THE SCHOOL OF ORIENTAL STUDIES.

[To THE EDITOR OF THZ 'SPECTATOR.")

Sra,—Lord Cromer, writing in your issue of June 17th on the subject of the School of Oriental Studies, says :—

" Perhaps the most important point of principle which came under the consideration of Lord Reay's Committee was whether young men destined to an Eastern career [the italics are minel should receive pre- liminary instruction in Oriental languages before leaving this country, or whether reliance should wholly be placed on their aptitude to pick up' the vernacular languages after they had arrived at their respective testinations."

I can speak in this matter only for Japanese. So far as this language is concerned, the question of the utility of preliminary instruction at home depends very much on what is understood by "an Eastern career." If a business career is meant, a preliminary course at home would be useful, if only for the reason that well-established facilities for study in Japan do not, and in the nature of things cannot, exist. The Japan branch of the China Association has, I believe, given some attention to the subject, but obviously a young man in a business firm can, in most cases, only study the language out of office hours. If, en the other hand, the term includes appointments in the Japan Consular hem-vice, then I have no hesitation in saying that any preliminary course in England would be a waste of time, unless, vs is the case with the Indian Civil Service, ii formed part of a general University education. The system under which our student interpreters learn the language Is the outcome of many years' experience. Its direction is in the hands of the Japanese Secretary, who supervises the student interpreters' studies, and is examiner for the service. Its result has been that the

Consular officials of other countries cannot be compared with our own for accurate and scholarly knowledge of Japanese.—I am, Sir, &c.,

J. H. OUBRINS, For more than twenty years Japanese Secretary of the British Embassy lu Japan.

82 York Mansions, Ba"erses P..rk,