(TO TUB EDITOR OP TUB .‘ seacrxresoi SIR,—The other day
I rang for a District Messenger, and there appeared a lad possessing all the outward appearance of quickness and brightness that one seems invariably to meet in messenger boys. He executed my commission, one requiring a certain amount of initiative, in a manner that showed he possessed considerable intelligence. He told me he had given up a position attached to a public-house, paying a lairger salary than his present place, because the position was not respectable. He was fourteen years old, and five months ago he had left school, then being in Standard VI. I asked him a number of questions, and he replied that— Japan is a part of Russia, and the Japanese are fighting the Russians in St. Petersburg ; Tokio is in Berkshire ; New York is in South Africa; Glasgow is in Sheffield ; London is in Scotland, and, together with Scotland and Wales, composes England; Rome is the place where once there was a great wall; believed Spain was a country and not a city, but was not sure ; had heard of Liverpool, Paris, and Berlin, but did not know where they were ; had never heard of Washington, Vienna, or Pekin ; did not know who was Prime Minister of Great Britain; Balfour was a millionaire ; Chamberlain was the strong man who performed at music- halls, lifting weights and breaking chains ; the name of the King was Edward Alexander ; King Alfred was a man who got up a war with another man, and was shot in the head. I wonder if this case is typical of the manner in which Board- school scholars in England are equipped for their life-battle.
—I am, Sir, &c., AMERICAN.
[We cannot help thinking that the ingenuous youth so closely catechised by our correspondent was in true Cockney fashion "getting a bit of his own back" in his answers. " American " probably does not realise how intensely many English people, and boys in a special degree, resent being asked questions. They regard it as an assumption of power on the part of the questioner, and so an infringement of their personal liberty. "I knew how to answer him!" is a very common remark in regard to an aggressive questioner.— ED. Spectator.]
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