costs 600 tchok. Copperwork is made, teapots and other small articles. There are 8 pupils. Various boxes are made of lacquerwork, but, of course, of a quality far inferior to the Japanese. Splendid Chinese trunks and bags are made of yak leather with large brass flaps for fitting locks, besides other leatherwork. Shoes are made of leather according to European models, but the work is coarse. Candles and soap are also manufactured.
These are about all the branches of this very curious industrial school. In its shop, very well established in a Government building in the town, I saw more delicate leather-work, such as pockets, portfolios etc., stone inkstands for Chinese ink, army swords of bad quality in metal scabbards, a padded armchair and finally cigars made of tobacco from Shui-chuan. I did not see any workshops, however, for making these articles. The manufacture of cigars has, I hear, been given up — rather fortunately.
My description would be incomplete if I did not mention a vegetable garden, about 2 or 3 acres in extent, where agriculture is to be taught in the future. There is, of course, a large house there with a big dining room, from which the mandarins can admire the place where the future agricultural academy of Kan Su will stand some day. At present there is nothing but a badly built hothouse with 4 rosebushes and the beginnings of a zoological garden in the form of 4 yak oxen, 2 deer and a brace of grey pheasants.
For training the necessary staff of officers a school was opened here 3 years ago under the name of »Ludziun hsiao tang». Men are admitted irrespective of their social position. They are medically examined and have to pass in Chinese. The course lasts 3 years. On completing the course the pupils are sent on to a school that is being opened at Hinganfu, also with a 3 years' course. After Hing-anfu they have to study for another 3 years at a military academy in Peiping and only then are they entitled to receive commissions. The curriculum here appears to be the same as at Urumchi, whence graduates, contrary to what I was told there, will not be sent here. This information seems credible, as the
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