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spondence on this page. But a more convenient course would be to join a conversation circle at Pitman's Metropolitan School, which would afford far superior facilities for acquiring a conversational knowledge of French.-M. L. would do well to continue his association with the law, and to qualify himself for a better position in a solicitor's office. His age would preclude him from sitting for the next examination for Second Division Clerkships; we dealt fully with this examination in the Journal of 4th April.-Probably Diargue (Bombay) would find the Wine and Spirit Journal, Old Trinity House, London, E.C., price is. monthly, would meet his requirements for a publication dealing with the trade; we know of no work which treats of bottling, capsuling, etc.-E. M. B. would do well to procure the catalogue of Crosby, Lockwood and Son, 7 Stationers' Hall Court, London, E.C., and select a work which will meet his requirements.-E. H. is informed that a French Bible is published by Bagster at 2s. 6d. ; we know of no French-English Bibles.-We are unable to give the address of the English publishers of "The Art of Writing," inquired for by F. S. N.-For a French reader with English translation Beauvoisin's "Les Aventures de Gil Blas" (E. Marlborough and Co., price is. 6d) can be recommended.-Fono should order "Nelson's Royal English Dictionary through a local bookseller; the parcel postage would be 4d. The publishers are Messrs T. Nelson and Sons, 35 and 36 Paternoster row, London, E.C.-G. E. M. would find 'Pitman's Manual of Business Training," price 2s. 6d., most helpful in the position he mentions.-The book Gunner has, namely the "Military Phrase Book," is the only work we have of special service to him; his handwriting is satisfactory.-A number of other inquiries shall be answered next week.

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PITMAN'S SHORTHAND CERTIFICATES. The following Certificates are issued :THIRD CLASS OR ELEMENTARY CERTIFICATE, for thorough knowledge of the " Phonographic Teacher": "Shorthand Primer, Book I."; or 20th Cent. "Manual or "Instructor," as far as Chap. xvii. Fee 6d. Every student after having worked through the "Teacher" is recommended to test his knowledge by applying for this Certificate. SECOND CLASS OR THEORY CERTIFICATE, for a thorough know

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ledge of the 20th Cent. "Manual"; or "Instructor," Chaps. 1-xxvi.; or "Shorthand Primer, Book II." Fee 25. FIRST CLASS OR SPEED CERTIFICATE. Speed Certificates are granted for 60 words per minute and upwards. Fee Is. 6d. FULL CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCY.-When a Second Class Certificate and a First Class Certificate for 80 words have been obtained, a Full Certificate is issued, certifying that the holder has a thorough theoretical and practical knowledge of Phonography. Fee IS.

Forms of Application for the above Certificates, containing full particulars, can be had gratis_ and post-free from any of the Offices of Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd.

NOTICES.

Each Notice should be written on one side only of a separate piece of paper. Every Notice under the head of Correspondence must give full name and address.

Correspondents are requested to write their address clearly in ordinary longhand. If they wish to receive replies in Phonography, a star should be attached to the name; thus, John Smith."

Notices of all kinds must reach Bath at least eleven days before the date of the Journal for which they are intended.

Every communication addressed to the Editor of this Journal must be authenticated by the name and address of the writer.

Exercises Corrected Gratis (enclose stamped and addressed envelope) by
Burke Miss E. M., 1 Foxton villas, Richmond, Surrey
Lennox J. W., 219 Holton road, Barry, Glam.

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Correspondence, etc. id. per line of ten words. Phonographer wishes to meet another in N.W. district for mutual improvement. C. I., 7 Gayton rd., Hampstead, London.

Chiswick.-Phonographer wishes to meet another for mutual speed practice, or would teach beginner in exchange for reading. Fredk, I. Tebby, 4 Balfern grove, Chiswick lane, Chiswick, London, W.

Mr Evan John, 22 Morlais street, Taibach, Merthyr Tydfil, desires a few correspondents in the Easy Reporting Style.

Young lady wishing to visit English lakes for fortnight end July, desires to meet with a lady to make the trip with her, sharing expenses. References exchanged. Write Miss Barwick, Secretary, Paris Stenographic Society, 6 Chaussée d'Antin, Paris.

Correspondence desired, Reporting or Corresponding Style; Colonies and abroad only. W, A. Procter, 20 Broomhouse rd., Fulham, London, S.W.

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Advertiser (an expert phonographer) offers tuition in shorthand (or speed practice), typewriting with use of machine, or English, to a Frenchman in exchange for assistance in learning French. Address Reeves, 8 Bathurst Gardens, Kensal Rise, London, N.W.

[29] Correspondence desired with readers everywhere, longhand or shorthand, Corresponding or Learner's Style. Horace Morcom, Box 217, Pietermaritzburg, Natal, South Africa.

Pictorial post cards, exchange desired, longhand or shorthand, prompt replies to all. Alf. Astley, 33 Regent st., Blackburn, Lancs.

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Pictorial post cards exchanged. H. Evans, 166 Portland st., Southport. Pictorial post card correspondence desired. Home or abroad. Shorthand or longhand. (Miss) Freda Smith, Caldew Bridge House, Carlisle, Cumberland.

Associations. 1d. per line of ten words.

Phonetic Shorthand Writers' Association (London District I.P.S.), The Arcadian Restaurant, 8 Queen st., Cheapside.-The principal Shorthand Association in the kingdom. Meetings held every Thursday evening from 7 to 10. Regular speed practice conducted at various rates by experienced phonographers. Lectures by well-known shorthand writers; discussions, etc. Speed examinations held periodically. Centre for Society of Arts shorthand examination and for Pitman's medal competitions. (Members sit at these examinations and at the I.P.S. Teachers' Exam. at reduced fees.) Shorthand library and other advantages. Fees, including speed practice, 10s 6d per annum or 3s per quarter. All phonographers (ladies or gentlemen) are eligible for membership. Prospectus, with full particulars, on application to Secretary, H. J. Cork, 2 Reedholm road. Stoke Newington, London, N. [34]

Typists' Section, I.P.S. (the N.U. of Typists is incorporated with this Section). Examinations for teachers and typists, lectures, demonstrations, discussions, employment bureau, advice on typewriting matters, etc. Annual subscription, 5s.; members of I.P.S., 3s 6d. Rules, Examination Syllabus, Forms of Application, etc., from the Hon. Sec., Geo. Colebourn, F.I.P.S., 151 Second ave., Manor Park, Essex. Examinations are held periodically. Copies of last papers is per set. [30]

Evercirculators and Libraries. 1d. per line of ten words. An everoiroulator is a manuscript phonographic magazine, consisting of articles written by the individual members, one member acting as conductor. The book passes round, and each round members contribute an article and remarks, or take part in the discussion. A leaflet containing further particulars forwarded from the Phonetic Institute, Bath, on receipt of id stamp. [x]

Evercirculator paper in three varieties, of superior quality, five quires Is 6d; headings and title-pages, 3d per doz.; covers, cloth is., leather Is 6d. Samples for id. Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, Ltd. [x] Debate Evercirculators. Several vacancies for enthusiasts. No subscriptions. Particulars, stamp. H. Leake, 10 Richmond st., Sheffield. The best Library is the Telegraph, established ten years, circulating all the magazines, including Australian magazine; quarterly subscription, Is 3d; always vacancies, particulars stamp. Conductor, J. H. Simmons, 2 Rokeby rd., Brockley, London. [33]

The 20th Century Commercial Library, over 160 books available for the use of members. Shorthand, typewriting, French, German, Spanish, and commercial books, together with copies of all English and foreign shorthand magazines. Subscription one penny per week. Splendid opportunity of studying large selections of works at a small cost. Full particulars for stamp. J. H. Simmons, 2 Rokeby rd., Brockley, London, S.E. [33] Second-hand Books, Shorthand or Phonetic, for Sale, or Exchange, or Wanted, id. per line of ten words; Miscellaneous Books, 3d. per line. Wanted, copies of Parody's Spanish Phonography, and the following vols. of the Phonetic Journal-1871, 1872, and 1886; Pitman's Shorthand Weekly, vols. 3, 4, 6, and 7. Address, Isaac Pitman and Sons, 31 Union square, New York, U.S.A. [39]

Books and magazines for sale. Send stamp for list. H. W., 1 Stanley st., Stamford.

For sale, 70 nos. of Phonetic Journal, 1901, 1902, 19 Pitman's Shorthand Weekly, 16 Pitman's French Weekly, and 14 odd nos. of Phonographer, in good condition. What offers? B., 34 Tenison rd., Cambridge. Bargain, Parker fountain pen, 10s 6d for 38 6d (new). Lindley, Calmlands, Meltham, Huddersfield.

Reading practice, 16 nos. Phonetic Journal, 1901, and 21 nos., 1903. Good condition, best offer accepted. Seamus O'Conghaile, Cavan rd., Cootehill, Cavan.

Wanted, Pickwick Papers (shorthand), Hamlet, Merchant of Venice, and reading matter generally. State prices. Kelleher, 17 Sunday's Well avenue, Cork.

For sale, nos. 4 to 52 inclusive, Phonetic Journal, vol. 61; 11 Shorthand Weeklies, vols. 19 and 20, and first ten parts Pitman's Shorthand Dictionary, recently published, good condition. What offers? J. L. Thompson, Soothill terr., Dewsbury.

Reading practice for the coming holidays, etc. 6s worth shorthand magazines in new condition, all different, post-free, Is 6d, sent any part of the world for money order for 2s; splendid and unequalled value. J. H. Simmons, 2 Rokeby rd., Brockley, London. [37] For sale, few copies of Oliver McEwan's Verbatim Reporting, post-free Is Id. J. H. Simmons, 2 Rokeby rd., Brockley, London, S.E." [36]

SUBSCRIPTION RATES.-This Journal may be ordered through any Bookseller, Newsagent, or Railway Bookstall, or by post direct from the Publishers. The terms to all parts of the world are is. 8d. per quarter; 3s. 3d. per half year; or 6s. 6d. per year, payable in advance. Subscriptions may commence with any number. Monthly part, 5d., post-free 7d, ; terms of subscription game as above.

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THE SPECIALIST TEACHER.

The educational rearrangements that are likely to take place within the next few years will involve the serious consideration of many questions that have hitherto been discussed, if at all, in a merely spasmodic and often perfunctory manner. One of these is as to who are to be the teachers of the special subjects that make up what we understand by the term "commercial education." Commerce is a living, growing, thing, and its methods are always undergoing modification; its machinery is always slightly changing. There is danger that under certain easily conceivable conditions a system of commercial education might be adopted and become stereotyped, that would get more and more out of touch with the real life of commerce in the business world. The ordinary teacher who "picks up" his knowledge from books, and has had no actual experience in applying practically the knowledge that it is his task to impart to others, is clearly at a disadvantage when special commercial subjects are concerned. He may understand thoroughly the theory of education; he may have excellent ideas as to methods of education; he may teach all ordinary subjects, reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, English composition, English history, and so on, perfectly. But he can never be on an equality with the man who has been in actual contact with the actual work of commercial life. He may teach commercial subjects well and effectively so far as he has mastered them. But there are some subjects that cannot be completely mastered without practice. Book-keeping, as it used to be taught in certain second

ary schools that had a "commercial side," was commonly laughed at by City men. It left out of account so much that the business man had of necessity to take into account; its methods were inelastic, old-fashioned, and crude. The subject is, on the whole, taught better nowadays, but that is largely because text-books that have been prepared by accountants in close and constant contact with the every-day transactions of modern commercial houses are now extensively employed. But even those text-books, which simplify so much the tasks of the teacher, will be better explained by the man who can bring personal experience of the work of actual book-keeping in an actual business house to illuminate his lessons, who has memories of real difficulties to draw upon, who has seen how systems are in practice adapted to the varying sets of circumstances that arise in mercantile life. In these respects, the specialist has enormous advantages over the ordinary and merely professional teacher. So that there is good reason for the argument that the specialist teacher is indispensable for the purposes of any effective commercial education.

Why should it not be so? We recognise the fact as regards foreign languages. A Frenchman we all say is, other things being equal, a better instructor in his own language than an Englishman, and we should say the same thing of a German, or Spanish, or Russian instructor giving tuition in his own language. Why is he better? He is better because he has, beside the knowledge that can be gained from books, that other and wider knowledge that can only come from life, the knowledge born of long experience in using and applying the language in the use of which he seeks to train others. In like manner, the accountant should make, other things being equal, the best teacher of book keeping, the practical shorthand writer the best teacher of shorthand, the practical typist the best teacher of typewriting. In all our technical schools this plan of engaging specialists is recognised as sound and indispensable. It is equally

sound where commercial education is concerned.

But, say school teachers, the specialist has not necessarily any capacity for teaching. The answer is obvious: the man who has no capacity for teaching should not be allowed to teach. But personal experience of work is not of necessity incompatible with teaching ability. It is possible to possess both, and there is a goodly proportion of men who do possess both. These are the experts, the specialists, whose services are required if commercial education is to be a reality, a living thing, always keeping closely in touch with the tendencies that are influencing mercantile life and moulding the methods of the mercantile man. The man who can teach every subject equally well does not exist, and the training college that can turn out such a man does not exist either. We cannot dispense with the specialist instructor.

Mr R. Wilcox, registered teacher, desires correspondents to note that his address is now 43 Bodmin road, Walton, Liverpool.

Mr R. J. Taylor, F.I.P.S., F.Inc.S.T., has been re-appointed lecturer in shorthand, typewriting, business methods, and correspondence in the Coatbridge Technical School for session 1903-4.

As the result of the examination of the papers received in connection with the S.T.E. Students' Competition, No. 1, a Swan fountain pen has been awarded to Miss M. A. Smith, 43 Parkhurst road, Bowes Park. The date of the No. 2 competition will be advertised in the September issues of this Journal.

In the July number of the Phonographic Record, Dr Goyder concludes his paper on "Woolsorters' Disease." Sir W. R. Gowers continues his "Problems in Practical Diagnosis." The result of the shorthand examination for medical students, held in May last, is given. Mr T. J. S. Moffett, of Belfast, won the first prize for first year medical students, and Mr J. L. Wilson, of Durham, the first prize for medical students of more than one year's standing.

TYPEWRITING NOTES.

The Blickensderfer typewriter was exhibited at the recent show of the Royal Agricultural Society.

The Rev. R. J. Campbell, Dr Parker's successor at the City Temple, uses a Remington typewriter.

Miss Mary Pretty, whose name has recently figured so prominently in connection with the feat of writing 20,400 words in six hours, is a Remington operator.

Mr. F. D. Phinney, Superintendent of the Baptist Mission Press at Rangoon, Burma, has made such suggestions to the Remington Typewriter Company as have enabled them to produce a perfect Burmese machine, the first ever made. With the 84 characters provided, it is possible to write no less than 700 letters.

The Holborn Duplicator is a new apparatus which is being introduced to the market by Messrs Blackwell and Co., 7 Dyer's buildings, Holborn, E.C. In general principles it resembles the Mimeograph, and various other devices already on the market. Its difference lies in the fact that the ink is contained in a pad over which the stencil is placed. The sheets of impression paper are then laid, one by one, on the stencil, and a clean roller passed over, so that the ink exudes upwards, through the stencil on to the impression sheet. Cleanliness in operation would appear to be the merit of this invention.

The Cape Times recently published an interesting article about the rise and progress of William Stableford and Co., Ltd. This Company was established in 1900, and controls the selling of the Williams typewriter in South Africa. It has also a large business in typewriter supplies, stationery. etc., and has recently put in a large plant for printing. On a capital of less than £10,000 this Company has paid a handsome dividend, and during the past year dividends have been paid amounting to 100% on ordinary shares and 7 % on preference shares. The capital has now been increased to £45,000, and the shares are quoted at a very handsome premium. Stableford and Co., Ltd., claim to be paying better salaries than any other firm in Cape Town. Mr Stableford went from London to the Cape about seven years ago. It will be remembered that he was the expert witness in the Radziwill case.

"The Lady Typist" is the subject of the "Wanted a Situation" series in the British Weekly of 2nd July. The article comprises a large amount of information on the characteristics and also the shortcomings of lady typists as

a class. It appears to us that a great deal more is expected of these operators by some of their patrons than can reasonably be looked for. The average girl of from seventeen to nineteen, with a board school education and some training in shorthand and typewriting, who has read nothing but novelettes, is hardly likely to possess the ability necessary to produce free from error a typewritten copy of an author's MS. not too legibly written, and abounding in technicalities and proper names.

An author relates to the British Weekly writer his experiences with an office charging "a shilling per thousand," the moral of which is that work of this description should only be put into the hands of specially well educated and experienced operators, whose services could not, however, be rendered at the price mentioned above. The position of the labour market for lady typists is summed up in the following sentences, to the truth of which we think that typists of experience will be ready to subscribe: It might be imagined that the most overcrowded of all fields of women's labour is that of the typist. Our experience, on the contrary, is that comparatively few well-educated girls have as yet entered this market, and that the apparent pressure arises from the competition of the almost illiterate."

Relative to the remarks we made on 4th July on the use of the typewriter in the New Zealand Supreme Court for the purpose of taking evidence, the Typewriter Co., Ltd. write that the Royal Bar-Lock was selected for the Supreme Court at Christchurch, and was found to be of such service that it was adopted at Wellington, and subsequently at Napier. Commenting on the change, the Napier Daily Telegraph observes that "This new departure saves the presiding Judge an immense amount of labour, enables him to give his undivided attention to the issues before the Court, and has certainly facilitated the despatch of business. The typist occupies a seat by the side of the Chief Justice, to whom the writing is visible as the typist proceeds with his work." We do not of course, controvert this testimony, but the fact remains that an expert shorthand writer will save a vast deal more public time than the expert typist can do. If this were not so, we should not find the official stenographer installed in every court of justice in the United States.

A MINISTERIAL PHONOGRAPHER.

The Rev. M. Johnson, who has been translated from the superintendency of the Blyth P.M. station to that of Hetton, is the subject of a notice in the Evening Leader, Newcastle-onTyne, from which we learn that he probably owes his present position to his knowledge of shorthand. "Ever since he knew anything," to use his own words, he has been writing shorthand, and there were times when a considerable portion of his leisure was given up to reporting. He practised shorthand whenever he was at service, and some of his brethren had anything but kindly feelings towards him on that account-thinking that the man takin' notes had come to criticise. Sabbath after Sabbath for years he took down the sermons, and to this Mr Johnson is convinced he owes his ultimate admission to the ministry. "I learned, as I noted, from everybody," Mr Johnson has been heard to say, "and there is nobody in the world from whom you may not learn something."

I.P.S. TYPISTS' SECTION.

LONDON.

At a committee meeting held on 4th July the following were elected members of the section :-Mrs M. F. R. Allinson, Misses H. Wren, M. L. Lambert, E. M. Brazier, A. H. Hall, E. G. M. Bishop, N. R. Goodrich, M. S. Sim, E. King, A. Ross, C. de Morgan, M. R. Acklom, L. Ryalls, J. P. Cawson, P. M. Wood, A. C. Pocock (all London), W. Paul (Cheshunt), E. Kerr, D. E. Buchanan, A. B. Loudon (Glasgow), J. T. Cameron (Motherwell), Mr R. H. Greenfield (Bandon), and Mr J. A. Dyke (Newcastle. Staffs.).

SOME EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND THEIR WORK.

THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE, SOUTH

KENSINGTON.

Our educational institutions, other than those which are concerned in providing the ordinary school education, may be roughly divided into (1) those which provide education of an indirect character, and (2) those which seek to supplement the ordinary school education by the teaching of subjects and special courses of subjects to fit their students for particular departments of the actual work of life. Taking the title we have chosen for a series of descriptive articles for this Journal, there are a number of typical institutions in the Metropolis which fall into one or other of these classes, of which a notice will, we think, prove interesting to our readers.

The Imperial Institute we take first, as a national institution whose work belongs in the broadest sense to the first of the two classes of institutions-those which provide education of an indirect character. The Imperial Institute has hitherto been regarded in the public mind as but little more than a huge Club for a few interested Fellows, and in some vague fashion a centre for colonial interests, a huge experiment on the verge

of becoming the proverbial white elephant. Its origin and first few years of a chequered career do not tend to dispel the vagueness of the average reader's idea of the place. But the handsome pile in the centre of the great cluster of exhibition buildings at South Kensington, with a front extending along the whole length of its street, Imperial Institute road, is just now in a transition stage. Having passed un

the Royal College of Science, the City Guilds Technical College, Royal College of Music, and the Royal Albert Hall, and here the late Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone in July, 1887. The subsequent labours of Sir Frederick Abel and Sir Somers Vine, the Secretary and Director, and Assistant Secretary, are very well known. The Colonial Governments sent over collections of products representative of each Colony, and it was recognised from the first by the promoters that it was "within the scope of the Imperial Institute, as an organization for the advancement of industry and commerce, to promote the systematic improvement and organization of Commercial Education."

It was to learn something about the Imperial Institute, its origin and policy, its actual work and future development in relation to commercial education, that we recently paid a visit to the Institute. We were cordially received by Professor Dunstan, the Director, and given every facility for accomplishing our purpose. We commenced our inquiries with some questions respecting its educational policy, and asked what the Imperial Institute is doing either directly or indirectly for Commercial Education? The answer to that very broad question took us back to the origin of the Institute itself. We learned that the object of the founding of the Institute, as stated in the Charter, was to bring together, illustrate, and develop the resources of the Colonies. But the then govern

THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE.

der the control of the Board of Trade and become a Government establishment, its objects and future developments on more distinctively educational lines are deserving of special interest and attention, as a phase of the great Imperial idea of Colonial Federation which looms so large just now in the public mind. To appreciate the meaning of this transition it is necessary to very briefly glance at its origin.

The Imperial Institute was the outcome of a suggestion by his present Majesty King Edward VII., who, as Prince of Wales, saw in the Colonial and Indian Exhibition of 1886, a germ of a permanent institution designed to illustrate the progress and develop the resources of the Colonial branches of the Empire. A committee of organization was appointed to frame a scheme, and funds were liberally subscribed for establishing the Imperial Institute as "a national memorial of Queen Victoria's Jubilee." The United Kingdom subscribed nearly a quarter of a million, and the Coloniesfrom India with upwards of £100,000, and Canada £20,000, down to the modest subscription of 30s. by Ascension-took their share in the movement. "The Imperial Institute of the United Kingdom, the Colonies, and India," was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1887, with the then Prince of Wales as President of the governing body. A site for the building was obtained, surrounded by the great exhibition buildings of South Kensington-the Natural History Museum,

ing body, of which His Majesty the King was President, found themselves in the difficulty of being short of money, for it was then a private enterprise. Fellows were induced to belong to the Institute by subscribing, and music and entertainments of all kinds were provided in the hope of obtaining revenue. That was not entirely successful, partly because of the competition of other similar places, such as Earl's Court, and

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from 1896 there was a change of policy. Its entertainments were gradually given up, and laboratories were started for the investigation of colonial products with a view to their utilization in trade. That was the beginning of what may be called the Scientific and Technical Department, now one of the most important departments of the Institute. Another point was that in the first years of the subscribing Fellows there were a great many rooms used for purely social purposes, and that led, of course, to the possibility, after the entertainments were abandoned, of giving up a certain amount of space, and in 1900 the entire building became the property of the Government, and a portion was assigned to the University of London, which now has the east wing. The next stage was the transfer of the whole work of the Imperial Institute to the control of the Board of Trade, so that the buildings themselves now belong to the Government, and the Institute is working as a Government department under the Board of Trade.

From a reference to these social features, our inquiries led to a question as what kind ef educational work had been attempted, and we learned that there had been lectures in the winter season-lectures bearing upon Colonial life and products, geographical, economical, commercial, geological, chemical, botanical, etc., and these have very often been given by distinguished lecturers and by experts. The collec

tions of products from India and the Colonies are at present under reorganization. The general idea is to provide, by means of maps, diagrams, and products, illustrations of the present condition and resources of each of the Colonies. They have been used chiefly for educational purposes, for which there have been from time to time demonstrations, for special schools and educational institutions, and, of course, the collections are all open and free to the public every day. There are special curators in attendance at certain of the Courts to give information about the Colonies they represent. Then, the exhibits are arranged from the commercial point of view of affording merchants information with regard to the character of various products from the Colonies. From the point of view of showing which can be utilized, they are made the subjects of examination and tests in the Scientific and Technical Department, and afterwards the results are available for manufacturers and business men. In these departments we were given an opportunity later of seeing for ourselves what is being done.

Taking the present state of the relation of the Colonies to the Mother Country, and the growing tendency to consolidate that relationship, to what classes of the public does the work of the Imperial Institute most appeal-keeping in view the educational side of it? That was a natural question at the present moment, and we were informed that the Imperial Institute appeals to those interested in historical, geographical and general education, and it will also appeal to those who do business in Colonial products, the manufacturing interests, and the distributors of commercial products. For instance, suppose you take a dealer in a certain product of which there is a deficiency at any time on the market, mica, for instance; he will come to the Imperial Institute and can soon learn where mica is to be obtained, and then, having found new sources, he can be furnished with information as to the quality of the mica from these sources, and in that way he can be put in touch with new supplies of material. The same thing would apply to other products, but what is wanted is to make the Imperial Institute of much greater value than it has been from a purely educational point of view. There has recently been opened a City Inquiry Office at 40 Eastcheap, with sample rooms, which is now under the management of the Board of Trade. This is an office where inquiries may be made and publications consulted, and it is in communication with the Imperial Institute. It is a convenience for manufacturers and City men. Then there is at South Kensington a large reference library, containing, in addition to the official publications of all the various Colonies, most of the Colonial newspapers.

As to the connection between the University of London and the Imperial Institute, we were informed that the University of London merely occupies, under Government, part of this building. There is no official connection between the Institute and the University beyond the fact that it is hoped in the future to make it possible for the University to use the collections for teaching purposes, as soon as the University becomes a definite teaching body. Of course such a question touches the fringe of a very large subject indeed the great question of commercial education, and how it ought to be carried on, and at the Imperial Institute we learned that there has been found an increasing demand for samples of Colonial products for use in schools, and during the last few years an increasing number of schools visit the Institute by special arrangement to bring their pupils to see the collections. Nearly every week there are parties of one hundred or more school children visiting the Institute, and that is a state of things that the authorities want very much to develop. As to the classes of schools, public or private, from which these parties come, we were informed that they come from all sorts of schools, from Board schools, from public schools, and from girls' schools, as well as from boys' schools. Then it is interesting to know that many school children show an interest in the collections of the Institute by coming in and out to compare specimens in their own collections with the collections in the Imperial Institute. Many of them who are forming private

collections, for the study of minerals, for instance, find it a. very great convenience to do this, and that again is a thing the authorities consider it is very desirable should be encouraged. That is one of the results of the collections being open to the public, and it is desired to make the exhibits self-explanatory from that point of view. They are going to be re-organized, very much from the point of view of taking up each industry in the Colonies and then illustrating it from the raw product to the finished article. In connection with the Imperial Institute there is now a special publication called "The Bulletin of the Imperial Institute," the object of which is to supply information about Indian and Colonial matters, especially from the point of view of the development of fresh resources. This publication is issued by the Board of Trade to the public in the ordinary way at a penny, and will be issued quarterly.

Having thus finished our inquiries upon the main lines of policy, we were courteously introduced to the heads of the departments with a view of learning something of the actual work which is carried on within the walls of the Imperial Institute.

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(To be concluded.)

THIS MONTH'S PHONOGRAPHIC

MAGAZINES.

An outspoken article on "Libel Actions" by Orlando Cute, opens the July issue of the Reporters' Journal, and the 'Echces from the Reporters' Gallery furnish a budget of interesting facts about Parliamentary reporting in the Lords and Commons. Other features, including a Technical Reporting Exercise, make up a good number.

The Reporters' Magazine presents a varied bill of fare, from "Holidaying in Ireland to "The Expulsion of The Times Russian Correspondent," and "The Pronunciation of Golf.' There are interesting notes on shorthand, typewriting, and other topics.

The Shorthand Writer is a special Conference number, and contains a report, illustrated by reproductions from photographs, of the proceedings at Sheffield. "Conference Impressions" deal in a light and entertaining fashion with the doings of those who took part in the gathering. The number should be read by all Federationists.

Some attractive articles on shorthand topics appear in the Phonographic Monthly. The practical paper by Mr J. Quinn on "High Speed: its Attainments and Possibilities," is continued, and another contributor furnishes suggestive observations on "Excellence in Phonographic Writing." The London Letter contains a budget of interesting gossip.

The Phonographer is a Summer Number, and includes several articles having a holiday interest, and dealing with pleasure resorts as far apart as the Modder and the Tay rivers. A page from the note-book of Mr H. T. Bailey, with accompanying comments, is of much practical interest.

POSTAL ORDERS.-The Postmaster-General has issued the following notice: " Purchasers of postal orders are reminded that they are required by law, before parting with any postal order, to fill in the name of the person to whom the amount is to be paid. They are also strongly recommended to insert the name of the office at which payment is to be made, whenever this is known. Unless the name of the payee is inserted and the serial number of the order is preserved, the Postmaster-General cannot undertake to trace the order, with a view to accounting for any miscarriage or loss. To assist remitters in preserving particulars of postal orders, the new form of order about to be introduced will be provided with a counterfoil, which should be filled up and detached before the order is despatched. After an order has once been paid, to whomsoever it is paid, the Postmaster-General will not be liable for any further claim."

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