The chief difference between American and English methods lies in the importance they attach to what is called "business practice," as against our system of specialized teaching in individual commercial subjects, such as shorthand, bookkeeping, typewriting, French, German, and Spanish. My experience showed me that while there was something to learn, from an English point of view, in the American methods of training in office routine, the teaching of shorthand and other individual subjects was much inferior to that obtaining in England.

In the short time at my disposal it is impossible for me to give as exhaustive and clear an account of American methods as I should wish, but I trust I have indicated with sufficient plainness the lines on which American business training is conducted, and I must now pass on to consider for a few moments the methods of commercial education in England.

I will take as my type an institution which may well be said to represent commercial schools in Great Britain, inasmuch as it is not only the largest of the kind at the present time in any English-speaking country, but furthermore stands as the parent, the fountain and origin of them all.

Students entering these schools have as a rule the right to select the subjects, either singly or in groups, which they are to be taught. Thus, for instance, one may take shorthand, another shorthand and typewriting, a third these subjects plus bookkeeping, a fourth may add one or two modern languages to this course of study, while a fifth may take one or two odd subjects, such, for instance, as arithmetic, penmanship, and Spanish, and so on. The range covered by these institutions is a very wide one and comprises generally shorthand, typewriting, bookkeeping, offico routine, arithmetic, penmanship, grammar and composition, French, German, Spanish, Italian, English to foreigners, and civil-service preparation. From such a comprehensive bill of fare it can not be a difficult matter for parents, guardians, or responsible students to choose items suitable to their requirements or their tastes. Each subject is taught in a separate department and has its own special staff of tutors; indeed, where the patronage given to a subject is exceptionally large, it may be split up into many divisions, as is usually found to be the case in shorthand teaching. In the modern language sections "native" masters only are engaged in each.

One of the great advantages offered by these schools is the facility given to men of business and others to take instruction at almost any reasonable hour of the day or evening. For instance, teaching is going on from 10 a. m. to 9 p. m daily, with short intervals at 1 and 4, and as there are no long vacations, the only blank days being those generally regarded as public holidays, such as the bank and other national holidays, it is conceivable that a student may take his lessons at any time suitable to himself. This is rendered the more easy by reason of the system of individual tuition which obtains throughout. Each student is taught personally in each department and is thus able to come and go entirely at pleasure, and without disturbing the studies of others present or the continuity of his own. This admirable arrangement is no doubt accountable for the fact that so many business men take advantage of the facilities offered in the subjects, for instance, of shorthand, bookkeeping, and modern languages.

It is scarcely possible, in the time at my disposal, to give anything like a clear idea of the fees charged at the English commercial schools. There is usually a separate fee for each subject, based on the length of time taken by a student of average capacity to complete the subject. For the fee of £20 (equal to the charge made by the American colleges for a year's instruction) the student can take up shorthand, bookkeeping, business training, penmanship, arithmetic, and typing, and be guaranteed completion in them without any time limit whatever.

Perhaps the chief point of distinction between the American and English methods is the relative difference in the importance attached to the study of shorthand. In the States shorthand is taught in a very perfunctory way, and as a proof of this I

may mention that while the principals of colleges there regard women as very much the inferior of men as teachers, the teaching of shorthand is, nevertheless, generally placed in feminine hands. In this country, on the other hand, shorthand is considered, and very rightly to my mind, as of paramount importance. It is one of the surest passports to employment which a young man or a young woman can possess, and while it is a great fallacy to depend on shorthand alone as a money-earning qualification, it does undoubtedly obtain recognition at the hands of thinking employers, and frequently gives one candidate a personal interview with the employer, while an otherwise equally efficient applicant is passed over on account of his want of acquaintance with this subject.

I spoke just now of the young woman seeking employment, and I am reminded of the immense part that shorthand, in conjunction with typewriting, has played in the opening up of a field of remunerative occupation for young women. It is but a few years ago, comparatively, that the typewriter made its appearance in this country. The suitability of typewriting to women as an occupation was very readily recognized and the influence which the advent of the typewriter has had, together with the twin art of shorthand, on the business life of this great city can not be lightly estimated. So far, women have proved themselves somewhat superior to men in the use of this ingenious machine, and in regard to shorthand it may be said that although they were slow to catch up to their brothers in the manual dexterity, they are now surely and unmistakably proving their right to be placed on an equality with their male competitors even in the matter of speed. Whether the sexes are equally suited to the work of a house of business is another question, and one which I do not propose to go into to-day. I may perhaps be allowed to say that although at first employers looked somewhat askance at the prospect of young women in the office, the number of houses of business employing ladies as clerks, bookkeepers, and so on, at the present time, is increasing enormously day by day. Ladies have shown an adaptability to office routine and an aptitude for commercial methods which have surprised their most hostile critics, and excepting only the few young girls who enter upon this work with no more serious idea than to earn a little pocket money, there is no valid reason why women should not be considered the equal of men as clerks, bookkeepers, or secretaries.

Great stress has been laid on the importance of a sound commercial knowledge of the French, German, and Spanish languages, all or any of them. I remember hearing the present attorney-general enforcing this point most eloquently and convincingly, and there can be no doubt that the addition of one or more of these languages to the business equipment of a youth is an immense help, not only in the obtaining of suitable employment, but in enabling him or her to rise to higher and better positions. The attorney-general, in the speech referred to, said: “In order to carry on the commercial business of the world it is absolutely necessary that the knowledge of foreign languages should extend, and particularly necessary in a country of such predominating commercial importance as England." I think we can all heartily coincide in that opinion. We know how much and how often the young German is paraded before us as an admirable linguist. It is true enough that those who come over to this country pick up a working knowledge of our language with a facility which is little short of marvelous, but in this connection we must not lose sight of the assistance rendered to the youths of continental countries by the money which is spent by the various governments in subsidizing their technical schools and commercial colleges. In Great Britain it is left entirely to private enterprise, and, as I have pointed out, often in the teeth of opposition from quarters where we should have most right to look for encouragement. But much is being quietly done in England at the present day to fit the youth of this country to take his place in the battle of life on equal terms with his continental rival.

In the institution to which I am particularly referring the main object kept in

sight is "practical training for commercial life," but, nevertheless, the advantages of a literary and conversational knowledge of French, German, etc., are by no means lost sight of. Each of the languages has a special department devoted to it for practice in conversation, and the student is thus enabled to get a stronger and more thorough grasp of the language than would be possible from book work alone. One of the difficulties which has to be faced by the managers of these colleges is the question of the separation of the sexes in the classrooms. In America no attempt at this is made, the general opinion being that as girls are being taught to qualify themselves for business houses, where they will be unavoidably thrown into contact with the opposite sex, it is just as well to let them associate in the business college. I am quite prepared to hear expressions of dissent from this opinion, and I may add that in this country some attempt at any rate is made at the separation of the sexes, especially where the numbers are very great and will warrant a separate staff for each. Because, of course, these are all proprietary establishments, not run on philanthropic lines, not subsidized by Government or otherwise, and the working of the business on profitable lines has to be made a consideration. No doubt as time goes on, and more and more young women embark upon a business career, the need for any consideration of this aspect of the question will grow smaller still.

The question of the fitness of an intending student for a certain course of study is a most important one, and in the course of my American investigations I directed special attention to the question of entrance examinations, of which I had heard a good deal before my visit. Several of the proprietors of the colleges spoke very loftily of the rigid entrance examination which they imposed upon all prospective pupils. Some gravely assured me that they rejected on an average 50 to 75 per cent of the applicants on the ground of general unfitness. I was at first inclined to accept these statements as so much gospel truth, until I arrived at Brooklyn, where I had an interview with the principal of a very well known and important business college. This gentleman was spoken of with remarkable unanimity in the highest terms of praise by the principals of colleges in almost every city I visited. While they frequently abused one another heartily, they agreed in regarding this gentleman as able, conscientious, of good business abilities, and one whose opinion would always be entitled to great respect. When I put the question of the entrance examination to this gentleman, he replied with almost the suspicion of a wink, "You may take that as pure Yankee bluff. Business colleges here are run for profit, and their proprietors would no more reject an applicant, no matter what his mental attainments might be, than they would turn their backs on a fat political job." So much for American opinion on this subject. Frankly, I may say that the practice in this country is to take all comers, and to advise those who are deficient in subjects they have not arranged to take up to remedy the defects without delay. It must not be forgotten that English commercial colleges have great influence in placing their efficient students in business, and in this way it is possible to bring pressure to bear on those who are lacking in business handwriting, for instance, to make good the deficiency. But in my experience, which extends now over some sixteen years, I have found that the student who presents himself or herself at these colleges is usually one whose early training has not been neglected, one who is very well qualified, generally speaking, for the career he or she is endeavoring to follow. Besides, the teaching of a subject like shorthand, for instance, necessarily involves abundant instruction in grammar, spelling, composition, punctuation, etc., and inevitably imparts an all-round knowledge of men and things which in itself is a liberal education. It widens the horizon of these young people in a very marked degree. Speaking of employment, I might add that the demand for capable stenographers, typists, bookkeepers, foreign correspondents, etc., is very healthy, and the general experience for some years past in these colleges has been that the difficulty is found rather in coping with the demand than in an oversupply of applicants.

SYSTEMATIC COMMERCIAL EDUCATION.

By T. A. ORGAN, B. A., L. C. C.

I submit that to-day the educational necessity is a systematic course of commercial instruction. I use the term "systematic" as its omission would be met by the assertion that the opportunities for commercial instruction exist in the form of evening classes, etc. These I regard as worse than mere stop-gaps, for they have lulled us into security, as on these worthy, but ineffectual attempts to supply a want we have relied to the national loss.

It is not necessary to recall to your minds the skeleton which appeared at the commercial feast of last year in the shape of a book entitled "Made in Germany." The statistics given in that book, and the deductions therefrom, have been the subject of much controversy, but its author and all his critics agree that the lengthy commercial strides which Germany has made are undoubtedly due to her superior commercial education. A pessimistic attitude and a belief that we are beaten in the race for commercial supremacy are absurd. On the other hand, it is unwise to adopt the ostrich procedure, and to blind ourselves to the fact that other nations are pressing hard upon our heels in the commercial race.

The recent official report made to the Duke of Devonshire contains these remarkable words:

And while it is possible that the aggregate value of the foreign commerce of Germany in comparison to that of Great Britain has been overestimated, there can be no doubt that in certain industries our supremacy is seriously challenged. Germany is making enormous strides.

This is the testimony of Mr. Monaghan, the American consul:

That if his country and ours did not meet Germany more thoroughly and more practically in the school, each would in the course of a few years be compelled to yield to Germany the first place in all the higher and more profitable fields for manufacture and commerce.

Going from Germany, we find in the journal of the board of trade, issued last month, a foreigu report which contains the following:

Entire countries, especially in the new world, which at one time might have been considered the "preserves" of the English merchant, are now overrun by the agents and travelers of the United States.

A perusal of the reports of our own consuls has convinced me that there is cause for grave alarm. The foreign workman can not produce a better and cheaper article than bis English fellow, but the means taken by English houses to place that article on the market are of a character greatly inferior to the means employed by foreign houses.

Let me quote a concrete instance as given by our Egyptian consul. The incident occurred within the last few months. A foreign government asked for tenders for four portable engines, 12 horsepower effective, with a guaranteed coal consumption per horsepower. Many English tenders were received for engines, 12 horsepower nominal, equivalent to 30 horsepower effective; the price of course being higher than that of those who tendered an effective horsepower. This mistake lost the English firms the contract, and the work placed in an Austrian house.

And another, which is within my personal knowledge. An English firm tendered for a large quantity of machinery required for a Turkish manufacturer. The terms of the tender were in the English language and currency. Other tenders were received from German and Austrian firms, these being in Turkish language and currency. The natural result followed. The tender of the English firm was not even examined, but an investigation after the contract was made showed that the English price was the lowest, and that the work had gone to an Austrian house because the English terms were quoted in our comparatively unknown and complicated currency, and in our own language.

In both these cases, a loss accrued to English trade, a loss arising solely out of want of skill in "getting the article on the market.”

WHERE WE FAIL.

It is agreed on all hands that in the matter of technical industrial education we are making up leeway, and on the other hand there is quite as decided a consensus of opinion that in technical commercial education we are drifting to leeward as helplessly as ever. Let me give a few of the many facts upon which I base this statement. The commercial travelers who visited Palestine in 1896 were distributed among the nations as follows: English, 4; Germans, 29; Austrians, 18; French, 13; Swiss, 3; Italians, 2; Belgian, 1. These are exact figures as given by our own representative, and other foreign reports tell the same tale, but the figures are not given. It is agreed that although advertisement tends to promote trade, it can never have the same effect as traveling agents thoroughly acquainted with the views and wishes of their principals and possessing a knowledge of the language, customs, and currency of the land in which trade is sought.

As to advertising, we are far behind our rivals. Our Spanish representative says that the English catalognes are useless and absurd, showing not only crass ignorance of the language but also of the technical details of various trades, and that the larger number of them quote prices in the English currency. Contrast this with the "push" of the German. He takes care to catalogue and describe his goods in English when advertising in our own or any English speaking country. It is only within the last few weeks that Mr. F. H. Burford, our Victorian representative, reported that our bicycle trade in that colony was suffering severely owing to the inferior style of the catalogues which are being circulated. A number of these catalogues were submitted to good judges, and their unanimous award was: United States, best; Germany, second; British, worst.

In the foreign reports, complaint is rife as to the ignorance of the English merchant respecting foreign dues and customs. A glaring instance occurred only recently. On a certain textile fabric the import duty is 5s. 4d. per kilo if delivered untaped-if taped, three times as much. Our consul in that country reports that ignorance or negligence of this fact has done much to lose for England the trade in that article. The foreign houses are most careful to make themselves thoroughly acquainted with the various dues and customs, and in many cases they quote prices which cover these and represent the cost of the article delivered at the customer's own door. One can well understand the great inducement offered to the retailer by the firm which quotes "duty free" as compared with the one whose quotation is only part of the price, the other part not being ascertained without a large amount of trouble.

With more of these instances one can not deal in detail, but it may be taken as a commonplace in trade reports-not only by Englishmen but by foreigners-that the British traders and his representatives are wanting in resource and that they are not well equipped with the arms of their profession. For foreign trade especially, the English manufacturer has to rely largely on the foreign traveler, who learns his employers' trade secrets and his trade weaknesses and uses them as he pleases.

ONE OF THE CAUSES OF THIS FAILURE.

In all but the elementary branches of English education we have worked along old lines and traveled in the old ruts. The bells of our university leaders jingle, and with pack-horse constancy we have blindly followed, not caring whither. The results are disastrous, and I can not do better than call, as witnesses to uphold my statement, the London Chamber of Commerce, who say:

Business men have been galled by the constant proofs exhibited to them of youths seeking employment ill-equipped for their calling, ignorant of the elements of commercial life, and lacking the essentials of utility. so long as they as employers con