14 Minnie Thro op England 



over, give some attention to colonial affairs. The Prussian gov- 

 ernment in 1887 established an Oriental seminar, which is con- 

 nected with the University in Berlin, and which offers special 

 facilities for studying the languages of Oriental countries, and the 

 native languages of the German colonies. It also offers courses 

 upon colonial subjects, such as tropical hygiene, colonial geog- 

 raphy, and economic botany. 39 Similar colonial courses are being 

 introduced in some of the American universities. In addition, 

 visits from mother country to colonies and from colonies to 

 mother country increase the general knowledge of imperial con- 

 ditions. Englishmen especially are going out in increasing num- 

 bers to visit the colonies and many colonists in turn visit Eng- 

 land. 40 The addresses and lectures of returned missionaries, or 

 those home on a visit, have been a considerable source of informa- 

 tion to the general public regarding colonial conditions. Accord- 

 ing to Caldecott 41 the knowledge necessary to the great mass of 

 the English people for the proper exercise of citizenship in an 

 imperialistic country like England is supplied chiefly by their 

 religious organizations. 



In many instances, nevertheless, the grossest ignorance is shown 

 regarding the colonial possessions. French writers have not hesi- 

 tated to charge the colonial disappointments of France to a na- 

 tional lack of knowledge regarding colonial conditions — their 

 importance, size, wealth, needs and interests. Not a single au- 

 thoritative work has, according to Maugham, as yet been written 

 about the vast territory of Portuguese East Africa, and thou- 

 sands yearly pass it by without notice. But this colony is too 

 near occupied territory, however, to be neglected much longer. 42 



The use of a common language facilitates trade between coun- 

 tries with this bond. For this reason attention is being called to 

 the fact that the Germans are exerting themselves to increase their 



39 Loeb, " German Colonial Fiscal System," in Publications of the Amer- 

 ican Economic Association, 3d ser. 1 : 438-439. 



40 Caldecott, English Colonization and Empire, 243. 

 "Ibid., 256. 



42 Maugham, Portuguese East Africa, 330-331. 



190 



