THE BOY SCOUTS.

(To the Editor of the Hongkong Telegraph.)

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   Sir,- "An Irish Unionist" evidently knows very little of the aims of the leaders of the Boy Scout movement and has no idea of the training a boy receives.

   It is a non-military organization not confined to one particular seat. Locally the troop is a body of boys all of whom attend St. Joseph's College or past pupils of the same nut not all Catholics. The only mention of religion in the "promise" is "Loyalty to God and King." I presume your correspondent does not object? I might also add the officer commanding the senior boys is a non-Catholic as also is one of the assistant Scoutmasters.

   Your correspondent's remark about the Nationalist Volunteers is an insult to the English Scoutmasters, who will tell him that there are no boys in the Colony more loyal than the Boy Scouts. The principal aim of the movement is to mould character. This cannot be done by education alone. Men without character at the top or bottom of Society are the worst enemies of any community. The Scout founder realising this organised his world wide movement and the work of trying to train the boys of Hongkong will still go on although "An Irish Unionist" fears such bad results. However I would assure him his fears are groundless and should the day ever come (which we hope will never be) he will find these boys whom he derides so severely will be the first rally and give their service to protect what is to them their home.

   Yours etc.,

   ONE OF THE SCOUTS.

Hongkong, June 12, 1914.