ガントレットの寄稿記事『The Japan Weekly Mail』1905.11.25, pp.584-585「ESPERANTO」

1905.7.29号で告知した通信講座の結果報告と、追加募集。
署名に「No.8413」とAdresaroの番号があるため、前回もガントレットによるものとわかる。
『The Japan Chronicle』1905.11.23号に寄稿したものと同内容。

     ESPERANTO.
(To THE EDITOR OF THE “JAPAN MAIL.")

     Sir,—In July or August last, I offered through the columns of your paper to teach Esperanto free of charge to any who liked to take up the study of the language. The result was class of sixty-four, two of whom live in Hongkong and one in New Zealand. Over half are Japanese, and I am glad to record this, I say, because several people stated most emphatically that Esperanto would be very hard for Japanese, some even going so far as to say that it would be s hard for them as English. Esperanto is a logical language, and it has been most interesting to answer the sensible questions asked by many of my pupils, both Japanese and foreign.
     About the time required to learn the language ; I should say that by a correspondence course, such as has just been conducted, three months is quite sufficient. The first lesson was sent out on Sept. 16th, and the last has just been sent. In addition to the lessons, twenty pages of reading matter will be sent, making in all 105 mimeographed foolscap pages. Some of the pupils can already write much better than the writer could when he passed his examination.
     A considerable number of people applied for instruction too late, and had to be refused, as I had no time to reprint extra copies of the lessons. For this reason, and also because enquiries have come from other sources, I shall conduct another course, but as the payment of postage alone (which was all I asked in the first course) was not at all sufficient to pay expenses, a small nominal fee will be charged. The course will be for beginners, as the first has been, but will be different as regards method of presentation. Those desiring to join the new class are respectfully requested to apply to the undersigned, care of the office of this paper. The terms of instruction may be seen in an advertisement in this paper.
     l am, dear sir, Yours faithfully,
          ESPERANTIST No. 8413.
     November 17th, 1905.

『The Japan Weekly Mail』1905.11.25, pp.584-585
https://archive.org/details/jwm-bound-1905.7-12/page/584/mode/2up
Internet Archive (参照2024-02-09)

記念すべき第1回通信講座は64人が受講。香港から1人、ニュージーランドから1人、半分以上が日本人、なので残りは日本在住の外国人ということだろう。
文末に"The terms of instruction may be seen in an advertisement in this paper."とあるので広告欄を見たが見つからなかった。