.
May 12, 1897.]
THE DIAMOND JUBILEE,
PROGRAMME of arrangemENTS. The arrangements for the celebration of the sixtieth year of Her Majesty the Queen's reign were decided upon at a meeting of the General Celebration Sub-Committee held on Thursday afternoon, there being present Hon. C. P. Chater (Chairman), Hon. T. H. Whitebead, Hon. F. H. May, Mr. R. M. Gray, and Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart (Hon. Secretary). The programme is as follows, but it will be subject to alterations that the Committee may deem necessary to make or to any suggestions that may be received by the honorary Secretary from the general public. On Sunday, the 20th June, the Jubilee Committee will meet in the Council Chamber and proceed in a body to St. John's Cathedral and join in the thanksgiving service. The public rejoicings will commence од Tuesday, the 22nd June. Atten o'clock in the morning there will be a meeting of the Legislative Council for the special purpose of sending a message of con- gratulation to Her Majesty the Queen. At eleven o'clock addresses for presentation to the Queen will be received by His Excellency the Governor, who will, we understand, hold a reception at the conclusion of these proceedings. In the afternoon there will be a grand naval and military review at the Happy Valley, in which every available man in the naval and military forces, including the Volunteers, will take part; and in addition to this imposing spectacle a Hymn of Praise will be sung by a choir of about three hundred voices, the in- strumental music being supplied by the band of the West Yorkshire Regiment. The musical members of the community have expressed their willingness to heartily assist in making this grand feature a success, and Mr. W Danby has consented to undertake the or ganisation of the choir. In the evening there will be a display of fireworks at various points on the sea frontage and the junks and other oraft in the harbour will also be illuminated. The last occasion there was a display of this kind in the harbour was in March, 1894, when there was a festival on land and water in honour of the restoration of the Man Mo Temple, and, ឆន on that occasion, Mr. H. E. Wodehouse has been requested by the Com- mittee to make the necessary arrangements. The Committee will be extremely obliged if members of the shipping community and owners of steam launches, cargo boats, and other vessels will lend their cordial co-operation to any scheme that may be suggested to them by Mr. Wodehouse. Commander Rumsey has also kindly consented to do all he can to ensure the success of this interesting item. On Wednesday, the 23rd June, the foundation stone of the Hospital for Women and Children and Training Institute for Nurses will be laid, and this ceremony will be followed by the laying of the first stone at Kennedytown of the new road round the island. Both the stones will have to be laid on the one day, as if one was laid on the 22nd June
per- haps many people would be prevented from getting to the Happy Valley in time for the grand review. On the afternoon of the 23rd Jane a gymkhana meeting will take place at the Happy Valley and not only will there be races for China ponies but events such as foot races, bicycle races, &c., in which the members of the general community will be able to compete. In the evening the firework display will be repeated and also, if possible, the illuminations in the harbour. It is also proposed to have an exhibition of curios and it is hoped that the Committee will be able to obtain the use of the City Hall for that purpose. Mr. Fung Wa Chuen, the compradore of the National Bank," has undertaken to carry out the arrangements in connection with this exhibition. Another happy idea is the giving of a treat to soldiers, sailors, and police and also to the children in the convents and homes, such as the Victoria Home and the Po Leung Kuk. In honour of the occasion the Chinese theatres will be open day and night and there will be special attrac- tions symbolical of long life and happiness.
For the sake of convenience we give below a list of the celebrations in tabulated form
Sunday, June 20th-Thanksgiving Service
in St. John's Cathedral.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Tuesday, June 22nd-Meeting of the Legis- lative Council at 10 a.m. for the purpose of sending a congratulatory message to the Queen. Presentation of addresses to the Queen at Government House at 1a.m., and reception by His Excellency the Governor. Review at the Happy Valley in the afternoon and the singing of a Hymn of Praise. Illumina- tions and fireworks at night. Wednesday, June 23rd-In the morning the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the Hospital for women and children and the first stone of the new road. Gymkhana meeting at the Happy Valley in the afternoon. Illuminations and fire- works at night.
371
The Hon. Secretary (the Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart) was requested to transmit a copy of the minutes of the meeting to His Excellency the Governor for his information.
On the motion of the Hon. Wei Ayuk a vote of thanks to the Chairman was carried.
The meeting then adjourned.
INDIAN FAMINE RELIEF FUND, In account with Hon. Treasurer. Dr.
Rs.
1897 Feb. 11 To amount
"
wire to Cal-
cutta ,50,000 @ 164 30,487.50 22 To amount
wire to Cal.
outta .....20,000 @ 165) 12,084.59
General-Exhibition of ourios at City. Hall;
treat to soldiers, sailors, police, and Mch, 31 To amount children; special attraction at Chinese theatres.
wire to Cal-
outta .12,000 @ 160 7,500.00
wire to Cal. cutta
26 To amount
1897-
384 @ 160 240,00
wire to Cal. outta
651*/@180
R.. 89,035*/
407.00
$50,719.09
Cr.
We think that everyone will agree that the Apl. 22 To amount General Celebration Sub-Committee could. not have drawn up a better programme in honour of the occasion. The conditions prevailing in this colony are such that it is a very difficult matter, indeed to frame a programme which will satisfy the wishes of the entire com- munity, and therefore the Committee must be congratulated upon the comprehensiveness of the programme to be carried through in honour of the record reign. As regards private illu- Moh. 31 By amount of subscrip- tions in Hongkong as per minations and decorations each resident can do as much as he pleases in this respect; the more
Liste he does the merrier. The Chinese, so we are Apl. 22 By contribution received informed by the Hon. Secretary, are determined to make an exceptionally bright display, as not only will there be extensive private illuminations, but triumphal arches will be erected and generally they will unmistakably display their feelings of loyalty to Queen Victoria. On Tuesday last a meeting of about fifty Chinese residents was held in the Registrar-General's office and a Committee consisting of a hundred Chinese gentlemen was appointed to carry out the wishes of the Chinese community, who are most anxious to show their warmest apprecia- tion of the benefits they have derived from British rule.
Many people are anxious to see a strong fleet of British men-of-war lying in the harbour on Celebration Day, and we sincerely trust that Admiral Buller will be able to so dispose of his ships that there will be a magnificent and un- paralleled display of warships for the occasion. They ought to be represented in Hongkong as they have never been represented before.
It has been decided to have a special record of the celebrations made and the Rev. T. W Pearce, of the London Mission, has promised to give his aid in drawing up this literary memorial.
The collection of the European subscriptions commenced yesterday and the collection of the Chinese subscriptions will commence on Monday
next.
INDIAN FAMINE RELIEF FUND, A meeting of the Committee of the above Fund was held in the Council Chamber. on Tuesday, the 4th May,
The Chairman of the Committee (Sir John Carrington, K.C.M.G.), presided.
The Hon. Treasurer (Mr. Thomas Jackson) laid upon the table the annexed statement of the subscriptions raised in Hongkong.
The Chairman moved the following resolu- tion:-"The Committee desires to place on record its grateful sense of the devoted and self-denying efforts of its Hon. Treasurer, T. Jackson, Esq., in the collection of subscriptions for the Fund and also its high appreciation of the successful result of those efforts."
The Hon. Wei Ayuk seconded. The resolution was carried. It was also decided that the Chairman should address letters to the Hon. C. P. Chater and Mr. Mody thanking them for the great assist- tance rendered by them to the Hon, Treasurer in collecting subscriptions.
#
C
It was further resolved that the Chairman of the Hongkong Committee should address a communication to the Chairman of the Relief Committee at Calcutta enclosing a copy of the minutes of this meeting, and informing him that the subscription list in Hongkong had been closed.
from R.M.S. Empress of India
26 By contribution received from North Formosa per H.B.M. Consul, Tamsui
50,072.09
240.00
407.00
$50,719.09
(88.) T. JACKSON,
Hon, Treasurer.
Hongkong; 4th May, 1897.
THE ADDRESS TO HER MAJESTY,
We have received from Mr. N. J. Ede Chairman of the Sub-Committee appointed to prepare the address to Her Majesty, an advance copy, which is given below. The address itself is being prepared and in order to save time copies will be circulated and signatures obtained
on loose sheets to be bound with the address as soon as it is ready :
*
TO HER MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY VICTORIA, OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRHLAND, QUEEN, EMPRESS OF INDIA.
MAY IT PLEASE Your MAJESTY : The undersigned, Residents of Hongkong, of all races and of all classes, subjects of Foreign States dwelling in this Colony as well as the subjects of Your Majesty, desire most respect fully to tender to Your Majesty on this the sixtieth anniversary of your accession to the Throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland their heartfelt congratulation and good wishes, and they pray that Your Majesty may long continue in health and happiness to reign over the vast empire that, under Your Majesty's guidance and care, has during the last sixty years grown so exceedingly great in size, in population, and in wealth.
Hongkong as a British Colony has known no other Sovereign than Your Majesty. It was added to your empire before Your Majesty had been many years upon the throne. It was then a barren island, to-day it is the site of a pro- sperous city, by your gracions permission called after Your Majesty; it is a fortress, a naval station, and by no means the least im- portant of the great trading centres in Your Majesty's dominions. For its prosperity and progress.it is indebted to the healthy opera tion of that freedom of commerce which dis- tinguishes Your Majesty's Government from all the Governments of the world and to the constant observance by Your Representatives of those constitutional principles by which Your Majesty has always been guided in your administration of the empire.
Your Majesty's subjects resident in Hong- kong yield to none in their devotion and loyalty to Your Majesty's person and throne, in their admiration for the many noble qualition that