98
THE COMMISSION.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
A
Guard of Honour, from the 114th Sir W. M. Goodman read the following com- Mahratta Light Infantry, had been posted mission appointing H. E. Major Sir Matthew outside the Council Chamber. As soon as the Nathan, R.E., K.C.M.G., to be Governor and Governor had taken the oaths the band struck Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Hong-ap once more the National Anthem. kong and its Dependencies:-
HIS EXCELLENCY, in his address, said :-It is EDWARD the Seventh, by the Grace of God now some months since I have been looking of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and forward to the ceremony which has just been Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond completed, and have been wishing to be among the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Em those with whom my work is to be for some years peror of India: To Our Trusty and Well- to come. However, I was delayed in West beloved Sir MATTHEW NATHAN. Major in Africa in order to watch over the final steps of Our Corps of Royal Engineers, Knight Com- the completion of the railway from the coast. I mander of Our Most Distinguished Order of hope devoutly that I shall see here also the Saint Michael and Saint George, Greeting. completion of the railway from the coast to the WE do, by this Our Commission under Our interior-I allude to the line from Kowloon to Sign Manual and Signet, appoint you, the said Canton. (Loud applause.) It is a line which I Sir MATTHEW NATHAN, to be during Our consider to be essential to the commercial pros pleasure Our Governor and Commander-perity of the Colony. Nearly equally as in-Chief in and over Our Colony of Hong- essential. kong and its Dependencies, with all the powers. rights, privileges, and advantages to the said Office belonging or appertaining.
II. And we do hereby authorize, empower, and command you to exercise and perform all and singular the powers and directions con- tained in certain Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, constituting the office of Governor and Commander-in-Chief of our said Colony and its Dependencies, bearing date at Westminster the Nineteenth day of January. 1888. or in any other Letters Patent adding to. amending or substituted for the same, according to such Orders and Instructions as Our said Governor and Commander-in-Chief for the time being hath already received, and to such farther Orders and Instructions as you may hereafter receive from Us.
III. And further. We do hereby appoint that so soon as you shall have taken the prescribed oaths and have entered upon the duties of your office, this Our present Commission shall super- sede the Commission under the Sign Manual and Signet of Her late Majesty Queen Victoria, bearing date the Eleventh day of December, 1897, appointing Our Trusty and Well-beloved Sir Henry Arthur Blake, Knight Grand Cross of Our most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, to be Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Our said Colony and its Dependencies.
IV. And We do hereby command all and singular Our Officers. Ministers, and loving subjects in Our said Colony and its Depen- dencies, and all others whom it may concern, to take due notice hereof, and to give their ready obedience accordingly.
Given at Our Court at Saint James's this Twenty-first day of September, 1903, in the Third year of Our Reign.
By His Majesty's Command,
J. CHAMBERLAIN.
THE OATHS
H.E., as is the Jewish custom, put on his hat to take the oaths. They were the Oath of Allegiance, the Oath of Office, and the Judicial Oath.
The words were as follows:-
Oath of Allegiance.
I, Sir Matthew Nathan, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Edward the Seventh, his heirs and successors according to law.
So help me God.
(8.) W. M. GOOdman, (S.)MatTHEW NATHAN,
Chief Justice.
Governor, etc.
29th July, 1904.
Oath of Office. I, Sir Matthew Nathan, do swear that I will well and truly serve His Majesty King Edward, the Seventh in the office of Governor and Commander-in-Chief.
So help me God. (8.), W. M. GOODMAN, (S.) Matthew Nathan
Chief Justice
Governor, etc.
29th July, 1904.
Judicial Oath.
I, Sir Matthew Nathan, do swear that I will wall and truly serve our Sovereign King Edward the Seventh in the office of Governor and Commander-in-Chief, and I will do right to all manner of people after the laws and usages of this Colony, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.
So help me God.
(8.) W. M. Goodman (8.) MATTHEW NATHAN,
Chief Justice.
Governor, etc. 29th July, 1904.
look upon the improve- ments of the sanitary conditions of Vic. toria to do away with the ever-recurring scourge of plague. I am heartily in accord with the views of my able predecessor, Sir Henry Blake, that these improvements can only be effected by the support and co-operation of the mass of the inhabitants-co-operation that was willingly given to him, and which I trust will be continued to me. (Applanse). If every individual maintains perfect cleanliness in his house and surroundings the plague must cease as a matter of course. It will be necessary for the Government to assist in the maintenance of cleanliness, and a large expenditure may be required for water supply and sanitation. To make this possible it seems to me that we shall require very careful administration of the public funds, and to effect economies by restricting the expenditure in other directions. On this, as well as with regard to various questions affecting the commerce of the Colony. I have had the advantage in the last few days of having many talks with the Chairman of the Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Hongkong, and these talks have taught me, as I was told in London, that I would always be able to expect hearty support and sound advice from the mercantile community of the Colony. (Hear, hear.) I look upon the commerce now and in the future as one of the-as the greatest of my charges. To secure this commerce it is neces- sary that the defences of Hongkong against hostile attack should be perfectly strong. would add that the security of Hongkong is necessary for the efficiency of His Majesty's Navy, and. therefore, the safety of all British trade in the Far East. His Excellency the Major-General Commanding the Forces has. I am told, dealt with great earnestness with the question of making available the defences of the Colony or its resources in time of war. In this work I need not say he will have
every assistance I can give him--assistance which will probably be none the less useful from the fact that for many years in another place it has been necessary for me to fully con- sider the development of the defence question of Hongkong. I have not the advantage of equal familiarity with another question which I shall be called upon to deal with. It was a long time ago, and then only for a short period, that I came into contact with members of the Chinese race. I intend to learn their manners, customs, wants and aspirations, so that I may have for them a real sympathy based on clear understanding, and shall be able to treat them as I hope to treat all other classes of the com! munity in all matters public or personal. (Ap- plause). I must allude once more to the long period that has elapsed between the departure of Sir Henry Blake and my arrival here this morning in order to voice the opinions that have come to me from many sources that during that period the affairs have been conducted by the Colonial Secretary, Mr. F. H. May, with energy and tact, judgment and ability. (Sus- tained applause).
The proceedings in the Council Chamber here terminated. H.E. was saluted by the Guard of Honour. He left for Government House after inspecting the soldiers. The route was lined with Chinese Police.
AN ACROSTIC WELCOME
“Silas Wegg” hands us the following scrostic. for publication. Its timeliness, and correctness of sentiment, may stone for its faulty con- struction.
|
[August 8, 1904.
29TH JULY, 1904)
Salaama! Sir Matthew! Pray accept our Greeting In honour of to-day e auspicious meeting Respect we pay; nor doem the e Honours fleeting May all your term of office be endowed And rendered grateful with such kindly airs, That so Your Worship shall remain as proud To play the leading part in our affairs. Enger to progress: ready to disown Hongkong's a loyal adjunct of the Crown,
What things may militate 'gainst Peak or Town Nor is it prejudiced by Creed or Bace, All honest Lieges here do find the r place. Thou who hast gained the highest place of all Hast the good wishes of both Great and Small, A Book by one Les-ing-" Nathan the Wise ”...---- Nathan the Gov'nor! The moral applies.
FORMER GUBERNATORIAL
ADVENTS.
Below we quote from our files' Press com- ments on the arrival of old-time governors. Some of them have peculiar interest in view of yesterday's celebration. Prior to 1866, the advent of a mere governor does not seem to have troubled the Press much, although in the absence of headings. we may have overlooked_reports that were made. The arrival of Sir Hercules Robinson in September 1859 did not, apparently, awaken our reportorial predecessors to a sense of their duty to the public. About that time an official described as the Colonial Surgeon had evoked the ire of the Press, which plumply announced that he had been twice plucked in dog Latin." and accused him of being under the patronage of an Exalted Person." In those days, when a clipper was for sale, we had to assure our readers that it was not yet "rotten. It is a rather belated apology, per. haps, but we would express our regret for having, in that same month of 1859, spoken of a contemporary as a dirty bird."
34
*
IN 1866.
Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell arrived in March 1866. and this is partly, what the Hongkong Daily Press of the 12th had to say about it: --
►►
་-
Sir Richard and Lady Macdonnell arrived "at Hongkong yesterday afternoon in the Ottav, and landed very shortly after the steamer entered the harbour. It seems that the intended parade of the troops in garrison was prevented by a military rule which forbids the display of troops on Sunday. Instead of the imposing ranks of British men-at- arms lining the road from the Parade Wharf to Government House, which we had all ex- pected to see, a detachment of Capt. Quin's dusky division was drawn up close to the landing place, and the army was only repre "sented by a few officers who looked on at the proceedings from the verandah of the Murray Barracks. The Governor was brought ashore in the Government barge. On the *pier, kept clear for the purpose, were a few "heads of departments, and on each side of the "road at the corner of the cricket ground was a confused crowd of residents and Chinese Lady Macdonnell, under the care of Mr. Mercer, came on the pier first; behind followed 'the new Governor and General Gay. ▲ 'brougham was in waiting, and in this Sir Richard and Lady Macdonnell, accompanied by Mr. Mercer-after touching civilities at the carriage door on behalf of the judicial bench-drove to Government House.
*
25
44
41
K
IN 1872. The following reference to the advent of 'the good Sir Arthur" is extracted from the Daily Press of the 17th April, 1872-
4+
64
14
1+
16
14
45
C
H.E. Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy, the new Governor of Hongkong arrived yester- day by the P. & O. mail steamer China, which steamed into the harbour at half-past eleven 'o'clock. A detachment of police was instantly. despatched to Pedder's Wharf, where a tolerably large number of residents had already assembled.
The military a detachment department was astir, and of the 10th Regiment was marched down to the wharf. Shortly after one o'clock the Governor's barge left the mail-steamer. Salutes were fired by H.M.8. Iron
Duke, the French man-of-war Alma, and the battery on shore. H.E. was received by a large number of civil servants, who were sssembled on the wharf, to whom he was introduced by Lieut-Governor Whitfild. The soldiers on the Prays presented arms,
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