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UNION CHURCH LITERARY
CLUB.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Mr. J. Dyer Ball lectured on the 9th Feb. Ou Four thousand years of the Chinese at the Union Church Literary Club. The hall was wel! filled. H.E. the Governor was present. The Rev. C. H. Hickling presided.
The lecturer said that he had simply taken 4,000 years as the time to pass under their review in a cursory survey, though the Chinese carried their records back far beyond that. They perhaps laughed at such a remote anti- quity, but their scientific men were constantly pushing back the probable age of the human race. Chinese civilization was superior that of the wild nomadic tribes on their northern frontier and they looked down with isdain on the barbarous races that lived on
their western and southern borndaries. The ocean on their eastern shores, for centuries serving as а bulwark to keep off the foe, formed a highway for the more skilled Chinese to travel to the Malayan Peninsula, to Siam, Burma, India and even Lo the Red Sea. A Babylonian or Akkadian origin Had been suggested, and there appeared many points of similarity between the ancient civilization on the banks of the Euphrates and that of China, but they had no certain ground to go upon. In common with all peoples, the Chinese pushed back their history so far that it finally projected on to a plane beyond the present ken of mortal man, when gods reigned supreme and divine beings shaped the course of the world. But, to get at something more substantial than thess fancies, about 2,700 years before Christ they found the Chinese in China. They had probably come by some north-western passage, being attract d by the fertile plains of north China. They were, how- ever, not the first to set foot in this land, for they were preceded by aborigines. When the aborigines came was a question. It was probable that the
formed only one
numerous waves of im. migration into the land, but owing to the advanced civilisation the race they called the Chinese were able either to engulf the other races into their body politic, or drive them gradually before them into mountain fastn. sses some of them now occupied, or they left them in possession of land from which they crld not
of
Chinese
race
oust them. Instances of the later cases were to be found in many provinces of hina, and an instance of the former they had in their very
•
midst in the boat population of Hongkong, Macan and Canton, who belonged to an aboriginal race.
To this date they differed in some of their customs and in the pronunciation of s me of their words. These boat-people were looked down upon by the genuine land-men, who were the descendants of the (hinese settlers, the feeling being carried so far that inter- marriages as a rule were not common between
the two races.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR ENTERTAINS
JUVENILES.
#4
At Government House on the 17th February His Excellency was "at home" to the juveniles of the community, who, under the care of such a genial host, enjoyed themselves immensely. The large ball room, transformed into a theatre for the occasion, was tastefully decorated with greenery and bunting. A troupe of juvenile theatrica's, tutored by Mrs. John Hastings, produced the two enjoyable farces Through the looking glass" and "Prince Riquet and the Princess Radiant." The manner in which the young performers acquitted them- selves in these pieces redounds to their credit, also to the credit of their instructress, Mrs. Hastings, who must have spent a great deal of time and care to bring them so near to per- fection in their parts. His Excellency took care that each of his guests was provided with a gift and that each was supplied with abundance of refreshments. There were over 150 present, and Mrs. May Mrs. Gershom Stewart, Mrs. Villiers Hatton and Miss Noel were very kind in looking after their wants. Music for the dances was kindly provided by Miss Alice Berkeley.
THE LATE FATLER TORRES.
Present at the requiem mass at the Roman Catholic Cathedral on February 14 were:- Revs. F. P. Gonsalves, vicar-general of Macao, I. C. de Gouvea, Dean of Macao, I. A. Bartholo, parish priest of Taipa, A. Gomes Parish priest of St. Anony, the Clergy of the Italian Mission, Fathers P. H. Brun and J. Sallon of the French Procuration, the Brothers and pupils of St. Joseph's College, the Sisters and pupils of the Italian and French Convents, Mesars J. M. E. Machado, A. G. Romano (ortuguese Consul-General), V. Atienza, E. Ros, C. Gonsalves and others.
The Church was draped in black and presented an appearance in keeping with the occasion.
A Spanis journal says: As our readers know, Fatber Torres died a Manila at St. Domingo Convent, after a long and painful illness and after receiving the Sacraments from his confreres. He expired surrounded by the piests of his own order. He was a native of Santa Maria de Redondo, of the province of Palencia (Spain); born on 26th October, 1846; he entered as a student of the 2nd order of philosophy in the Concilier seminari of Toledo, he solicited and obtained the permission to join the famous convent.-College of Obania, where he was admitted into the order of the Glorious Patriarch Saint Domingo de Guzman, in September, 1866. During the political and social disturbances in Spain, he was sent by his superiors to the Philippine Isla ds in the year 1872, being then only a student in the 2nd order of heology which he completed in Manila at the university of St Thomas. He was sent to the Province of Pangasinan where ha learn d the dialect of that province. In December, 1875 he was recommended for the position of curate at San Isid:0 of Tubnan. In that country on the 8th June, 1876, he hid the misfortune of losing his left arm by the explosion of a rifle which he used in trying to shoot a mad dog which appeared in the City and had caused terror among the citizens. He suffered the operation of amputation with a good de l of patience and fortitude, which are the two principal characteristics of the late Father Torres. In October of the same year
he came to Hongkong to take up the position of Vice-Procur tor of the Spanish Procuration in
Hongkong, where he attended to their missions in Tonkin, China, Formosa and Japan. From Hongkong he was sent back to Manila in 1881, and was in de Procurator-General of the pro- vince of Smo. Rosario in the Philippines, which
post he ocupied till 1886, when his superiors again s nt him to Hongkong as Procurator General of all the missions. His 18 years of proof of the noble qualities, whether religious, continual labour in Hongkong is an eloquent intellectual, social or financial, which adorned the modest Father Torres. During the 18 years he went on one occasion to Japan by order of his superiors for the benefit of his health.
A HONKONG SOLDIER'S DEATH.
Before Mr. H. H. J. Gompertz, sitting as coroner, and a jury, an inquiry was held at the Magistracy on February 17th concerning the death of Frederick Hicks, a private in "D" Co., Royal West Kents, who met his death on the 12th instant as the result of a fall from the verandah of Murray Barracks.
[February 20, 1905. There was no light there. The ground on which deceased fell is very haril.
I BAW
Sergeant Ernest Gulliver stated: deceased enter the barracks at 11.55 p.m He reported himself to me in the usual manner. He was jully at the time, but quite sob r. Private Taylor came in with him. I next saw bim lying on the concrete outside the orderly room. This was about 1.45 am. The sentry sent for me. Hicks was unconscious when I saw him, and did n t recover before he
was removed. The men are in the habit of sleeping on the verandah in the hot weather, but there was no reason why Hicks should have been sleeping there on the 7th, as it was rather cold that night. On going to that part of the verandah from which deceased fell, I saw a form lying up against the table.
His waistbelt was on the table and his boots and cap wre lying on the veraudah. When I saw deceased on the conc: le there was a stream of blood running from under his head.
Dr. Johnan, Captain R.M.A.C.,. deposed: Deceased was brought int the Station Hospital, Wellington Barracks, about 2 am, on the morning of the 8th in an unconscious condi ion, and never came out of that state. The c.use of death Was inter-cerebral hemorrhage.
Private S. Taylor said: I returned to barracks at 11.15 p.m on the night of the 7th. I was accompanied by Private Hicks. I met him at the west gate and we went to the guardroom together. He was perfectly sober.
Private James Jos-ph depose :-I was with deceased on the night of the 7th instant for about three hours. We were at the Soldiers Club. At ten minutes past ten I left him. He was perfec ly sober.
After hearing further witnesses, the jury. returned a verdict of accidental death. HONGKONG VOLUNTEER
RESERVE ASSOCIATION.
FIRE TACTICS,
This was the subject chosen by Lieut. J. W. Fiennes, of the Royal West Kent Regiment, för his lecture before members of the Volunteer Reserve Association at the City Hall on Feb. 16.
Governor, Sir H. S. Berkeley, Hon. Mr. Gers- Amongst those present were H.E. the hom Stewart, Rev. C. H. Hickling Sgt. Major Higby and Messrs. W. H.T. Davis, E. A. Hewett, H. H. J. Gomp rtz, J. H. Michael and the Hon. Capt. Barnes Lawrence.
Sir H. S. Berkeley, in introducing the
lecturer, mentioned that the members of the Association now numbered 136.
The LECTURER mentioned that there were many considerations involved in the tum of 'fire tactics" such as the manoeuvring of troops into positions so that the firing would have the maximum effect on the enemy with the mini- mum of losses to themselves. By manoeuvrin - in
in
This end
the
Was
the
of
were: an
presence of the enemy ther ws one end
view-that
acquisition However he profited very little from the excur. sion and felt the end coming on very rapidly. positions from which firing could be more He felt very bad since August last and return-accurately directed than that of the enemy's. ed to Mania last January and there died. Ke
was obtained by varied means, most important of which died 11 days after his arrival in Manila.
intelligent use of ground; mutual support between different units; selection of objective; correct estimation of ranges and careful observs- tion of firing and concentration of fire, and discretion of the firing employed. These were chiefly the duties of the officers, but concerned the un-commissioned officers in a lesser degree. Many people held the opinion that troops took cover entirely to avoid being hurt themselves. This was not the object. All cover was utilised so that the largost number of rifles might be used for a last attack. The obje t of covering fire was chiefly to demoralise the enemy and spoil his sim on that portion on which he Was actually moving forward. Firs used in covering troops shop'd be of great intensity during the time the froo, s were getting over ground, sud this should be lessened as they get en and open fire themselves. The support of one part of a firing line to another great value, because the fire is oblique and converging. A covering fire must be kept up by the reserves and supports until the assailing troops are almost in the enemy's position, otherwise the enemy may sit safely under cover and rise and deliver a crushing fire
James Cork, private in the second battalion R.W.K., deposed; I was on sentry duty on the 7th inst. at Murray Barracks. Deceased entered by the Western gate between eleven and twelve o'clock with private Taylor. I could not say whether he was sober when he entered, As I was walking up and down on sentry duty the following morning, I heard something upsetting on the verandah, and on looking up saw a figure falling. It caught on the telephone wires and then fell to ground. I shouted to the sergeant of the guard, and when a light was brought recognised the body as that of private Hicks. He appeared at first to be gasping for breath; then he started breathing heavily. The arsetting of the form was the first noise I heard on the verandah.
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