November 28, 1208.)
CHINA ASSOCIATION.
ANNUAL DINNER IN LONDON.
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]
London, October 28.
The annual dinner of the China Association was held last night in the the Whitehall Rooms of the Hotel Metropole. It was largely attended and compared well with all previous gatherings of the Association. Most of the familiar faces connected with the Association were there, and some also not so often seen in London,
The members and guests were received by the President, Mr. J. H. Scott, before the dinner. The dining hall was tastefully decorated with a display of Japanese chrysanthemums and behind the ohairman's seat the flags of Great Britain, China and Japan were entwined.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT
389
Robertson, W. 8. Robilliard, J. Roselli, H. J. I roll (Applause.) Many of the members we Rothwell, J. Lunge. E. W. Butter, C. V. Sale, souttanding commercial men associated with George Sale, V. M. Sale, F. Salinger. H. Salin | China, Governors who had been engaged with ger, E. D. Sanders, P. Savile, B. C. G. Scott, the administration of Hongkong, and all sorts T. P. Searight, W. Shakspeare, C. 8. Sharp, and conditions of men who had spent a great W. H. Shelford. H. J. Shepard, J. M. Shields, portion of their lives in China J. Silverston, G. Mackrill Smith, P. Y. Smith, the
It was Frank Souter, N. J. Stabb, E. A. Stanton, A.
parent Society and WAS supported P. Stokes, Frank O. Stuart, John Swire, Sir times, in Hongkong, Shanghai, Tientsin, and in the East by branches formed at diferent Henry Tanner, J. M. Taylor, J. H. Teesdale, Japan. By those branches the committee was C. Temperley J. Temperley. J. Tetley. A B. kept in touch with all that was going on in Tomkins, B. G. Tours, A. M. Townsend, F. F. China, and facts as to commerce and trade with Turner, George T. Veitch, Fred Ward, J. C. this country were kept up to date. Nothing in Ward, W. C. Ward, Dr. James Watson. A. G. any way affecting their interests in China was M. Weale, D. Wehrschmidt, Joseph Welch, E. neglected by the Committee: anything brought 8. Whealler, H. Whistler, A. F. White, H. C. Wilcox, R. C. Wilcox, H. Wilcockson. A. J.
before them by the branches was taken up by the Committee at once and everything was done to Williams, James Wilson, J. Denniston Wilson, | forward the view of those on the spot in China V. DO. Wintle, Carl Wolter, A. G. Wood, Dr. and Japan. E. Wood, Thomas Worthington, G. M. Young. the capable men who had succeeded the first He thought that in the hands of
and He was perfectly certain that those who came officials of the Association they could rely on the Association continuing to prosper-(Applause)— after would look back and regard with apprecia- tion the benefit that had been done by those who had the happy idea of starting the Association (Applause). Instead of listening to longer speeches it was better to leave time for friendly conversa- disagreed with that view he hoped they would tion afterwards—(Loud applauses),—and if some give him credit for being whole-hearted in his belief
on that head-(Applause).-He had already had an opportunity of shaking hands years, and it was with a keen sense of pleasure with many men whom he had not seen for many that he met them.
and A. Zimmern.
Γ
honoured on the call of the CHAIRMAN, Mr. J. After the usual loyal toasts had been duly H. Scorr gave the toast of Prosperity to the China Association."
the
Taken all round, the gathering was a great success, though there were воще awkward moments due to the determination of certain speakers to make long orations, despite the example and the appeal of the Chairman, who
He said it had been the practice of many of asked that the speeches should be short 80
the gentlemen who had filled that chair on that there would be more time for conversation. previous occasions to review at some length, in His scheme went all agley, and he was clearly that had engaged the attention of the committee proposing that toast, the more important matters displeased about it.
Supporting Mr. Scott at the Chairman's during the year. That example he did not table were
Sir Robert Hart, Sir Thoma, intend to follow (Applause)-for he held the Jackson, Sir Henry Blake, Sir Cecil C. Smith. opinion that assemblies of that kind were General Sir Alfred Gaselee, Sir Charles P.
intended to be social functions. They were Lucas, Admiral Sir Gerard Noel, Sir Francis intended to afford an opportunity for members Campbell, Sir Alfred Dent, General Sir O'Moore of the Association to foregather with those they Creagh, Bir Montagu Turner, Sir Edward knew in the Far East and to cement and renew Fithian, Dr Eccles, Messrs Henniker Heaton, the friends then formed. (Applause). Further. M. P., T. H. Whitehead, W. Ryle Wright, W.
He thought that the business part of Langley, H. Harrison, H. Hodge, R. S. Gundry.
Association was better dealt with at the annual Admiral Swinton, C. Holland. Captain T. D. meeting and that the business that had been Jackson, Gershom Stewart, H. Pinckney. Byron done during the ear should be commented upon Brenan, V. F. Brady, H. B. Morse, W. Cart- by the chairman at that annual meeting. Such wright, E. R. P. Moon, A. Diosy, W. H. Tottie, being the case he would not detain them long. while at other tables were W. Adamson, C. 8. but it might be useful to give a few facts and Addis, T. F. Agar, C. G. Alabaster, H. J. Allen, figures that went to show that the Association B. F. Alston, L. Anderson, Alexander Anderson, had been prosperous. (Applanse) Some twenty T. C. Anderson, A. G. Angier, R. C. Antrobus, years ago it occurred to a certain number of late F. L. Baker, J. J. F. Bandinel, A. J. Barry, Sir residents in China, prominent among them John Wolfe Barry, K. Wolfe Barry, Montague being Sir Alfred Dent, Mr. William Keswick, Beart, H. N. Belchier, C. Peto Bennett, F. C.
and Mr. Gundry, that it would be desirable to Bishop, W. C. Bishop, R. Blackwell, Robert H. found a Society to bring together old residents Boyce, Vice-Admiral Sir G. T. B. Boyes, H. R. in China, so that they might meet and Boyd, H. F. Brady, A. S. Bremner, George
renew their friendships and keep in touch Brown, Sir John McLeary Brown. Neilage with the country where they had spent Brown, Thomas Brown, J. Brownhill, Robert H.
many years. The result. of their efforts Bruce, H. G. Bunting, H. Fulford Bush, culminated in & dinner, a China
Dinner, Alexander Campbell, A. St. Clair Campbell, A held in the beginning of March, 1889, and at R. Catlin, George Cawston, W. Chalmers, W. G. which some 130 gentlemen connected with China Clarke, J. W. Craik, S. W. Crapnell, W, A..
.were present. As a result of that dinner the Cruickshank, F. A. Cumming, J. F. Canning. Association was formed and put upon good lines ham, G. Davies, L. R. Davies, P. V. Davies, 8. of working. At a meeting held shortly after its Kennard Davis, J. N. Dawson, Herbert Dent, formation the committee was chosen and it elec T. M. Dermer, W. W. Dickinson, C. W ted Mr. William Keswick as Chairman, and Mr. Dickson, F. D'Iffanger, R. P. Dipple, G. B. Gundry very kindly undertook the honorary Dodwell, Sir Charles Dudgeon, F. B. Hastwood, secretaryship (Applause) It was needless for Gustav Eckhardt, N. J. Ede, Albert Ellis, E, him to tell them of the good work done by those G. Evans, John Ewart, G. V. Fiddes, W. Fisher. gentlemen during the twelve or fifteen years in J. M. Flanagan, M. Fletcher, H. G. Forbes, Colin which they were engaged with it in those M. Ford, E. Gamman, A. S. Garfit, Anthony capacities. (Applause). The all knew that George, W. Gibson, J. Gilfillan, S. Gilfillan, it was almost solely due to the devotion James Graham, G. L. Grattan, R. M. Gray, H. and hard work cone by Mr. Gundry that the A. Gwynne, E. H. Hancock, H. S. Hancock, E. Association had attained the position in A. Hankey, J. C. Hanson, J. S. Happer, J. R. occupied at present (Applause)—for he did not Harding, Horace G. Harwood, William Harwood
think if they had searched the whole wide A. H. Heath, C. R. W. Heath, A. E. Hippisley, world they could have found a man more emi- A. V. Hogg, T. A. Holland, Edgar J. Houle, nently equipped for the position than Mr. Sam Hughes, E. L. Hunter, H. E. R. Hunter. Gundry. He was imbued with China from his George Jamieson, J. W. Jamieson, G. F.
crown to his feet and what he did not know Johnson, Dr. J. Johnson, H. H. Joseph, Wal- about the subject was not worth knowing. It ter Judd, Henry Keswick, William Keswick, was owing to him that they had attained a M.P., C. H. King, H. Kopsch, J. E. Dick standing with a great Government Department, Lauder, F. Leyburn, A. D. Lowe, J. M. for to that end he had devoted all his energy, Macdonald, J. J. Macgregor, James McIsaac, tact and knowledge. Well, the Association Charles Mackintosh, J. S. Mackintosh, Frank
was rapidly getting out of its stage of infancy, Maitland, J. A. Maitland, Major Maitland, C. for he might tell them their next dinner would E. Marshall, F. J. Marshall, F. J. Mayers, celebrate their coming of age (Applause). J, R. Michael. J. D. Monro, H. S. Morriss. They would agree with him that the Association Henry Morriss, J. K. Morrison, F. P. Nathan.
was not merely a healthy infant, but would P. Nazer, E. C. Nesbitt, R. De Neufville, develop into a rery powerful manhood. The C. Norris, A. C. Oliphant, J. Orange, E membership of the Association had steadily in sborne, John H. Osborne, E. H. Oxley, creased. At the end of the first year there were M Palmer, A. Paterson, Joseph W110 members only. That number grew and in Pozo J. H. Perry, W. H. Poate, G. H. Potts, five
years there were over three hundred HPound, Hon. C. H. Rason, W. E. Reeve, members. At the end of the tenth year they C.Reichardt, Dr. D. J. Reid, John Richards, had 550 members, and at present he was glad to R. L. Richardson, H. W. Robertson, W. Bruce I report that they had a thousand members on the
winding up with a
The toast was drunk with great enthusiasm,
Tiger.
There was no
response to the toast.
Mr. GERSHOM STEWART said the ruling of the chairman as to the brevity of speeches placed him in a difficult position, but then he was pro- posing the toast of the Association and naturally was modest. But he (the speaker) had to prot pose the health of the Guests and might be given
a little more latitude.
him to the last man every member of the As- He felt he had behind sociation when he proposed the toast. Whatever differences of opinion they might have, they from China were united to the core when it came to hospitality-(Applause). It was a legacy that had been handed down to them, and seed had been sown on good ground, so that the work was still going on and the lamp of hospitality was still burning brightly. When he received the list of guests he could not help feeling a justifiable pride that their gathering attracted such distinguished company. It would only
be making trouble for himself if he talked of the eminence of these gentlemen, or especially mentioned any where all were of such transcendant merit. The Japanese, who studied procedure and ceremony, placed the warriors Brst, the agriculturists second and then last of all came the merchants and the traders- (Laughter).
With the British he believed those who attended to the business of the next world, the clergy, came first, then the officers of the civil administration, then the warriors, and the rest nowhere (Laughter). He grieved to see that the first class was not well repre- sented that night, but after the devout and and earnest way the chairman had said grace it could only be added that their place had been well filled-(Laughter). In regard to the civil administrators he saw gentlemen responsible in their high positions. an array of for the government of the country. As he might not have an opportunity of gathering so many of them together again he was going to rush in where angels feared to tread and combine a little business with pleasure He would say a word in their ear in confidence, especially those gentlemen concerned with the Board of Trade. He wished to ask their good offices in certain possible circumstances. He was not going to throw the apple of discord into that happy throng or criticise what was a law, actual or in the making. It was still in the clouds, and long might it remain there. In the debate on the last Budget a certain mem- ber, a very clever and persuasive member made the novel and unpleasent suggestion that the income tax on money invested in foreign coun tries should be increased. That, he felt, would come home to many members of the Association round those tables-Hear, hear). It was a