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226
HONGKONG'S DISTINGUISHED
VISITORS.
THE REGENT'S BROTHER AND ADMIRAL BAH,
-:
About 8.30 on Wednesday morning the booming ofa Royal salute announced to residents that the Chinese cruiser Haichi, accompanied by the gunboat Haishin, had arrived from Foo- chow with Prince Tsai-Hsun and Admiral Sah on board, and the greatest interest was at once manifested in the doings of the distinguished visitors. The cruiser and gunboat, mentioned were not the only representatives of the Chinese navy, there being other ships in attendance flying the yellow dragon. One was recognised as the old Pochohontas, which has been trans- formed at Whampoa into a training ship. The Chinese warships as well as those of
other nationalities in the harbour were all decorated in honour of the occasion, and in the city itself the Chinese flag flaunted from a number of premises, in many places being side by side with the British flag..
Great disappointment was occasioned by a report that the Prince and the Admiral would not make an official landing. In ex- pectation of this a dense crowd of Chinese had gathered in the vicinity of Blake Pier, and though they learned that the visitors would not come ashore till late in the afternoon many re- mained in the neighbourhood. The official land- ing, it was said, would not take place because of the members of the Imperial Family being still in mourning, but the report proved incorrect. At four o'clock the Prince and Admiral came ashore and made an official call on His Ex- cellency at Government House. His Imperial Highness was received on landing by a guard of honour of the Buffs, consisting of 100 rank and file, and a salute of 21 guns was fired from the shore battery. His Excellency the Governor His Imperial Highness' call at Glenealy Building at 5 o'clock.
returned
Later His Imperial Highness and the Admiral proceeded to the Ko Shing Theatre, where they were entertained to a banquet by the Chinese community, over which Mr. Lau Chu Pak pre- sided, The rather bare interior of the theatre was transformed by the skill and taste of the dekorators employed, and the effect was re- markable, the floral adornments and the display of flags combining to produce a bright and beautiful picture There was a big attendance and the proceedings were most interesting.
A large table was placed in the centre of the theatre. One side was reserved for the Prince and the others whe sat, there were the Admiral, the commanders, members of the suite and Mr. Lau Chu Pak. At the entrance to the building the distinguished visitors were met by members of the Reception Committee and after they had been shown the platform Mr. Lau Chu Pak said a few words of welcome. The visitors were each handed a cup of tea, and the ceremony of bowing to the Prince and the Admiral took place, His Royal Highness and Admiral Sah bowing their acknowledgments. The company then sat down to dinner and in an interval the address was given.
The address delivered by Mr. Lau Chu Pak, as
approved by the members of the Reception Com mittee, was as follows:-"His Royal Highness Prince Hsun and His Excellency Admiral Sah on their way to inspect, under Imperial instruc- tion, the various ports on the China sea coust, pass through Hongkong on the 24th day of the first year of the reign of Hsun Tung. Now that the remotest waterways of China are being opened up, it necessitates the planning out and the opening up of the maritime provinces. Upon the strength of the Navy the stability of the nation rests. It is, therefore, one of the urgent needs of the day that China should include in her programme of reform the reconstruction of her Navy. The visit of His Royal Highness, an enterprising man in the prime of youth, and the nearest relation of the Imperial Family, aided by such an experienced and highly patriotic officer as Admiral Sah, should be productive of good results. The Chinese mer- chants during their sojourn in this corner of the seaboard of China naturally take an interest in what is transpizing on the mainland, and are much gratified by the movement on foot. This ordinary dinner is given by them as a token of esteem for the distinguished visitors.'
32
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The address concluded with quotations wishing the Prince and the Admiral every success and happiness.
The Prince's reply was read by Captain Ching of the Haichi who said that the Prince and the Admiral had been ordered by the Throne to take steps to reform the Navy and to make a cruise around the northern and southern provinces. His Royal Highness was pleased to be received by so many Chinese merchants in Hongkong. They were agreed that the reform of the Navy as they were was necessary step, and so loyal and kind he felt sure they would work together to reform the navy. all To do so they must raise funds and secure docks, They wanted officers and but that was not all. they wanted men, and he hoped the authorities and the people would work together to achieve the end they had in view.
a
[September 13, 1909,
The Prince and Admiral returned on board shortly afterwards, and a salute was fired at five o'clock as they were leaving the harbour.
The Chinese Navy musters some half a dozen cruisers and a larger number of gunboats, but it can only be regarded as the nucleus of the future naval fighting force of the Empire, Haichi is perhaps the most modern The
She is more than ten years of the cruisers. old, but looks quite serviceable. Admiral Sah, who was trained in the British Navy, has his little force well trained, and the tars are very smart and business-like in their movements. The Admiral, dark -complexioned, slimly built, smartly-uniformed, is not typical of the bluff sailor. He is most gentlemanly and urbane, and he gives place to no one in his admiration for the British. He was born in 1849.
The Prince and Admiral left the theatre The Prince and the Admiral are to give effect before nine o'clock and went on board. They to the findings of the Commission in reference were expected to leave for Canton shortly to the preliminary reorganization of the Chinese afterwards.
Navy. The Commission consisted of the Pre- Prince Hsun and Admiral Sah left Hongkong|sident of the Council, the Ministers of War, about midnight on Wednesday on board the Finance, and Home Affairs, and Admiral Sa- cruiser Haishin bound for Whampoa and Canton, chen-ping. The recommendations were that His Royal Highness created a good impression there shall be regarded as if in commission at here by receiving a body of Chinese merchants present, four cruisers, 16 torpedo-boats, ten before granting an audience to the officials from Yangtsze Canton.
River gunboats, 21 coast patrol vessels, and four training ships. They are to bé examined, and if found unserviceable to be put out of commission. The naval base is to be Nimrod Sound. There will also be four naval schools; a navigation school for 320 cadets at Chefoo, an engineering school for 300 at Wham- poa, a school for naval artificers at Foochow a superior naval college at Peking, besides a gunnery and musketry school in Nimrod Sound. he four existing dockyards are to be reorganized and equipped, as that at Kiangnan is already, for outside mercantile work-namely, at Wham- poa, Kiangnan, near Shanghai, Foochow and Taku. The Naval Department is to have con- trol of the coast defence.
His Royal Highness Prince Hsun and His Excellency Admiral ah, having made their visit to Whampoa, where they inspected the forts and afterwards visited the military college there and subsequently visited Canton, returned to Hongkong on Friday on board the cruiser Haichi, which was accompanied by the Haishin and other warships flying the Chinese flag.
It was expected that the distinguished visitors would make an official landing at: 12.30, but they did not come ashore until 130, when a royal salute was fired from the land battery. At Blake Pier they were received by a guard of A Naval and Military Advisory Board has honour furnished by the Buffs. The band was been created. This is a step towards creating also in attendance and played appropriate music an Imperial Navy under one central control, and as the Prince and the Admiral stepped ashore. discontinuing the present obsolete system of They entered chairs and were escorted to Gov-four naval sections under the separate Viceroys ernment House, where they were received by of Canton, Nanking, Foochow, and Tientsin, His Excellency Sir Frederick Lugard Lun- The money at present allotted for the mainten- cheon was given there in hongur of the ance of the navy is divided among these four distinguished visitors, those invited including: Viceroys, and much is diverted to other uses. His Excellency Kao Erh Chien, Captain Wu, with the result that the navy is not what it Kwong Tsung, Commodore Lyon, Lieut. ought to be. Blanchflower, His Excellency Colonel Darling, Captain Stewart, Hon. Mr. P.N.H. Jones, Mr. H. Harris, Hon. Sir Henry Berkeley, K.C., Hon. Mr. McI. Messer, Sir Paul Chater, Hon. Mr. E.A. Hewett, Hon. Mr. A.W. Brewin, Cap- tain Badeley, Hon. Dr. Ho Kai, Hon. Wei Yuk. Hon. Mr.W. J. Gresson, Mr. Mr. Justice Gom- pertz, Hon. Mr. E. Osborne, Hon. Murray Stewart, Mr. D. R. Law, Mr. J. R. M. Smith, Mr. Lau Chu Pak, Mr. Ng Li Hing and Toatai Wan.
D
After luncheon His EXCELLENCY proposed the toast
"The King," which was loyally received.
HIS EXCELLENCY afterwards proposed the toast of His Imperial Majesty the Em- peror of China," and in doing so said: We have to-day the pleasure and privilege of welcoming His Highness, who, as President of the Board of Admiralty, in which large office he succeeds his illustous father, Prince Chun, is visiting the seaboard of China and is about to proceed to Europe to study naval matters. In the past, as in the present, our nation has ever been ready to assist China in training her naval officers, and we have with us to-day, in the person of Admiral Sah, a very distinguished naval officer who began his naval education in Great Britain. I am glad that the first foreign community to welcome His Royal Highness in his tour is a British Colony, and we can all assure him of a most cordial welcome and of assistance in his projects when he visits England. I propose to you the health of his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of China, and I ask you to couple with it the name of His Royal Highness and to wish him success on a pleasant voyage.
HIS IMPERIAL HIGHNESS in his reply said that as Great Britain had the best navy, they wished to study naval matters in that country. He reciprocated the sentiments expressed. Taotai Wan interpreted the speeches
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H. M. S. "CLIO" DAMAGED IN
COLLISION.
|
The Chinese Commercial S. N. Company's steamer Hsing Shun last week at Shanghai collided with and damaged H. M. S. Clio, which was moored to the senior naval bugy at the time. The mishap occurred at about 1.20, when the Hsing Shun was proceeding up river, having arrived from northern ports. The Hsing Shun rounded Pootung Point and came over towards the Shanghai side of the river, A strong spring tide was running at the time and the steamer had very little way on. Consequently she drifted down stream considerably and in the direction of the Clio. It was apparent when the two vessels were some distance apart that a collision was inevitable, despite the fact that the Hsing Shun's engines were set full speed astern. The look out on the Clio reported the impending disaster and the crew were hastily summoned, to get out collision mats in an endeavour to minimise the force of the impact. The preparations were well under way before the crash occurred, and although the steps taken no doubt saved both vessels from serious injury, yet the impact was sufficient, to carry away the Clio's jibboom, as well as a portion of her head gear, and to damage the bridge, deck stanchions | and other ironwork of the Hsing Shun.
On getting clear of the man of war the steamer anchored, but a few minutes later she steamed up river to her berth near the Chinese city.
Fortunately the mishap was unattended with loss of life. It will probably be remembered that a collision between the steamer Hanping and H. M. S. Flora under almost identical cir- cumstances took place last year, the Hanping being beached on the Pootung shore and subse- quently raised by the Dock Company.-Shang- hai Times.
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