The address was then handed to His Excellency by Mr. Bell-Irving. The address, which is printed on parchment with signatures, has been bound in book form. The book is about two feet long by one foot wide and about half an inch in thickness, and is handsomely bound in purple silk plush.
THE CHINESE DAY PROCESSION.
A procession of enormous length and unparalleled brilliance was organised by our Chinese fellow citizens, which started on its devious way about nine o'clock in the morning on Wednesday, and it was well on in the afternoon before it had traversed the route marked out, including all the principal thoroughfares, when tired and well-nigh exhausted it split into sections and dispersed. This prodigious procession was exactly three hours passing a given point, a fact that will give some idea of its magnitude.
It consisted of innumerable banners, many beautifully embroidered with gold, a number of splendid official umbrellas similarly worked, numerous historical, theatrical, and mythological personages and scenes, flags, hunting weapons, &c. &c. There were over a hundred ponies in the procession, their riders, boys and girls, representing various Chinese warriors, statesmen, hunters, mandarins, and other noted personages in the reign of former dynasties.
It included two magnificent dragons, constructed for the occasion, the size and length of which may be judged by the fact that they required 180 bearers each, including reliefs; their costliness may be imagined when we add that each bearer's silk and embroidered dress cost $30. There were twenty-four full bands and thirty-six minor bands, many of the latter consisting of boy musicians. As a novelty on this occasion, there was also a band of musicians from Manila.
The total cost of this unique and striking Oriental pageant was, we are informed, between $70,000 and $80,000, of which amount the Fish Guild and Meat Guild contributed $15,000 each. The costly embroidered banners, which bear suitable inscriptions commemorative of the Jubilee, are all to be presented to the Queen.
The procession was remarkably well organised and conducted, considering its stupendous dimensions, and is a gratifying evidence of loyalty and appreciation of British rule that does the Chinese of Hongkong immense credit and lasting honour. At a low estimate, not less than four thousand persons took part in this procession.
THE NAVAL SALUTE.
At noon, a Royal Salute was fired by the men-of-war in harbour. This part of the proceedings was unfortunately marred by a sad accident; two men on board the British sloop Mutine meeting their death and another being seriously injured by an accident with one of the guns.
In connection with this lamentable affair, a pathetic incident is related. When the injured men were being attended to at the Naval Hospital, Goodman, the survivor, who it is feared will lose his sight, when he was being attended to said - "Do not mind me; look after those others. I have a wife at home whom I shall never see again with these eyes, but for all that God bless the Queen!"
REVIEW OF THE TROOPS BY THE GOVERNOR.
Long before the hour appointed for the review - five o'clock - people began to take up their positions eager to secure a good place from which to view the ceremony. A return to a former arrangement was made on this occasion; a space inside the Parade Ground railings behind the saluting point and extending for some distance having been cut off by means of stakes and ropes, and chairs placed in this enclosure, to which respectable Europeans were admitted.
This was greatly appreciated by those Europeans, who, not being officials, had on the occasion of the review on the 21st June to crowd with the lower-class Chinese, who always attend these reviews in very large numbers. The troops were ranged in a long column, two deep, extending from the top of the Parade Ground to the further end of the Cricket Ground.
At the Cricket Ground end, the Gun Lascars with six seven-pounder mountain guns were drawn up at right angles to the column. The troops on the ground were in all upwards of one thousand strong and were divided into three battalions. Two of the battalions were composed of the men of the Northamptonshire Regiment, under the command, respectively, of Colonel Anderson and Major Ellis, and the third was composed of Artillery and Engineers, who were commanded by Major Brooke, R.E., the whole force being under the command of H.E. Major-General Cameron.
Exactly at the stroke of five, His Excellency the Governor arrived, accompanied by his private secretary, Mr. Slingsby Bethell, and was received by H.E. Major-General Cameron and Staff. The troops then, at the command of Major-General Cameron, gave the Royal Salute, after which H.E. Sir William Des Vœux inspected the assembled troops.
His Excellency having returned and taken up his position at the saluting point, the Gun Lascars fired a salute of seven guns. This was followed by the firing of a feu de joie by the troops, after which the band played a few bars of "God Save the Queen." This was repeated twice, thus completing the salute of twenty-one guns. At the call of Major-General Cameron, the men then gave three hearty cheers for Her Majesty.
The troops were then formed into columns, with their respective officers at their heads, and starting from the top of the Parade Ground marched past and saluted His Excellency. They then marched back in quarter-columns, again saluting, and finally marched past and saluted a third time, this time in lines of columns. They then marched to their original positions but in close order, so that the whole of the troops were drawn up on the Parade Ground.
The whole then marched some thirty yards forward, halted, and gave the general salute, after which they marched back into the barracks.
THE CHINESE NIGHT PROCESSION.
Shortly after seven o'clock, the night procession organised by the Chinese commenced its perambulations through the principal streets. It was of a considerable length and took about three-quarters of an hour to pass this office.
There were several bands of music, numerous transparencies of all shapes and sizes, some very excellent, notably one representing a Canton Flower Boat, but the best were those of different kinds of fishes. Two illuminated dragons of great size formed the principal feature of this spectacular display, which excited great interest among the Chinese.
Though novel and amusing, this procession was, of course, nothing like so imposing as the miles of resplendent colour, gold, and glitter which defiled through the city in the morning.
THE ILLUMINATIONS.
Taken as a whole, and viewed either from the heights, from the east, or from the water, the illuminations were at once imposing and effective. Naturally, the most dazzling display was that made in the centre of the town, and it was best visible from the placid waters of the harbour, on which numerous steam-launches, freighted with residents, and gleaming with lanterns, appearing like argosies decked with strings of pearls from stem to stern, moved slowly to and fro, sometimes in processions.
Stately merchant steamers outlined in red or white showed gracefully on the water. Immediately after sunset, the work of lighting up commenced, and almost before darkness had set in, the noble proportions of the City Hall and Hongkong and Shanghai Bank were outlined in fire against the still rosy sky.
By eight o'clock, nearly all the chief buildings, hongs, and houses were lit up, and a great ... was seen.
Page 531