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Eshoot from Houg Hoap Daily Press of 20th bonumber 1803
CHINESE PRESENTATION TO LADY BLAKE,
TWO SCHOLARSHIPS FOR BONGKONG. A presentation of a number of valuable enrios was made to Lady Blake at Government House yesterday, hey comprised three bronzes (ona incense-burner and two vasus) 800 years old, two blue and white china Kang Ili dynasty vases, one vase of the Yung Ching dynasty, one pair of Kin Leaug dynasty vases, two pieces of i old embroidery (one a soreen sud the other a cover), and two carved ivories, one of which is of 18 stages (one balt inside another. In addition to H.E. and Lady Blake there were present Sir John Keane. Mr. R. F. Jehuston, Acting Clerk of Councils, Mr. Rumjuba, the Hou. Dr. Ho Kai, Hon. Wei Yuk, Messrs Fung Wa Chan, Lau Chu Pak, Ho Fook, Chan Sia Ke, Wei Or, Un Lai Chuen, Tang Lou Kop, Ta ig Lau Chuon, Wong Kum Fuk, Chow Hing Ki, Yeang Pin Shan, Lai Shun Hní, U Hai Chow, Li Pk, Chow Foon Ng, and Chan Chok Ping, The deputation was received in the ball room, when first of all Master Wei Yuk presented Lady Blake with a bouquet.
Hon. Dr. Ho Kai then stepped forward and said :-On behalf of your many Chinese friends and admirers is this Colony I have the distinguished honour to-day to present a few articles for your gracious acceptance. The articles in themselves are not of very great value, but they are presented to yon by your Chinese friends more as a token of their esteem and of their regard and affection, your Ladyship. On the eve of your departure for Ceylon your Chilese friends have felt that very shortly they are about to lose the society not only of a great and charming lady, but a sympathetic and kind personal friond. (Applause). They have received many acts of kindness from your hands. They have received your profuse hospitality at Governmout House, and you have always taken a very lively and kindly interest in them and their affairs both indivi- dually, and as a community and a nation. They feel that in you they bare a sympathi- ser, a friend and a guide, and the Chinese and their families have also received much kindness at your hands. The articles are the products of the art, industry, and manufactures of China. They will serve to rewind you when you are far away from us in Ceylon, or at your home in Ireland, that you have many affectionate friends among the Chinese in the far eastern Colony of Hongkong, and they further will remind you of your five years' residence in this Colony amongst us. (Applause). I need not recount the many kindnesses that yon bare shown your Chi- nese friends here, but suffice it to say your kind- nose, courtesy, and your consideration, and the sympathetic interest you have taken in them, in their families, and in their social affairs, have so endeared you to them that they shall ever cherish the memory of you all through their life (applause. They hope that when you are away from them that you may be reminded of them, and they also desire to wish you and your noble husband, H.D. the Gover- nor, a very prosperous and happy future life. Your Chinese friends, therefore, beg that your Ladyship will accept these articles. (Applause).
Lady BLAKE in response said-There is an old saying that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh," but I am sorry to say that I cannot agree with that saying this morning, for much as I feel I have no words to express my gratitude for your kindness and my admiration for your gifts To me it is not only a pleasure but a privilege to have made so many friends amongst the Chinese, and as I believe that when one is far away one can still be with those one cares for in spirit, my spirit will always be with you. In years to some I look forward to see many of you in our home in Ireland. I thank you with all my heart for these pressuts, and I can nono of them were needed to assure me of assure you that your regard and sincerity (applause),
Dr. Ho KAI then addressed Sir Henry Blake as follows:-May I now take this opportunity, your Excellency, to address to you a few words?
At the request the leading men of the Chinese community, I have to ask yồng kind approval of the foundation of two scholarships to be named after your Excellency; the one is to be allotted to the Queen's College and the other to the College for Medicine for the Chinese. Both will be awarded annually. The Chinese have further requested me to request your approval of the painting of a portait of your hxcellency and the placing it in the hall of the new wing of the Tung Wa Hospital. By there acts the Chinese community desire to perpetuate your Excellency's memory, and to hand it down to posterity and future genera- ticns. I can assure your Excellency that with the present Chinese community in this Colony they need 110 such measures to keep your name green in their memory (applause). They have thoroughly appreciat- ed your Excellency's kindness to than and they can never forgot your Ex- cellency's most wise, just, benevolent, and sympathetic administration during the five years that have just gone by. This is rather an iden of theirs to band down to posterity something associated with your Excelleney's name, that future generations many recall to mind that for the period of five years your Excellency had administered the Government of Hongkong so successfully, not only to the boneft of the Chi- nese, but also of all sections of the commnuity alike (applause). The present generation of Chinese fully realise what your Excellency has been to them, and they cannot forget for a mo- mert, even if they would, your "Excellency's high qualities as aŭ administrator and a friend. They have to-day, therefore, met to express their feelings in the matter, not because they have not already done so, but because on the eve of your departure for Ceylon they wish to obtain your approval to what they consider to be a privilege for them to do applause). Your Excellency's acts of administration I need not hore refer to, because they have been fully set forth in two documents, one of which has been brought to the notice of oven His Most Grac- ions Majesty the King and received his approval and expressions of satisfaction. The feeling of the Chinese towards your Excel eucy found expression in the address which I had the honour to present to yon last year, just previous to your departure for Bugland on a ; holiday, and I can assure your Excellency to | day that those sentiments have never been diminished but if anything have become much more intensified, and to-day I am authorised to say that there is snarcely one among the Chinese community in Hongkong who does not know and does not esteem your Excellency for the many wise and sympathetic actions that have so characterised the five years of your administration of the affairs of this Colony. I have formally to ask for your Excellency's sanction for the two proposals which I have just mentioned, and I hope your Excellency will agree to them, and I can also assure your Excolteney that they will receive that approval with the greatest pleasure, and they also wish to assure your Excellency of their continued and lasting esteem and affection. (Applause).
HIS EXCELLENCY said:-There is no request that you could have addressed to me that has so gratified me or that I approve of with grea er pleasure, than that which you have made to me to-any, and that is, to have the honour of having my name associated with two scholarships in this Colony. Your re- ferene to my administration is exceedingly gratifying, and I can now say that I have sometimes felt surprise at the depth of feeling on the part of the Chineso community, because so far as my acts are concerned I have done nothing more than any other representativı of the King in the same position here, and that is to show every-consideration and justice to every
section of the community that helps to pash the Colony forward into the position in which it stands at present (applause). I have governed portions of almost every race of the world. My experience goes from North America to the West Indian Islands and now to the Far East. Every man speaks of his own experience, and I can say that a more law-abiding or more easily-governed people than the Chinese in Hongkong I have never met with,