and, long before they commenced their City Hall, they could count upwards of two millions of tons of Foreign shipping entering and leaving yearly their magnificent harbor, independent of thousands of native craft frequenting their waters, and which, he was happy to say, despite of all prophecies to the contrary, were now as numerous as ever. (Hear, hear.) In fact, Hongkong had become the indispensable turning corner of the great commerce of the East, and its position must continue to centralise in itself, as it was now doing with great American Pacific steamers, the most important lines of traffic round China, whether to the West or the North. He would, however, pass from this to another point of view in which they might regard the event of that day, as possessing a very special significance.
It must be admitted that a combination of circumstances had rendered the last two years disastrous and depressing to the commercial interests of the community; and though the general trade of China, exceeding annually a commerce of 100 millions with all countries, still existed, and was extending, or rather might be regarded as almost in its infancy as yet, nevertheless individuals had suffered and great mercantile depression had resulted. The year 1865 had also been particularly unhealthy, though its exceptional circumstances did not justify the absurd opinion entertained in England of the average climate; and writers in the Times would have found their statements pleasantly refuted if they could have passed the last few months here, and enjoyed a climate preferable in most respects to that of a London winter. (Hear, hear.) Then again, it was but recently that the explosion of their powder depot had shaken their walls and nerves.
Yet with so much to depress, that day had nevertheless witnessed the community, unaided by Government or by anything except by enduring pluck and self-reliance, laying the foundation of the largest and most costly edifice yet attempted to be raised in this part of the world. (Hear, hear.) That was a good practical refutation of the notion that Hongkong residents had ever thought an exodus from the city feasible or desirable, and if their Macao friends had indulged in any sanguine hope of seeing them return there, they must now feel very much as Hannibal felt, who, having inflicted on the Romans at Cannae the most disastrous defeat ever suffered by any people, marched against Rome, to besiege it, and was astonished to learn that the very ground on which his victorious army was encamped was being then sold at extravagant prices in the Roman Forum—(cheers and laughter).
There was similar Roman self-reliance here, for he was glad to inform them that many applications had been recently made to Government for land, and he did not doubt that ere long the old prices would be realised. As for the building, the first stone of which had been laid that day, he did not hesitate to say that, if completed, there would not be, with three or four exceptions at the utmost, any edifice in Her Majesty's colonies so commodious and so thoroughly adapted to its intended objects, and not one more elegant in its design. (Hear, hear.) It would comprise at once the means of meeting and adequately satisfying long-existing wants. There would be space and room for a large Library, a Museum, Chamber of Commerce, Hall for Public Assemblies, Ball Room, Supper Room, and Theatre, all under one roof. The plans of the building were suspended from the walls near them.
The Architect had not shrunk from criticism, and he thought they would all agree that those plans exhibited that rare gift, genius, so often fatal to its possessor, but which he trusted in the case of M. Hermitte was destined to prove only a source of profit and fame. (Hear, hear.) He had himself been specially pleased at the provision made for a Library and Museum. Let them but provide accommodation, and they might rely on private munificence soon furnishing their shelves with the useful and the curious in abundance. In Australia, he had some years ago been identified with the establishment of a Central Museum, as a medium of instruction for youth.
It was suggested by many that the space allowed was unnecessarily large. He was glad, however, to learn from recent papers that the South Australian Government was now being pressed by demands for increased space, the trustees being actually embarrassed by the number of cases still unopened, and for the contents of which they had no room. So it would be with their own Museum after a time, and the want of a good and full library would also in due course be satisfied. Entertaining as he did a very high opinion of the architect, M. Hermitte, who had designed a City Hall so worthy of the place and equally graceful as massive, they must, he was certain, all feel that an additional interest had been given to the ceremony of the day by the presence amongst them of His Royal Highness the Duke de Penthièvre, the history of whose illustrious house was so closely interwoven with, and formed so large a portion of, the history of that France which the Orleans family loved above all things.
His Royal Highness, as a good Frenchman, could not but feel gratified at the compliment paid in this distant part of the world to his countryman, and would see that Hongkong judges were impartial enough to select from all competitors French taste and French ability when they deserved it. (Loud cheers.) They must not, however, forget on that occasion another gentleman, but for whose business-like aptitude and persevering energy it was more than probable they could not have commenced the undertaking that day. He alluded to the Hon. Mr. Rennie, their chairman. They were so indebted to him for his...
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and, long before they commenced their City Hall, they could count upwards of two millions of tons of Foreign shipping entering and leaving yearly their magni- ficent harbor, independent of thousands of native craft frequenting their waters, and which, he was happy to say, despite of all prophecies to the contrary, were HOW AS numerous as ever. (Hear, hear.) In fact Hongkong had become the indis- pensable turning corner of the great commerce of the East, and its position must continue to centralise in itself, as it was now doing with great American Pacific steamers, the most important lines of traffic round China, whether to the West or the North, He would however pass from this to another point of view in which they might regard the event of that day, as possessing a very special significance. It must be admitted that a combination of circumstances had ren- dered the last two years disastrous and depressing to the cornercial interests of the community; and though the general trade of China, exceeding annually a com merce of 100 millions with all countries, still existed, and was extending or rather might be regarded as almost in it's in- fancy as yet, nevertheless individuals had suffered and great mercantile depres sion had resulted. The year 1865 had also been particularly unhealthy, though its exceptional circumstances did not justify the absurd opinion entertained in England of the average climate; and wri- ters in the Times would have found their statements pleasantly refuted if they could have passed the last few months here, and enjoyed a climate preferable in most respects to that of a London win- ter. (Hear, hear). Then again it was but recently that the explosion of their pow der depot had shaken their walls and nerves. Yet with so much to depress, that day had nevertheless witnessed the community, unaided by Government or by anything except by enduring pluck and self-reliance, laying the foundation of the largest and most costly edifice yet attempted to be raised in this part of the world. (Hear, hear.) That was a good practical refutution of the notion that Hongkong residents had ever thought an exodus from the city feasible or desirable, and if their Macao" friends had indulged in any sanguine hope of seeing them re- turn there, they must now fool very much as Hannibal felt, who having in- flicted on the Romans at Came the most disastrous defeat ever suffered by any people, marched against Rome, to besiege it, and was astonished to learn that the very ground on which his vic- torious army was encamped was being then sold at extravagant prices in the Roman Forum--(cheers and laughter). There was similar Roman self-reliance here, for he was glad to inform them that many applications had been recently made to Government for land, and he did not doubt that ere long the old pricos would be realised. As for the building,
the first stone of which had been laid
The
that day, he did not hesitate to say that, if completed, there would not be with three or four exceptions at the utmost, any edifice in Her Majesty's colonies so commodious and so thoroughly adapted to its intended objects, and not one more elegant in its design. (Hear, hear.) It would comprise at once the means of meeting and adequately satisfying long existing wants. There would be space and room for a large Library, a Museum, Chamber of Commerce, Hall for Public Assemblies, Ball Room, Supper Room, and Theatre, all under one roof. plans of the building were suspended from the walls near them. The Architect had not shrunk from criticism, and he thought they would all agree that those plans exhibited that rare gift, genius, so often fatal to its possessor, but which he trusted in the case of Mons, Hermitte was destined to prove only a source of profit and fame. (Henr, hear.) He had himself been specially pleased at the provision made for a Library and Mu- seum. Let them but provide accommoda- tion, and they might rely on private munificence soon furnishing their shelves with the usefal and the curious in abun- dance. In Australia he had some years ago been identified with the establishe ment of a Central Museum, as a medium of instruction for youth. It was sug- gested by many that the space allowedl was unnecessarily large. He was glad, however, to learn from recent papers that the South Australian Governout was now being pressed by demands for in- creased space, the trustees being actually embarrassed by the number of cases still unopened, and for the contents of which they had no room, So it would be with their own Museum after a time, and, the want of a good and full library would also in due coure be satisfied." Enter- taining as he did a very high opinion of the architect, M. Hermitte, who had designed a City Hall so worthy of the place and equally graceful as massive, they must, he was ertain, all feel that an additional interest bad been given to the ceremony of the day by the presence amongst them of His Royal Highness the Duke de Penthievre, the history of whose illustrious house was so closely interwoven with, and formed so large a portion of, the history of that France which the Orleans family loved above all things. His Royal Highness as a good Frenchman could not but feel grati- fied at the compliment paid in this dis tant part of the world to his country- man, and would see that Hongkong judges were impartial enough to select from all competitors French taste and French ability when they deserved it. (Loud cheers.) They must not however forget on that occasion another gentle- inan, but for whose business-like aptitude and persevering energy it was more than probable they could not have commenced the undertaking that day. He alluded to the Hon. Mr Rennie, their chairman, They were so indebted to him for his
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