4
from people like yourselves to whom loyalty is not a birthright, but who have acquired it partly from respect and affection for the character of the Queen and partly from gratitude for the institutions and safety you have obtained under Her rule. I have been exceedingly gratified to hear and to see evidence of the manner in which the Chinese are preparing for this celebration. It shows distinctly that our rule and its fairness to all classes, races, creeds, and nationalities is appreciated by the Chinese of Hongkong and I am sure your manifestations of loyalty will be appreciated by Her Majesty. Although, as Mr. Ho Wyson stated, you are not personally known to Her Majesty, you make a great mistake if you believe you are not known to her by repute, and I venture to say that although this is a small and distant part of the Queen's dominions, the loyalty which has been displayed to-day and which has its outcome in this magnificent address will be exceedingly gratifying to Her Majesty. With regard to the absence of Dr. Ho Kai, who has so worthily distinguished himself in seeking to draw closer the bond between the Chinese and the British-born subjects in Hongkong, I can only say I lament greatly that he is unable to be present to undertake that function which has been so worthily performed by Mr. Ho Wyson. This magnificent address, which I should like to see displayed, will I have no doubt, be preserved by Her Majesty and her descendants as a token of the loyalty and love of the Chinese subjects of Hongkong for Herself and Her House. (Applause). I shall take care to forward it on the first opportunity.
The address was then unrolled and displayed in full. It is about ten feet long by four feet wide. The face is of white satin and the address is embroidered upon this. At the top of the address figures and flowers are beautifully worked in various colours. The back of the address is of yellow satin. After it had been inspected by His Excellency, who expressed his admiration at the richness and beauty of the work, it was hung up in an ante-room, where it was viewed and admired by a large number of persons who attended the reception.
As soon as the visitors had taken leave of His Excellency, another deputation, representing the Kai-fong or Committee of the Man Mo temple, members of about forty of the leading Chinese firms, was introduced by the Registrar-General, Mr. J. H. Stewart-Lockhart. This deputation presented His Excellency with a tablet which they requested he would hang up in Government House as a testimony of their affection to the Queen and their admiration of English rule.
His Excellency, in receiving the tablet, said:-Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your expressions of loyalty, and I shall have much pleasure in hanging this tablet in a conspicuous place in Government House, so that visitors now and in future times may see the loyalty which the Chinese subjects in Hongkong displayed on the occasion of the Jubilee.
The deputation then thanked his Excellency and retired.
The tablet, which is of brass, upon the border of which flowers are embossed, is about twelve feet in length and four in breadth, and bears upon it the Chinese characters meaning "Everlasting prosperity."
THE GOVERNOR'S RECEPTION. The time fixed for the reception was eleven o'clock, and as soon as the clock struck the hour the early arrivals put in an appearance. From that time up till about a quarter past eleven there was a steady flow of visitors, comprising officers from Her Majesty's men-of-war, military officers, and civilians, anxious to pay their respects to Her Majesty's Representative. His Excellency was supported on his right by His Excellency Major-General Cameron, C.B., (who arrived at Government House while the Chinese deputation were presenting their address), and was assisted by Lieut. Somerville, who acted as aide-de-camp, and Mr. Slingsby Bethell, his private secretary.
THE BRITISH ADDRESS. Shortly after a quarter past eleven the Jubilee Committee arrived bearing the English Address. The visitors who had spread themselves over different rooms now gathered in the room where the reception had taken place.
Hon. J. BELL-IRVING, addressing his Excellency, said-Sir, it is with much pleasure that I find myself to-day the representative of the British community of Hongkong in presenting to your Excellency this loyal Address for transmission to Her Majesty the Queen. The address expresses without any exaggeration our feeling of attachment to Her Majesty's throne and person, and I feel I could not with propriety add one word to it. Before handing it to your Excellency with the request from the signatories that you will be pleased to forward it to the Secretary of State for the Colonies for presentation to the Queen, I will, Sir, with your permission, read it.
Mr. Bell-Irving then read the address, which is as follows:--- May it please your Majesty:
We, Your Majesty's subjects settled in the colony of Hongkong, desire to offer to Your Majesty our humble and sincere congratulations on the completion of fifty years of Your glorious and distinguished reign, and to assure Your Majesty of our devoted loyalty and attachment to Your Royal House and Person.
Considerations connected with the climate of the little island we inhabit have caused us to be later than all others in approaching the Throne on this joyful occasion, yet we can but feel proud that the unexampled rejoicings which-commencing with the august Empire of India-have encircled the world, should now be closed by our colony, the first territory added to Your Majesty's Realm after Your Accession Fifty Years ago.
And as the first outpost in the Far East annexed by Your Majesty's government to the Crown of England, we venture to hope that the marvellous development and increasing prosperity of our colony may not be subjects entirely without personal interest to its Founder and first Ruler.
A barren and desolate rock, the haunt only of a few pirates, on the borders of the most exclusive Empire then known, Hongkong offered but little as encouragement for the future. Now it is clothed with trees, its slopes are the site of a great and flourishing city bearing the commemorative name of our beloved Sovereign, its harbour is thronged with ships from every quarter of the globe. Its chief difficulty is to gain room for the yearly increasing commerce which forms its wealth, and for the thousands of Chinese who are attracted to its shores by its safety and its resources.
In the midst of our moral and physical progress, we have not forgotten how much we owe to Your Majesty's just and beneficent Rule. The authority of the Law, while strengthened and upheld, has ever been tempered with clemency. The liberty of the subject has been sacred. The freedom of the press has been protected. Life and property have been rendered secure, not without unexampled difficulty in the earlier days of our history, and the universal trust reposed in the wisdom of British Rule and British Policy towards Native Races has engendered a mutual goodwill between the various nationalities of our cosmopolitan Community, who, at this moment, unite with us in manifestation of devotion to Your Majesty. We earnestly pray that the blessings of a Reign marked by such unprecedented progress and prosperity as have characterized that of Your Majesty may be long continued to us. And that Your Majesty may, under Divine Providence, be spared in health and in happiness to witness the completion of every good work, moral, intellectual, and physical,-which it has been Your study and Your pleasure to promote, and that You may richly share in that happiness which Your Majesty's wise counsels and earnest solicitude have secured to Your loving subjects throughout the Empire.
Victoria, Hongkong, 9th November, 1887.
[Here follow signatures.]
His Excellency the GOVERNOR replied as follows:-Mr. Bell-Irving, ladies and gentlemen, I am most glad to accede to the request made that I should forward this Address to Her Majesty. To one who has so lately come to be one of you, I hope for some years, as Her Majesty's Representative, it is especially gratifying to find that the loyalty which has found such universal expression in all other parts of the world has received so remarkable a manifestation here in this distant outpost of Her dominions. The demonstration of gladness which is taking place here, though last is certainly not the least among the many which have excited the envy and astonishment of other nations in this jubilee year, and indeed relatively to numbers and wealth is probably one of the greatest of all. There has been brought to me this morning, on behalf of the Chinese community, the magnificent embroidered address to Her Majesty which you see behind me, and I mention this as a special reason for pleasure in receiving the address from you, gentlemen, to whom loyalty to Her Majesty may...
530
4
from people like yourselves to whom loyalty is not a birthright, but who have acquired it partly from respect and affection for the character of the Queen and partly from gratitude for the institutions and safety you have obtained under Her rule. I have been exceedingly gratified to hear and to see evidence of the manner in which the Chinese are preparing for this celebration. It shows distinctly that our rule and its fairness to all classes, races, creeds, and nationalities is appreciated by the Chinese of Hongkong and 1 am sure your manifestations of loyalty will be appreciated by Her Majesty. Although, as Mr. Ho Wyson stated, you are not personally known to Her Majesty, you make a great mistake if you believe you are not known to her by repute, and I venture to say that although this is a small and distant part of the Queen's dominions, the loyalty which has been displayed to-day and which has its outcome in this magnificent ad- dress will be exceedingly gratifying to Her Majesty. With regard to the absence of Dr. Ho Kai, who has so worthily distinguished him- self in seeking to draw closer the bond between the Chinese and the Brith born subjects in Hongkong, I can only say I lament greatly that he is unable to be present to undertake that function which has been so worthily performed by Mr. Ho Wyson. This magnificent address, which I should like to see displayed, will I have no doubt, be preserved by Her Majesty and her descendants as a token of the loyalty and love of the Chinese subjects of Hongkong for Herself and Her House. (Applause). I shall take care to forward it on the first opportunity.
The address was then unrolled and displayed in full. It is about ten feet long by four feet wide. The face is of white satin and the address is embroidered upon this. At the top of the ad- dress figures and flowers are beautifully worked in various colours. l'he back of the addross is of yellow satin. After it had been inspected by His Excellency, who expressed his admiration at the richness and beauty of the work, it was hung up in an ante-room, where it was viewed and adroir- ed by a large number of persons who attended the reception.
Aa Boou as the visitors had taken leave of His Excellency, another deputation, representing the Kai-fong or Committee of the Man Mo temple, members of about forty of the leading Chinese firms, was introduced by the Registrar- This General, Mr. J. H. Stewart-Lockhart. deputation presented His Excelleney with a tablet which they requested he would hang up in Government House as a testimony of their affection to the Queen and their admiration of English rule.
Hsi EXCELLENCY, in receiving the tablet, said -Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your expressions of loyalty, and I shall have much pleasure in hanging this tablet in a conspicuous place in Governmont House, so that visitors now and in future times may see the loyalty which the Chinese subjects in Hongkong displayed on the occasion of the Jubilee.
The deputation then thanked his Excellency and retired.
The tablet, which is of brass, upon the border of which flowers are embossed, is about twelve feet in length and four in breadth, and bears upon ft the Chinese characters meaning "Everlasting
prosperity."
THE GOVERNOR'S RECEPTION. The time fixed for the reception was eleven o'clock, and as soon as the clock struck the hour the early arrivals put in an appearance. From that time up till about a quarter past eleven there was a steady flow of visitors, com- prising officers from Her Majesty's men-of- war, military officers, and civiliaus, anxious to pay their respects to Her Majesty's Repre sentative. His Excellenge was supported on his right by His Excellency Major-General Cameron, C.B., (who arrived at Government House while the Chinese deputation were pre- senting their address), and was assisted by Lieut. Somerville, who acted as aide-de-camp, and Mr. Slingsby Bethell, his private secretary.
THE BRITISH ADDRESS. Shortly after a quarter past eleven the Jubileo Committee arrived bearing the English Address. The visitors who had spread themselves ov.r different rooms now gathered in the room where
the
the reception had taken place.
Hon. J. BELL-IRVING, addressing his Ex- cellency, said-Sir, it is with much pleasure that I find myself to-day the representative of the British community of Hongkong in presenting to your Excellency this loyal Ad- dross for transmission to Her Majesty the Queen. The address expresses without any exaggeration our feeling of attachment to Her Majesty's throne and person, and I feel I could not with propriety add one word to it. Before handing it to your Excelloney with the request from the signatories that you will be pleased to forward it to the Secretary of State for the Co- lonies for presentation to the Queen, I will, Sir, with your permission, read it.
Mr. Ball-Irving then read the address, which is as follows:--- May it please your Majesty :
We, Your Majesty's subjects settled in the colony of Hongkong, desire to offer to Your Majesty our humble and sincere congratulations ou the completion of fifty years of Your glorions and distinguished reign, and to assure Your Majesty of our devoted loyalty and attachment to Your Boyal House and Person.
Considerations connected with the climate of the little island we inhabit have caused us to be later than all others in approaching the Throne on this joyful occasion, yet we can but feel proud that the anexampled rejoicings which-commencing with the august Empire of India-have encircled the world, should now be closed by our oclony, the first territory added to Your Majesty's Realm after Your Accession Fifty Years ago.
And as the first outpost in the Far East Runezed by Your Majesty's got to the Crown of England, we venture to hope that the marvellona development. and increasing prosperity of our colony may not be eubjects entirely without personal intereat to its Founder and first Ruler.
A harren and desolate rock, the haunt only of a few pirates, on the borders of the most exclusive Empire then known, Hongkong offered but little as encouragement for the future. Now it is clothed with trees, its slopes are the site of a great and flour- ishing city bearing the commemorative name of our beloved Sovereign, its harbour is thronged with ships from every quarter of the glo e. Its ohief difficulty to gain room for the yearly increasing commerce which forms its wealth, and for the thousands of Chinese who are attracted to its shores by ita sufety and its resources.
is
In the midst of our moral and physical progress, we į have not forgotten how much we owe to Your Ma jesty's just and beneficent Rale. The authority of i the Law, while strengthened and upheld, has ever beau tempered with clemency. The liberty of the epb. jeet has been sacred. The freedom of the press has beou protected. Life and property have been rendered secure, not without anexampled difficulty in the ear- lier days of our history, and the universal trust re- posed in the wisdom of British Bala and British Po. licy towards Native Races has engendered & untual goodwill between the various nationalities of our cosmopolitan Community, who, at this moment, unite with us in manifestation of devotion to Your Majesty. We earnestly pray that the blessings of a Reign marked by anch unprecedented progress and prosperi ty as have characterized that of Your Majesty may be long continued to us. And that Your Majesty ray, ander Divine Providence, be spared in health and in happiness to witness the completion of every good work, moral, intellectual, and physical,-which it has been Your study and Your pleasure to promote, and that You may richly share in that happiness which Your Majesty'a wise counsels and earnest solicitude have secured to Your loving subjects throughout the Empire.
Victoria, Hongkong, 9th November, 1887.
[Hero follow signatures.]
His Excellency the GOVERNOR replied as follows:-Mr. Bell-Irving, ladies and gentlemen, I am most glad to accede to the request made that I should forward this Address to Her Ma- jesty. To one who has so lately come to be one of you, I hope for some years, as Her Majez- ty's Representative, it is especially gratifying to find that the loyalty which has found such universal expression in all other parts of the world has received so remarkable a manifestation here in this distant outpost of Her dominions. The demonstration of gladness which is taking place here, though last is certainly not the least among the many which have excited the envy and astonishment of other nations in this jubilee year, and indeed relatively to! numbers and wealth is probably one of the greatest of all. There has been brought to me this morning, on behalf of the Chinese commu- nity, the magnificent embroidered address to Har Majesty which you see behind mo, and I men- tion this as a special reason for pleasure in r- ceiving the address from you, gentlemen, Baid to whom loyalty to Her Majesty may
530
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