Presentation to the Brigadier-General of the Pescadores.
On Her Majesty's Ship Porpoise anchoring in Makung Harbour, Pescadores Islands, which took place on the 28th December, 1893, at 11.30 A.M. I made an official call on Brigadier-General WANG, the Chinese Governor and General in command of the troops and forts in the Pescadores, and was received with due ceremony.
2. I informed him that I had come in compliance with instructions received from my Commander-in-Chief, Vice-Admiral The Honourable Sir E. R. FREMANTLE, K.C.B., C.M.G., to thank him on behalf of Her Majesty the QUEEN and the British Government for his special exertions in assisting and succouring the survivors of the P. & O. S.S. Bokhara as well as in keeping guard over the wreck and graves, on that unfortunate occasion, adding that I had brought with me a presentation from Her Majesty the QUEEN, which had been forwarded from England to Her Minister in Peking, and that I would be glad to hand it to him on board H.M.S. Porpoise whenever it would be convenient for him to return my visit.
3. This Brigadier-General WANG did at 4.00 PM, the same day and he was received on the Quarter-deck by all the Officers and Ship's Company, the Officers being in epaulettes and swords, the men being under arms.
4. As he arrived on board a salute of 13 guns was accorded him, at the same time the men under arms came to the "present."
5. On handing the silver plate I informed General WANG that Admiral FREMANTLE had instructed me to convey his compliments, and to inform him that he had specially selected myself for this service in consequence of H.M.S. Porpoise being instrumental in bringing the survivors of the Bokhara to Hongkong, and added that it gave me great pleasure to be so selected and be present on such an occasion and assured the General that not only the British community in China was grateful for his humanity and kindness on the occasion of the loss of the Bokhara, but the British nation as a whole. He replied in a few suitable words and I feel quite sure was much gratified with his reception and gift.
6. The Quarter-deck on which the ceremony took place was appropriately decorated, and at its termination General WANG and his staff were entertained in the after cabin; 50 of his own people were on board witnessing the presentation, they all having come on board in a small Chinese Gunboat.
7. General WANG left the ship at 6.00 P.M., the same courtesies being accorded him on leaving as on arriving.
8. The fort very promptly returned both salutes.
9. I was fortunate arriving when I did as the General informed me that in three days' time he is leaving the Pescadores for Tamsui to take up a new appointment in Formosa, his relief at his present post having already arrived.
10. I decided that the ceremony should take place on board the Porpoise rather than on shore as being more suitable for such an occasion.
11. Before leaving the ship General WANG kindly asked myself and all the officers to dine with him at his official residence, and invitations were sent the following morning, the 29th instant, for the dinner to take place in the afternoon at 4.00 P.M. of the same day.
12. As it was quite impossible to leave the port for the purpose of visiting Sand Island on account of a full gale of wind blowing, the invitations were accepted and the Chinese Gunboat came out and brought myself and four officers into the inner harbour.
13. Chairs were waiting at the landing place attended by an escort of 25 soldiers, and on our arrival at the Yamên to the time of our departure I witnessed the most interesting Chinese spectacle since I have been in China in connection with this presentation. The courts or yards of the Yamên and for some distance outside the building were lined with soldiers under arms, with their banners, &c., through which the chairs passed, the escort leading the way. The General in full uniform received us at the entrance of the audience room, at the same time the troops saluted and their band played as the usual three guns were fired, which announces an official call. We were shown to seats in the room—a very large one—being lined with soldiers under arms all around it. In the centre of the room a large cushion was placed, and in front of it, resting on a sort of dais was the silver salver, also on a cushion and surrounded with different sorts of silk stuff, the whole lit up by four large bronze candlesticks. When all was ready and everybody in their places, the room being quite full to the number of about 250 people, the General proceeded to the cushion and knelt down nine times making deep obeisance to the silver presentation in front of him, whilst the soldiers presented arms and their band played, amidst the sound of thousands of crackers being fired outside; it was explained to me that this is a very exceptional ceremony by an Official of his rank and only gone through on such rare occasions as the present, that is to say when an Official has been honoured with special notice by Royalty or some Foreign Government, and is precisely the same ceremony shown as if Royalty were really present. When the General had gone through his formalities, batches of nine, under mandarins, at a time presented themselves in line before him, knelt, and made their obeisance to him in the same manner, in recognition of the honour that has lately been shown the General. There were three or four lots that went through this ceremony. I was informed they consisted of Officers and Officials of the forts, &c.
From the beginning to the end the effect was very striking. As darkness had come on the hall in which we were was lit up with numerous large and curious coloured lamps, not the usual Chinese lanterns I have been accustomed to see. The ceremony being over, the soldiers, Officials and people disappeared immediately, leaving only the General with his Staff with ourselves, a large table was brought in and placed in the middle of the room, already laid for dinner which was served as soon as chairs were placed. The dinner was half foreign and half Chinese style, and very well done. Speeches were exchanged and duly explained by the interpreters who were present for this purpose. At 9.30 P.M. the dinner being concluded we took our leave of the General and were taken to the landing place in the chairs, the troops were under arms by torchlight and three guns were fired as we passed the gates of the Yamen. The same escort attended us back as on our arriving; evidently the early hour of 4.00 P.M. named for dinner was to have time to enable us to witness the troops, &c. fallen in by daylight.
14. I have perhaps gone rather unnecessarily into details with reference to the whole ceremonies, which have been gone through on both sides, but the occasion being an exceptional one I considered it called for exceptional description.
15. There were two excellent interpreters, one furnished from the shore and one already on board the ship.
16. The letter for Brigadier-General WANG from the British Legation was duly delivered to him.
(Signed), J. LESLIE BURR,
Commander.
H.M.S. Porpoise, 31st December, 1893.
į
Presentation to the Brigadier-General of the Pescadores.
On Her Majesty's Ship Porpoise anchoring in Makung Harbour, Pescadores Islands, which took place on the 28th December, 1893, at 11.30 A.M. I made an official call on Brigadier-General WANG, the Chinese Governor and General in command of the troops and forts in the Pescadores, and was received with due ceremony.
2. I informed him that I had come in compliance with instructions received from my Commander- in-Chief, Vice-Admiral The Honourable Sir E. R. FREMANTLE, K.C.B., C.M.G., to thank him on behalf of Her Majesty the QUEEN and the British Government for his special exertions in assisting and succouring the survivors of the P. & 0. S.S. Bokhara as well as in keeping guard over the wreck and graves, on that unfortunate occasion, adding that I had brought with me a presentation from Her Majesty the QUEEN, which had been forwarded from England to Her Minister in Peking, and that I would be glad to hand it to him on board H. M. S. Porpoise whenever it would be convenient for him to return my visit.
3. This Brigadier-General WANG did at 4.00 PM, the same day and he was received on the Quarter- deck by all the Officers and Ship's Company, the Officers being in epaulettes and swords, the men being under arins.
4. As he arrived on board a salute of 13 guns was accorded him, at the same time the men under arms came to the "present."
5. On handing the silver plate I informed General WANG that Admiral FREMANTLE had instructed me to convey his compliments, and to inform him that he had specially selected myself for this service in consequence of 11. M. S. Porpoise being instrumental in bringing the survivors of the Bokhara to Hongkong, and added that it gave me great pleasure to be so selected and be present on such an occasion and assured the General that not only the British community in China was grateful for his humanity and kindness on the occasion of the loss of the Bokhara, but the British untion as a whole. He replied in a few suitable words and 1 feel quite sure was much gratified with his reception and gift. 6. The Quarter-deck on which the ceremony took place was appropriately decorated, and at its termination General WANG and his staff were entertained in the after cabin; 50 of his own people were on board witnessing the presentation, they all having come on board in a small Chinese Gunboat.. 7. General WANG left the ship at 6.00 P.M., the same courtesics being accorded him on leaving as on arriving.
8. The fort very promptly returned both salutes.
9. I was fortunate arriving when I did as the General informed me that in three days' time he
is leaving the Pescadores for Tamsui to take up a new appointment in Formosa, his relief at his present post having already arrived.
10. I decided that the ceremony should take place on board the Porpoise rather than on shore as being more suitable for such an occasion.
11. Before leaving the ship General WANG kindly asked myself and all the officers to dine with him at his official residence, and invitations were sent the following morning, the 29th instant, for the dinner to take place in the afternoon at 4.00 F.M. of the same day.
12. As it was quite impossible to leave the port for the purpose of visiting Sand Island on account of a full gale of wind blowing, the invitations were accepted and the Chinese Gunboat came out and brought myself and four officers into the inner harbour.
13. Chairs were waiting at the landing place attended by an escort of 25 soldiers, and on our arrival at the Yamên to the time of our departure I witnessed the most interesting Chinese spectacle since I have been in China in connection with this presentation. The courts or yards of the Yamên and for some distance outside the building were lined with soldiers under arins, with their banners, &c., through which the chairs passed, the escort leading the way. The General in fall uniform received us at the entrance of the audience room, at the same time the troops saluted and their band played as the usual three guns were fired, which announces an official call. We were shown to seats in the room-a very large one-being lined with soldiers under arms all around it. In the centre of the room a large cushion was placed, and in front of it, resting on a sort of dais was the silver salver, also on a cushion and surrounded with different sorts of silk stuff, the whole lit up by four large bronze candlesticks. When all was ready and everybody in their places, the room being quite full to the number of about 250 people, the General proceeded to the cushion and knelt down nine times making deep obeisance to the silver presentation in front of him, whilst the soldiers presented arins and this band played, amidst the sound of thousands of crackers being fired outside; it was explained to me that this is a very exceptional ceremony by an Official of his rank and only gone through on such rare occasions as the present, that is to say when an Official has been honoured with special notice by Royalty or some Foreign Government, and is precisely the same ceremony shown as if Royalty were
really present. When the General had gone through his formalities, batches of nine, under mandarins, atime presented themselves in line before him, kvelt, and made their obeisance to him in the same manier, in recognition of the honour that has lately been shown the General. There were three or four lots that went through this ceremony. I was informed they consisted of Officers and Officials of the forts, &c.
From the beginning to the end the effect was very striking. As darkness had come on the all in which we were was lit up with numerous large and curious coloured lamps, not the usual Chinese lanterns I have been accustomed to see. The ceremony being over, the soldiers, Officials and people disappeared immediately, leaving only the General with bis Staff with ourselves, a large table was brought in and placed in the middle of the room, already laid for dinner which was served as soon as chairs were placed. The dinner was half foreign and half Chinese style, and very well done. Speeches were exchanged and duly explained by the interpreters who were present for this purpose. At 9.30 P.M. the dinner being concluded we took our leave of the General and were taken to the landing place in the chairs, the troops were under arins by torchlight and three guns were fired as we passer the gates of the Yamen. The same escort attended us back as ou our arriving; evidently the early hour of 4.00 P.M. named for dinner was to have time to enable us to witness the troops, &c. fallen in by daylight.
14. I have perhaps gone rather unnecessarily into details with reference to the whole ceremonies, which have been gone through on both sides, but the occasion being an exceptional one I considered it called for exceptional description.
15. There were two excellent interpreters, one furnished from the shore and one already on board the ship.
16. The letter for Brigadier-General WANG from the British Legation was duly delivered to him.
(Signed), J. LESLIE BURR,
Commander.
H.M.S. Porpoise, 31st December, 1893.
Luc.
249
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.