450
Lent. Boys, R.E., we are specially indebted to the first officer (applause) for he was the one who volunteered, and from the 17th May to the end of the epidemic he gave up all his time (after the completion of his military duties), all his afternoons and Sundays, in assisting Mr. Crook in the disagreeable work of cleansing and disinfecting the houses. He worked unremittingly at this and also in superintending the detachment of Royal Engineers employed on that work. All who have seen him at work, as well as the Permanent Committee of the Sanitary Board, bear high testimony to his services and conduct. I would also mention Capt. Stewart, Lieut. Molesworth, and Lieut. Kelsall, also of the R.E., who did good work. Capt. Murray gave valuable assistance in the most necessary and useful work of removing those poor creatures from the filthy hovels in Taipingshan to better quarters elsewhere; and in connection with these services I would mention the name of Mr. Mitchell-Innes, who helped a great deal in overcoming many of the difficulties of removal. (Applause.) From the Navy we received eight or ten men, who did very good service. I have left myself very little time to speak of the special services rendered by Mr. May and the police. Mr. May, I think, has especially distinguished himself. (Loud applause.) It might be said that in the position which he held he could hardly have kept back, but from the very first, when he began the work with his own men, up to the end, he was unremitting in his efforts.
He had the task to organise the work of all the men, superintend the house-to-house visitation, attend to the removal of the sick from Taipingshan, and all the cleansing and disinfecting work, with a great deal of physical labour about it; and the exertion he went through and zeal he displayed are beyond all praise. (Applause.) His perseverance and courage did not for a moment desert him, even when he saw his fellow worker, Capt. Vouy, stricken down. I know myself that the first tram brought him down in the morning, and it was not until late at night that he reached his home again. I am quite sure you will agree with me that he behaved right well. To the members of the force who worked under him we are indebted for very valuable services. To the other volunteers—there were about twenty of them—who responded to the call of the Permanent Committee we are also indebted; they all more or less lent help according to their abilities and the time at their disposal. I would mention especially Mr. H. C. Nicolle, Mr. W. Blaynay, and Mr. Chesney Duncan.
From the medical profession we always expect that where there is danger or any human suffering to be alleviated, they will be to the front. That profession has a glorious record of heroic deeds and devotedness to duty, and the members of the profession in Hongkong will not allow that reputation to be in any way lowered or sullied. Surgeon-Major James and Dr. Pauny volunteered at once, and, with Dr. Ayres and Dr. Lowson, left no stone unturned to afford every assistance science could give for the benefit of those who were combatting the disease or to those who had fallen victims to it. I must not forget to mention the Permanent Committee. They had a heavy task. They had to organise the carrying out of a great many of those measures, and they did their work well. Mr. Francis, I know, devoted a great part of his time for several months to this work, and his fellow committee men assure me of the assistance they have received from him. (Applause). I should not like to forget Mr. Crook, who had very disagreeable work to do. He worked hard and earnestly throughout the whole of the epidemic. (Applause) Nor would you wish me to pass over Capt. Hastings. (Applause.) You will no doubt remember that at one time a very serious difficulty arose with respect to the disposal of the dead.
It taxed the resources of the Sanitary Board for some time, but gruesome as was the task and repulsive as were the details, Captain Hastings stepped into the breach, and, with the assistance of some military and some seamen, he soon overcame all obstacles. Gentlemen, I have just been reminded that I have been very negligent; instead of giving the first place to the ladies I have left them to the last. It is not, however, on this occasion the least nor the lowest. They were also volunteers. This work could not have been required of them, not in the least. Anything outside the hospital was outside their contract, and not only this, but it was extra work, for their hospital duties went on all the time as usual. Yet the services of the Sisters at the Government Civil Hospital were given without a murmur; they obediently volunteered their services to nurse the sick and went forth upon their self-imposed task of mercy in the alacrity and good will and, with the greatest kindness and devotion, day after day nursed those stricken down by the plague. Do you recognise what this meant—tending the sick in the plague hospitals with all its repulsive symptoms and dangers—and yet not for one moment did one of those Sisters flinch; no risk or fear of contagion dismayed them. From first to last they performed their duty admirably. (Applause). They once more proved the truth of the great poet's words, who wrote:-
When pain and anguish wring the brow
A ministering angel thou.
I hope that I have not forgotten anyone, but if I have the Committee you are about to appoint will certainly make up the deficiency. But long as I have detained you I will ask you for two or three minutes' indulgence in order that I may pay tribute to the memory of one who died in your service. Capt. Vesey was justly popular in his regiment. He had, I believe, everything that could make life worth living and enjoyable, and he had intended, I understand, soon to retire to live in his own country and among his old friends. It has been otherwise ordained. He obeyed the call of duty and gave a bright example to his men by the zeal and unflinching energy which he threw into this work. He stopped at the work after he should have retired from it; he was seized by the disease and he died of it. Surely that was not a soldier's death; not the one I think that we or he would have chosen. He no doubt would have preferred to have met his death at the head of his men amid the din of battle, with the shout of victory ringing in his ears to cheer him even in the throes of death itself; instead of that he died on a bed of sickness among strangers in a strange land. Let us hope that ere his gallant spirit passed away the pang of separation was mitigated, the grief of dying among strangers was softened, and he was comforted in his last moments by the thought that he had laid down his life in the service of others. He will live in our memories. We shall require no storied urn or animated bust to remind us of him, for he has erected his own monument in one year's work. But I am sure that you would wish that his services and death should remain recorded here long after we have passed away. Gentlemen, I have done. We honour ourselves in recognising such services as have been rendered to us, and in seeking to honour those to whom our gratitude is due. I know I have interpreted the feelings of this community in saying that we are most anxious to recognise those services and to show by some outward mark our great appreciation of them. I have much pleasure in proposing: That this meeting do resolve that the services rendered to this community during the recent plague by those who assisted are worthy of recognition. (Loud applause.)
Mr. E. MACKINTOSH—After the very able and eloquent speech we have heard from the Acting Chief Justice I am sure that there is no necessity for me to detain you at all. The resolution which has been proposed by him I am sure must appeal to the hearts of every one of us, who have of necessity been passing through this great emergency. I think there will be one responsive vote to the motion just proposed. I beg to second it.
The motion was carried with loud applause.
Mr. T. JACKSON—Your Excellency and gentlemen, I am sure we all fully appreciate the very eloquent speech of the mover of the first resolution just made. I am sure there is not one of us who does not thoroughly appreciate the noble band of men who first combatted the plague, for it was then a very serious matter indeed. Speaking for myself I can only remember that the lay volunteers who went into the native town to clear out those pest places were really going into the jaws of death. We have great reason to be thankful that only one—the noble Vesey—died. I am sure that the services of the Naval and Military and of the Public Works Department were...
•
450
¿
Lent. Boys, R.E., we are specially indebted the first officer (applause-for he was who volunteered, and from the 17th May to the end of the epidemic he gave up all his time (after the completion of his mili tary duties), all is afternoons and Sundays, in assisting Mr. Crook in the disagreeable work of cleansing and disinfecting the houses. He worked unremittingly at this and also in superin. tending the detachment of Royal Engineers em- ployed on that work. All who have seen him at work, as well as the Permanent Committes of the Sanitary Board, bear high teatimony to his services and condnet. I would also men- tion Capt Stewart, Lieut. Molesworth, and Lisat. Kelsall, also of the R.E., who did good work. Capt. Murray gave valuable assistance in the most necessary and useful work of re- moving those poor creatures from the fithy hovels in Taipingahan to better quarters elsewhere; and in connection with these ser. vices I would mention the name of Mr. Mitchell- Innes, who helped a great deal in overcoming many of the difficulties of removal. (Applause.) From the Navy we received eight or ten men, who did very good service. I have left myself very little time to speak of the special services rendered by Mr. May and the police. Mr. May, I think, has especially distinguished himself. (Loud applause.) It might be said that in the position which he held he could hardly have kept back, but from the very first, when ba began the work with his own men, up to the end, he was anremitting in his efforts.
He had
the
to organise the work of all the men, superintend the house-to-house visitation, attend to the removal of the sick from Taipingshan, and all the cleansing and disinfecting work, with a great deal of physical laboar about it; and the
exertion he went through and seal be displayed are beyond all praise. (Applause.) His perseverance and courage did not for a moment desert him, even when to saw his fellow worker. Capt. Vouy, mrichen down. I know myself that the first tram brong bi him down in the morning, and it was not uptil late at night that he reached his home again, I am quite sure you will agree with me that be behaved right well. To the members of the force who worked under him we are indebted for very valuable services. To the other volan- teers-there were about twenty of them-wbo responded to the call of the Permanent Com- mittee we are also indebted; they all more or less lent help according to their abilities and the time at their disposal. I would mention especially Mr. H. C. Nicolle, Mr. W. Blaynay, and Mr. Chesney Duncan. From the medical prof ssion we always expect that where there is danger or any human suffering to be alleviated That profession they will be to the front.
has a glorious record of heroic deeds and devotedness to duty, and the m mbers of the profession in Hongkong will not all w that reputation to be in any way lowered or sullied. Surgeon-Major James and Dr. Pauny volunteer- ed at once, and, with Dr. Ayres and Dr. Lowson, left no stone unturned to afford every assistance science could give for the benefit of those who were combatting the disease or to those who had fallen victims to it. I must not forget to mention the Permanent Committee. They had a heavy task. They had to organise the carrying out of a great many of those Mr. measures, and they did their work weil Francie, I know, devoted a great part of his time for several months to this work and his fellow committee men assure me of the assistance they have received from him. (Applause). I should not like to forget Mr. Crook, who had vory disagreeable work to do. He worked hard and earnestly throughout the whole of the epidemic. (Applause) Nor would you wish me to pass over Capt. Hastings. (Applause.) You will no doubt remember that at one with time Я respect to the disposal of
very serious difficulty arose
the dead.
It taxed the resources of the Sanitary Board for some time, but gruesome as was the task and re- pulsive as were the details, Captain Hastings stepped into the breach, sud, with the assistanc of some military and some seamen, he soon over- came all obstacles. Gentlemon, 1 have just been reminded that 1 have been very nugal- lant; instead of giving the first place to the ladies 1 have left them to the last. It is not, however, on this occasion the least nor the lowest.
This They were also volunteers.
work could not have been required of them
not in the least. Anything outside the hos pital was outside their contract, and not only this, bat it was extra work, for their hospital duties went on all the time as usual. Yet the services of the Sisters at the Government Civil Hospital! were given without a murmur; they obes: fully volautnered their servisos to narse the sick and went forth upon their self-imposed task of mercy in the alacrity and good will and, with the greatest kindness and devotion, day after day bursed those stricken down by the plague. Do you recognise what this meant tending the sick in the plague hospitals with all its repulsive symptoms and dangers-and yet not for one moment did one of those Sisters flinch; no risk or fear of contagion dismayed them. From first to last they performed their duty admirably. (Applause). They once more proved the truth of the great poet's words, whe
wrote:-
When pain and arguish wring the brow A ministering angel thou.
I hope that I have not forgotten anyone, hat if I have the Committee you are about to appoint will certainly make up the deficiency But long as I have detained you I will ask gon for tw. or three minates' indulgence in order that I may pay tribute to the memory of one who died in your service. Capt. Vesey was justly popular in bis regiment. He had, I believe, everything that could make life worth living and enjoyable, and he had intended I understand soon to retire to live in his own country and among his old friends. It has been otherwise ordained. He obeyed the call of duty and gave a bright example to his men by the zeal and unflinching energy which he threw into this work. He stopped at the work after he should have retired from it; he was seized by the diseasef and be died of it. Surely that was not a soldier's death; not the one I think that we or he would have chosen. He no doubt would have preferred to have met his death at the head of his men amid the din of battle, with the shout of victory ringing in his ears to obeer him even in the throes of death itself; instead of that he died on a bed of sicknesą among strangers in aj strange laad. Let us hope that ere his gallant spirit passed away the pang of separation was mitigated, the grief of dying among strangers was softened, and he was comforted in his last moments by the thought that be bad laid down his life in the service of others. He will liva in our memories. We shall require no storied ura or animated ba-t" to remind ns of him, for he has erected his own monament in one bear's. but I am sure that you would wish that his services and death should remain recorded børe l after we have passed away. Gontlemer, I have! done. We honour ourselves in recoguising such services as have been rendered to us, and in -eek- ing to honour those to whom our gratitude is das, I know I bave interpreted the feelinga i of this community in saying that most anxious to reoogaise those services and to show by some outward mark our greaf ap- preciation of them. i have much pleasure in proposing: That this meeting do resolve that the services rendered to this community daring the recent plague by those who assisted are worthy of recognition. (Loud applause.)
wu are
Mr. E MACKINTOSHI -After the very able aud eloquent spech we have heard from the Acting Chief Justice I am sure that there is no The ra necessity for me to detaiu you at all. sulin which has been proposed by bim 1 am sure monst appeal to the hearts of every one of us, who have of a cassity been passing through this great emergency. I think there will be one re- sponsive vote to the motion just proposed. bag to second it.
I
The motion was carried with lond applause, Mr. T. JACKSON--Your Excellency and got tiem a, I am sure we all fully appreciate the very aloquent speech of the mover of the first resolu tion just made. I am sure there is not on of us! who does not thoroughly appreciate the noble | baud of men who first combatted the plague, for it was then a very serious matter indeed. Speak. faz for myself I can o by remember that the lay volunteers who went into the native town to alear out those pest plices were really going into the jaws of death. We have great reason to be thankful that only oue-the noble Vasey-died. I am sure at that the services of the Naval and Military and of the Public Works }
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