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wounded belonged to our forces that retreat of the Victoria Emanuel and Plover, with ed; they may have been killed outright, all the private practitioners, except Dr or been trampled to death subsequently Ledman who was with his battery (Volun- Crimean experiences were somewhat teers), and the Government Medical Staff similar, the coincidence was significant. received and dressed the wounded as the There was some difficulty at first not only ambulances and chairs arrived; all public with the coolies but with the contractors chairs being utilized and numbers of pri- and head men, whose stock of tools were vate chair-coolies requisitioned. The stream required. Mackie, however, whose men of our own wounded had been trickling (Indian Police) collected them, were sup- down since about 1.30 a.m., quickly filling ported by 50 of the Asiatic Artillery with the Government Civil Hospital, after which a gun, offered thom their choice, ie. to the City and Masonic Halls, the Supreme * work or hang after one of the principal Court House, the floors of the Banks and contractors had been led out under a lamp- Clubs, and etapty store and auction rooms post, with a rope round his neck, all diffi adjacent, were turned into receiving wards. culties vanished. The gangs had to bo
The nursing staff was of course totally guarded, however, both whilst going to inadequate; the few trained nurses from the valley and at work. Sentries were the Government Civil Hospital alone could posted in suitable spots overlooking the be depended on by the Doctors operating. work, with orders to shoot all attempting The sisters from both convents, Italian and desertion. The scene in the valley how-French, did all that was possible for un- ever quickly made the coolies and head-men trained women, rendered hysterical by the absolutely submissive. They recognised ghastly sights of suffering and mutilation that human life was cheap. Liberal pay surrounding them. The clergy of all deno- was promised them, $1.50 a day each man, minations worked like men. Wires attend- and almost the last act of the British Go-ed to their husbands, and many a poor vernment was the payment of these wages widow ministered to the very men who had on the spot to the men by Mr Brown, the been instrumental in making her children Colonial Treasurer.
fatherless. Several ladies who had attend- We had lost three guns, two seven-ed Dr Rivett's ambulance classes proved pounders, and ove Maxim destroyed. The how capable an instructor he had heen. nine of the enemy's guns taken were use- less to us, the supply of ammunition captured with them being but small, and we had plenty of spare guns more guns than man to men them--they were therefore burst and the ammunition destroyed.
FINAL DEFENCE PREPARATIONS--DO OR DIE. At a hastily convened meeting of the Legislative Council at 7 a.m., Martial law was proclaimed--the expulsion of aliens decided upon, and the enrolment of all British subjects capable of bearing arms between the ages of 17 and 55, as a Home Guard, determined on.
Exclusive of the 165 prisoners taken on the beach--the unwounded amongst whom were lodged in Gaol, all offenders against Municipal regulations and debtors being
At one stage of the proceedings the IIon.
released, -630 wounded Russians were re-
Member for the Chamber of Agriculture moved with our own wounded under the endeavoured to give notice of a question, when he was angrily interrupted by two superintendence of Dr Rivett, P.M.O., and the Army Medical Staff. Dr McBean, other members saying, as well as could be R.N., Deputy Inspector General, Surgeons understood (for it is needless to say the Day and Murston, R.N., and the surgeons proceedings were never reported, one re-
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porter, young Rook of the Daily Mail, was The old man fairly roused them, and on his back in the valley with a bullet in maskee May's Parliamentary Procedure, his brain, and the others were with their they gave him a cheer, led heartily by the Corps)--that deeds, not questions were the cantankerous members. The two Chinese order of the day--the other that, according members spoke out also in honest, straight- to May's Parliamentary Proceedure, page forward fashion, They owed all they had 377, notice of questions could not properly to British rule and fairplay; ander British be given at an extraordinary meeting. rule they had lived, and under British The Governor, however, promptly stop-rule, if the time had come, they would die; ped all squabbling, and in a few manly andthey would sway their countrymen right statesmanlike words pointed out how un- as far as lay in their power.' So ended the worthy and futile were such puerile bicker-last Council. ings, in face of the treacherous and crush-
The Europeans from the Peak, Kowloon ing danger that had burst on the Colony, and outlying districts had come crowding that in all human probability they would down, across, and into the town, and were never again all meet in that Chamber housed in the upper floors of the Banks, in (they never did, old Jones Blackfoot died the Hotels, Government, Head-Quarter gloriously in his boots next day at Pokfo-and Bank Houses, the Government offices, lum)-that it beloved all British men, and the European shops in Queen's Road, especially Hon. Members, the heads and and were generally collected about the leaders of the Colony, to stand shoulder to centre of the town. Women of all creeds shoulder and face the common enemy, one crowded the Churches, and on their knees and undivided- to die if necessary fighting with streaming eyes prayed the old prayer -overwhelmed possibly, but not disho to the God of Battles to shield their dear noured. They were there cut off, beset ones-that this cup might pass from them. with fearful odds, attacked by thieves in All the Police from the outlying districts, the night; they did not know how it was except Taim-tsa-tsui, were recalled. with Sister Colonies, whether they were in The British elected a committee of seven the same soro straits, nor how it fared with to organize the Home Guard. J. J. Rancis the Homeland ; but however matters stond (the lawyer) chairman, Geo. Soldwell, elsewhere, whether succour arrived or not, Natty Deed, Thos. Hackson (you remem- he was sure they were all animated by the ber the quaint old Ulsterman, Chief Mata- same stern determination, that, come weal come woe, they would at any and all sacri-David Hillies, Tanby, and Nitchell (Sec- ger of the Kowloon and Woosung Bank). fice of life, and all that life held dear, up-retary)-not that the Secretary did much hold Britain's flag, while one of them lived. writing, but in the old days in Hongkong If God willed that the meteor flag was to no committee was complete without Nit- go down here, or elsewhere-bere, at least, chell as Secretary. Old Volunteers turned it should sink in a blaze of glory-in such fashion that in the after time every Anglo-well. Jones, the barrister, picked up a out quickly. The limbs of the law did Baxon breast should glow, every Anglo-lot of riflemen from the Rille Association Saxon cheek should flush with pride when and elsewhere. Godfrey Laster, auother the story should he told and re-told.
To every man upon this earth death cometh soon or
late.
lawyer and old Volunteer, got together
And how can man die better than fighting 'gainst Gosborne, both ex-volunteers, took to it quite a number of gunners. Narshall and
fearful odds,
Quir-
For the ashes of his fathers, and the temples of his again kindly, coming in at the head of the staff of their respective offices. As soon as
For the tender mother that dandled him to rest.
And for the gentle wife with his baby at her breast.
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