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about our University. In humble opinion, the Univer- sity should not and should never be in want of the necessary funds. The Government of this Colony must not look upon the Hongkong University merely as a little Colonial con- corn. If I might be bold to employ a figure of speech, I should call the University a great British lighthouse built upon the most prominent rock upon the China coast in the darkest age of Asia. At present chaos in the shape of a political typhoon rages throughout the troubled waters of Chinese life, and darkness reigns supreme. The British Empire has therefore with characteristic generosity built a great lighthouse in Hongkong, and the late King Edward, whose memory the Great War has taught us to bless, declared that this was the gift of the British nation. Surely it is not asking too much to demand that the British Empire and the British Colonies especially should see that that Bri- tish lighthouse should be properly and efficiently lighted. Surely the British Empire, which has been prepared to sacrifice its best manhood for the defence of Liberty will not be found wanting in such a good cause where the cost is so small and trivial. I trust Your Excellency will pardon me if I ask the Governor and all the Members of the Civil Service of the Colony to regard the University as the great lighthouse of the British Empire in the Far East. We are building up a structure not only in material things, for over and above the things that are visible, there are elements of greater permanency with light to light up the whole of mankind. Therefore, if we regard our University as a Bri- tish institution intended as the means of providing the gift of British culture to the Chinese people, we may be sure that the British Empire particularly the Colonies—will respond to any reasonable appeal by the Government of
Hongkong.
Many thoughts come to one on such an occasion as this but it is impossible in this short address to consider them all. However, before concluding my speech, I wish to
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emphasize the fact that if the University were to help China in any way at all, the students and the graduates of Chinese race, should not forget that they were Chinese. It is hardly necessary in this hall for me to justify my position as a British subject, as a lover of British ideals, or as a loyal and humble member of the British Empire. The lessons of psychology and history-especially of the long annals of the Chinese nation-show that a man is a better and more from loyal subject when he does not forget the source which he has sprung. The French Canadians have not been ashamed of their French nationality, the Boers are proud of their Dutch origin, the Welsh make much of their Cymric ancestors, and who dares question the Scotch as to whether he has a native land of his own? So surely a Chinese, who is a British subject, does not need to become denationalised in a linguistic, psychological, or ethnological sense, on account of his political allegiance. There are good scientific and philosophical reasons for believing that nationalities develope best and most happily along definite lines of least resistance acquired by long generations of adaptation and inheritance. The happiest results therefore will be achieved when the Chinese, whether subjects of Alien Powers or not, coming to study in this University, do not forget that they are Chinese. Whether they come from the United States, Australia, or Malaya, or from the great Republic of China, they will surely be better citizens in the future, if they can manage to conserve whatever is beautiful, whatever is good, and whatever is wise in the old traditions of China, while they strive to imbibe the spirit of British Democracy with its great ideals of veracity and justice and law and freedom-which have built up the grandeur and the might of the British Empire. If with the virtues truly charac- teristic of the British, they succeed in combining reverence for the aged, respect for authority, love of order, and enthusiasm for learning, so conspicuous in Chinese institu- tions, they will have equipped themselves fully for the up- lifting and the amelioration of the great Chinese nation.
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