THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 28TH JANUARY, 1880.
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bare ve various occasions paid visits to Government House on passing through the Colony en route some other place, this visit of Viceroy LAU is certainly the first instance in the history of Hongkong which a Chinese dignitary of such high rank has gone out of his way to come expressly and segraize bis personal friendship with an English Governor and his sense of the entente cordiale between Hongkong and Canton Governments. It is evident that Chinese officials consider that the position & Governor HENNESSY has all along taken in his relations to the Chinese Government as well as Chinese population of this Colony, has materially contributed towards cementing the friendship y existing between England and China. The Marquis of TSENG gave utterance to this feeling his passing through Hongkong en route for London. CHUNG How repeated the same sentiment on he wait to Government House a few weeks ago; whilst LI HUNG-CHANG and TING YIII-CHI’Ang have in private correspondence expressed in similar terms their recognition of the attitude Mr. HENNESSY
has taken in Chinese affairs.
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Last Friday night, shortly before midnight, Viceroy LAU arrived in harbour, without previous duncement of any sort, direct from Canton, accompanied by a small flotilla of gunboats.. Early attrofy morning he sent word to Government House that, having handed over the seals of office to his successor in the Vice-royalty of the Two Kwang provinces, and not yet having taken over the als of the Vice-royalty of the three provinces of Central China to which he had been appointed, he assled himself of the only spare day he had before his official departure from Canton, to come in person to Hongkong in order to reciprocate the feelings of personal friendship which had sprung up Lawn Governor HENNESSY and himself since his tenure of office in Canton, and to thank him for the great influence which his Chinese policy in Hongkong has exercised towards cementing the good relatos existing between the Governments of China and England. His Excellency the Governor Bet Major PALMER, A.D.C., at once on board, to arrange the time and place of landing, and twelve mel ek was tixed as the time when Viceroy LAU was to land at Murray Pier. The Commandant of the eighboring town of Kaulung, Colonel LAI, applied for and received permission to land a company marines at the pier, to act as escort to the Viceroy. Half a dozen Chinese military officers # than Viceroy's staff landed their strangely caparisoned steeds and awaited the landing of their chief. You drew a large crowd of Chinese spectators, although the population were generally unaware of the army al of the Viceroy, the Chinese papers of Saturday morning having announced that Viceroy LAU would pass through Hongkong the following week on his way to Peking. Owing to the presence of the Chinese marines and military officers, who crowded the pier, the guard of honour furnished by Her Majesty's 27th Inniskillings drew up at the corner of Murray Barracks, to salute the distinguished
A few minutes before noon, the Viceroy landed at Murray Pier, where Major PALMER, R.E., A DC., Dr. EITEL, the Governor's Chinese Secretary, and the Canton Commissioner of Customs were a waiting. As His Excellency left the Tsing-po, a salute was fired from H.M.S. Victor Emanuel, don landing he was received with a salute from the Royal Artillery at the Wellington Battery. The Vooroy was accompanied by his Aides-de-Camp, Colonel LAI, and Major U TA-SHING and hist interpreter. Mr. SIEH YAO-KWANG, Acting Assistant Magistrate of the Nam Hoi District. Sedan chairs sent from Government House were provided for the whole party, but the Viceroy preferred his
dan chair. Two officers of the Viceroy's staff, with a Deputy officer, Mr. C'ès SUNG-SHY, tataand of the escort. The procession formed without difficulty in the following order :-First, came a party of Chinese Marines armed with Snider rifles; next, twelve of the Viceroy's private ser- *ants, without arms; then, six staff officers on horseback, followed by an enormous red umbrella·borne by po men who walked in front of the Viceroy's sedan chair and its eight bearers. Next followed jet more staff officers on horseback; next the Viceroy's Aide-de-Camp and his interpreter, whilst Con La and Sub-Magistrate WoNG of Kowloong City with some of their subordinate officers, → the procession, which presented a rather picturesque aspect as it slowly wound its way towards emment House, the whole length of the road being lined by Police Constables placed at intervals yaris. On reaching Murray Barracks, where the guard of honour with the band were sta- tooted, the Viceroy gracefully bowed to the colours and to the officers, as the troops presented arms. A card of honour of Sikh armed police was drawn up under the portico of Government House, and two arms as the Viceroy ascended the steps, where His Excellency the Governor, in Court uni- revived his illustrious guest, and conducted him forthwith into the drawing-room, where the ere of Council were successively introduced to the Viceroy. Amongst the company assembled ve His Excellency were, His Excellency Major General DONOVAN, His Honour Chief Justice JOHN SHALE, Commodore SMITH, R.N., the Honourable W. H. MARSH, Colonial Secretary,
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