686215-1879-General-GRANT-Reception-at-Government-House-and-Chinese-Address- — Page 4

248

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 14TH MAY,1879.

THE ADDRESS.

丰大

恭祝

時燕

頌詞一幅製以紅組長一

大美合衆國前總統軍門嘉大人德政

序

己卯莫春恭逢

嘉大人駕臨奔港商等情欣獻曝用表丹忱溯

願德

隆獻

丰采做泐俚言以作歌頌客云耳 大人之恬退也猶口碑嘖嘖銘佩難忘今幸得瞻 故凡我俩人作客於美國版圖之廛者莫不咸霑實惠鼓舞騰懽比 葵向之誠兒涼鳧趨之願尤可喜省於中外通商一事務期一視同仁 大人之在 總統位出望重德隆遐邇愛國自善政人咸畏威商等既傾

此此見

木軍鬥現別香港欲抵中華遊玩想必‘紳商 於爲善如是足知諸君在港之興盛也 導各 如此善待我者脚爾輩常享如此福澤 於此頌詞之善言永誌不忘本瘵華民 多見增益於我者資本軍門再三注意

游、英國各藩地每遇爾回國之人及見 存永誌爾等香港華民邇來本軍門遍 各憲無不稱羨華民極爲樸實勤儉勇 先生

我惠言蓋此金玉之言 ·軍門務必留 赫蘭將軍荅云本軍門甚謝伍君等贈 拜辭

勇見遍

邀伍 麗四旁繡以金線花卉紅 制軍 丈六尺闊則四尺長爲華

絹長約一丈壓以黑邊極

其精緻上以華字書頌

商姓名中則大書惠及華

詞右書將軍佳欸左列紳

將軍

(Translation real by Mr. Ny Choy).

To General ULYSSES S. GRANT, late Presi

dent of the United States of America

and Commander-in-Chief of the United States Army.

SIR, On the occasion of your honouring

Hongkong with your presence, we, the under-

signed, on behalf of the Chinese Community,

approach you to give you a hearty welcome and

beg to present to you an address expressive of

our high esteem and respect for you,

During your Presidency, your great name and noble deeds were well known far and wide, and by the carrying out of a just policy you com- manded admiration and respect from all classes of people under your rule.

We have been delighted to find that in inter- national questions you have shown a spirit of impartiality and fairness, treating Americans and Foreigners alike, and the Chinese who have been trading in the United States have sumg, and con- tinue to sing, praises of the many good actions

done by you while in office.

We had longed to see you, but being far away we were hitherto not permitted to realize our wish. Now that you have favoured us with a visit, we avail ourselves of the opportunity to present you with a scroll inscribed with these four words : “Benefit to Chinese People” which. we hope may serve as a souvenir of your interview with the Chinese Community of Hongkong.

General GRANT, replying, said :-Mr. No Cпor and Gentlemen. I thank you for this valuable address. It will be kept by me as a pleasing nemento of the Chinese community of Hongkong.

In other Colonies during my recent travels I have also met countrymen of yours, and I have found the rulers of those Colonies recognising your good qualities of frugality, industry. and enter- prise. Such qualities go far to account for the prosperous condition in which I see you all here. I am now leaving Hongkong to visit your country, and I am sure I shall see much that will be

very

interesting to me. For this handsome address I anust again thank you most sincerely, and I shall

never forget the kindness shown to me by the people here. I wish that prosperity may continue to be enjoyed by you.

At the request of His Excellency the Governor, Mr. NG CHOY introduced the other members of the deputation to the General.

The deputation then withdrew,

The address, which was sixteen feet long by four feet wide, and extremely handsome, was embroidered in gold on a strip of crimson satin about ten feet long, with a rich deep border ex- quisitely embroidered. The characters are written in Chinese. On the top of the scroll is written the address, on the right side is General GRANT'S name in Chinese, and on the opposite side are the signatures. In the centre are four large Chinese characters, viz.:一惠及華民(“Wai Kap Wa Man" Benefit to Chinese people).

·而退 民四字