Old Hong Kong-2 — Page 217

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The second day's celebration of the Jubilee was confined to the decorations and illuminations. As on the first day, there was a Chinese procession, in the elaborate form of those days.

There also took place e ceremony in oonnexion with the unveiling of the statue of Sir Arthur Kennedy (see 7-11-33), This was performed by H.E. the Governor in the Fublic Gardens, and the statue stands there to-day, the only one here ever to be erected in su oh surroundings.

On the evening of the second day of the celebrations, a Jubilee Ball also took place in the City Hall.

With certain exceptions everything passed off successfully. During the firing of the Royal Salute, given on the first day, a lamentable accident cocurred on boerd H.M.8. Mutine, two seamen being killed as the result an explosion.

Two Royal Artillery men were also killed on the P. and O lighter Stornaway while discharging rockets. A spark from a felling rocket exploded the stook on board the lighter.

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These disasters, sed and deplorable as they were, sank into insignificence compered with the terrible loss of life caused by the burning of the steamship Rib-young, carrying Chinese Equ passengers to Canton after the Jubilee celebrations From four to five hundred passengers were burned to death or drowned in this 1 disaster, which occurred near Chuenpee Foint on the Canton River.

In the comment, on the local celebrations marring the Jubilee of Queen Victoria (see 28-13-33) mention was mede of the decision to erect a status of the Queen on the Praya. This was gerried into effect in 1898, the unveiling ceremony teking place on May 28 that year, the date set officielly for celebration of the Queen's birthday (May 24) and was a most imposing ceremony. reproduce here a photograph taken at the time by Mee Cheung, show- ing the parade of troops and gathering of spectators, with temporary matshed stands for the accommodation of the principal residents.

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It is interesting to note several points ebout this old photograph, such as the absence of the iron railings which at present surround the statue: these were erected later when it was found that members of the public were using the steps as a lounging place. It will el so be noticed that the Hongkong Club building is covered with scaffolding this marks the fact that it was nearing completion, occupation of the new premises taking place in 1897 (see 23-10-33). The site on which the Supreme Court now stande was also vscent then, the Court being built in 1911-12 (see 23-8-33).

From the Hongkong Telegraph of May 28, 1896, I take the following comments on the unveiling. The paper starts ofe by recelling the t nine yeers previously, at the time of the Jubilee of 1887, the residents of the Colony had decided to erect a statue of Queen Victoria as a permanent mark of their appreciation of her long reign and to show in tengible form tran their loyalty to the sovereign. Orders for the work had gone forward almost at once, but owing largely to the tardy completion of the reclamation, the erection of the statue hed been delayed for some years, Describing the ceremony of unveilingas grand and imposing, the report states:

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