CHURCHES (Continuation)
145
After a laborious breaking up of the house arrangements the Nazareth community left the little village of Pokfulum to set itself up in the town. The fever-beset house was not, however, completely abandoned. Fr. Beal remained there with all the printery workers, and in order to relieve the solitude it was decided that every Wednesday the brethren at Richmond Terrace would go to lunch at Pokfulum. But it was soon perceived that this separation was disadvantageous for work, and in the month of September, the Printery personnel and material, also went to Richmond Terrace.
The community then comprised Frs. Rousseille, Beal, Gatztelu, Monnier, Gueneau, Largeteau (Kweichow), Lery (Cochin), and Loiseuet (Yunnan). The three last-named returned successively to their missions, but they were replaced by Frs. Desgodins (Tibet), Gourdin (Southern Szechwan), and Gandon (Southern Burma) as well as others who came later.
However, the establishment of Richmond Terrace could not be considered definitive; it possessed too many inconvenient features, amongst which insufficient quarters was not the least. The Superior was alive to the precarious situation and introduced it into an active correspondence with the Seminary at Paris, when invited Fr. Rousseille to make the trip to Europe for a conference at Paris itself. Entrusting the management of Richmond Terrace to Fr. Beal, the Superior embarked in May 1894, for France, but by way of Japan and America. Amongst the several schemes sketched by him for the future, was that of the possible transference of Nazareth if it should be necessary to leave Hongkong to Japan in the suburbs of the open port of Kobe, and he wished to take note on the spot of the advantages or disadvantages of the situation.
Fr. Rousseille disembarked at Paris at the beginning of June. His voyage had been rapid; but to his great astonishment he found, on arrival, the problem that had preoccupied him so intensely and had taken him to Europe resolved. This is how it happened.
The Procurator-General of Hongkong, Fr. Martinet had on his side searched for a location for the work at Nazareth. For he learned that an English shipping Company (Douglas Lapraik and Co.) possessed opposite the Sanatorium of Bethany, from which it was separated only by the road, a piece of property it was disposed to cede. That property consisted of a villa called "Douglas Castle" aee 28-11-33, with outhouses and grounds of an area sufficient to provide for the development that might be deemed necessary. Fr. Martinet entered into negotiations as soon as he could and before the end of May, while Fr. Rousseille was en route for Europe, the agreement was signed by virtue of which the Foreign Missions Society became the owners of this little domain. The news was telegraphed as soon as possible to Paris, and the good Fr. Delpech was quite happy in announcing it to the traveller on his arrival. Fr. Rousseille therefore returned to Hongkong in October.
The lease of Richmond Terrace did not expire until 1896. He had therefore, the whole preceding year 1895, to establish himself in "Douglas Castle" and to carry out there the improvements desired. He put the work in hand without delay. He exerted himself at first to enlarge the place so as to accommodate the Fathers, but found it a
CHURCHES (Continuation)
145
After a laborious breaking up of the house arrangements the Nazareth community left the little village of Pokfulum to set itself up in the town. The fever-beset house was not, however, completely abandoned. Fr. Beal remained the- re with all the printery workers, and in order to relieve the solitude it was decided that every Wednesday the brethren at Richmond Terrace would go to lunch at Pokfulum. But it was soon perceived that this separation was disadvantageous for work, and in the month of September, the Printery person- nel and material, also went to Richmond Terrace.
The community then comprised Frs. Rousseill., Beal, Gatztelu, Monnier, Gueneau, Largeteau (Kweichow)lery ( Cochin and Loiseuet ( Yunnan J. The three last-named returned successively to their missions, but they were replaced by Frs. Desgodins ( Tibet ) Gourdin ( Southern Szechwan ) and Gandon (Southern Burma) as well as others who came later.
However, the establishment of Richmond Terrace could not be considered definitive; it possessed too many inconvenient features, amongst which insufficient quar- ters was not the least. The Superior was alive to the pre- carious situation and introduced it into an active corres- pondence with the Seminary at Paris, when invited Fr. Rousseille to make the trip to Europe for a conference at Paris itself. Entrusting the management of Richmond Terrace to Fr. Beal, the Superior embarked in May 1894, for France, but by way of Japan and America. Amongst the several sche- mes sketched by him for the future, was that of the possible transference of Nazareth if it should be necessary to leave Hongkong to Japan in the suburbs of the open port of Kobe, and he wished to take note on the spot of the ad- vantages or disadvantages of the situation.
Fr. Rousseille disembarked at Paris at the beginning of June. His voyage had been rapid; but to his great asto nishment he found, on arrival, the problem that had preocu- pied him so intensely and had taken him to Europe resolved. This is how it happened.
The Procurator-General of Hongkong, Fr. Martinet had on his side searched for a location for the work at Nazareth. For he learned that an English shipping Company (Douglas Lapraik and Co., ) possessed opposite the Sana- torium of Bethany; from which it was separated only by the road, a piece of property it was disposed ot cede. That property donsisted of a villa called " Douglas Castle " aee 28-11-33, with outhouses and grounds of an area suffi- cient to provide for the development that might be deemed necessary. Fr. Martinet entered into negotiations as soon as he could and before the end of May, while Fr. Rousseille, was en route for Europe, the agreement was signed by virtue of which the Foreign Missions Society became the owners of this little domain. The news was telegraphed as soon as possible to Paris, and the good Fr. Delpech was quite happy in announcing it to the traveller on his arrival. Fr. Rousseille therefore returned to Hongkong in October.
The lease of Richmond Terrace did not expire until 1896. He had therefore, the whole preceding year 1875, to establish himself in " Douglas Castle" and to carry out there the improvements desired. He put the work in and without delay. He exerted himself at first to enlarge the place so as to accommodate the Fathers, but found it a
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