RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1974 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/x633mp077 ADVENTURERS IN HONG KONG 35 Collège Stanislas at Cannes. In 1877 he entered the military academy of Saint-Cyr;22 after passing out from Saint-Cyr, he joined the famous Saumur cavalry school. He was to remain a magnificent horseman all his life. The turning point in Morès' life came in 1881 when he met Medora von Hoffmann, the daughter of Louis von Hoffmann,23 a New York banker of German extraction, who had a villa, like Morès' father, at Cannes. Morès resigned from the army and in February 1882 married the petite, blonde Medora, who was to bear him three children. In August 1883 they travelled to the New World and Morès soon after started work in his father-in-law's bank. Morès was an astute banker but when his cousin, Count Fitz-James, returned from a hunting expedition to the Dakotas and regaled him with tales of his adventures, he decided to throw up his banking career and head west to the area of the Dakotas called the Bad Lands. In April 1883 Morès, together with William Van Driesche, set out by Northern Pacific Railway from Chicago for the Little Missouri River. After an inspection of the country he decided it was ideal for cattle ranching. He bought a large tract of land, built his own town--Medora--and a twenty-eight room château24 on a spur overlooking the river and the new town. The Marquis, who had begun to fence off his land, soon made enemies among the badmen of the area. Three in particular – Luffsey, O'Donnell and Wannegan--on several occasions attacked the château at night and their gunfire was returned by the intrepid Marquis and Van Driesche. The series of incidents culminated in the ambushing of the trio by the Marquis and two of his cowboys. Luffsey was killed, the other two wounded and taken prisoner. The incident did not end there, for the Marquis was charged with murder, held in custody and nearly lynched by an excited mob. Morès established his own abattoir, meat-packing and processing plant at Medora and hoped, thereby, to undercut the prices for dressed meat set by the monopolistic 'beef barons' of Chicago--the Armours and Swifts--but he was opposed not only by them but by their business allies, the railroad magnates. By 1885 it was clear that Morès' cattle empire was tottering, that he could not compete with the stockyards of Chicago, and that his scheme to provide cheap meat to Westerners and Easterners alike had totally failed. He returned to New York with his family, but at once attempted ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1974 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/x633mp077 36 H. J. LETHBRIDGE to organise the retail meat market in that state. This enterprise also failed, so the disillusioned Marquis, who had lost a large part of his private fortune, returned home to France in 1886. Morès' father, the Duke of Vallombrosa, advised his despondent son to take a long vacation and suggested a journey to India, a land the Duke had visited in his younger days. In November, 1887, therefore, Morès and his wife embarked at Marseilles for the journey out to Bombay. From Bombay Morès and his wife went by train to Calcutta, where they stayed with the Viceroy, Lord Dufferin, and where they met Prince Henry of Orléans. The Marquis and the Prince and a few friends at once organised an expedition into the interior to shoot game. Another expedition, to Nepal, was organised soon after they returned from their first chase, this time with Medora as participant. After five weeks the party returned with the skins of many wild beasts, including that of a tiger which the redoubtable Marquise had herself shot. In the spring of 1888, Morès and his wife returned to Europe. The ship that took Morès and his wife back to France was also carrying a number of his old comrades, former Saint-Cyriens, returning from the campaign in Tonkin. Morès had long conversations with these French colonial army officers and learned much about conditions in Indo-China. On the voyage back he thus became deeply interested in the commercial prospects of this new French colonial possession. But to open up and develop the territory necessitated the construction of a railway system: Morès decided to pioneer such an enterprise. As soon as he reached Paris he hurried to see the Minister for Foreign Affairs and presented a plan for building without government aid a railway line from Hanoi to the Chinese border. He was given official permission to prospect the region of Tonkin. On 21 October 1888, as noted, Morès left Marseilles together with William Van Driesche and an engineer, M. Thorel. On 22 November 1888 he landed at Hong Kong en route for Haiphong, and the start of another adventure: the economic exploitation of the Red River basin, a scheme as grandiose as the one he had been engaged on in the Dakotas. Mayréna's Odyssey in Hong Kong Mayréna spent his first days in the Colony studiously cultivating members of the Roman Catholic hierarchy. He visited the ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1974 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/x633mp077 54 H. J. LETHBRIDGE in André Malraux, Antimémoires. Paris, 1967, pp. 375-473. There is a short biography in Roman d'Amat and R. Limouzin-Lamothe, eds., Dictionnaire de Biographie Française, Paris, 1965. 17 Souvenirs de Cochinchine par Ch. David de Mayréna, Capitaine d'État-Major, Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur... Toulon, J. Laurent, 1871. 18 See Marcel Ner, 'Marie Ier Roi des Sedangs', Bulletin de l'École Française d'Extrême-Orient (Hanoi), Vol. 27, 1927, p. 316. 19 Ibid., p. 333. 20 Ahnaja, Mayréna's consort, died of tuberculosis in late 1888. She had followed Mayréna from Saigon but they were never legally married. 21 There are many studies of Morès, but most are written from a French nationalist point of view: see, for example, Baron Charles de Donos, Morès: Sa vie, sa mort, Paris, 1899; Auguste Pavy, L'Expédition de Morès, Paris 1897; Félicien Pascal, L'Assassinat de Morès, un crime d'État, Paris, 1902; Jules Delahaye, Les Assassins et les vengeurs de Morès, 3 vols., Paris, 1905-1907; Pierre Frondaie, L'Assassinat du marquis de Morès, Paris, 1934. Of great interest are chapters on Morès in Maurice Barrès, Scènes et doctrines du nationalisme, Paris, 1902, and in Georges Bernanos, La Grande peur des bien-pensants, Paris, 1931. For details on the family see Almanach de Gotha, Gotha, 1890, pp. 390-91. Robert F. Byrnes, Antisemitism in Modern France, vol. 1, New Brunswick, NJ., 1950, contains many illuminating insights into Morès' political career. The most modern study is Donald Dresden's The Marquis de Morès: Emperor of the Bad Lands, 1970, which is particularly good on Morès's adventures in the Far West. 22 One of his fellow cadets was Philippe Pétain (1856-1951), who later became the head of the Vichy Government. Another was the saintly Charles de Foucauld (1858-1916), a missionary in the Sahara. 23 His full name is given in the New York Times Obituary Index as Louis A. von Baron Hoffmann. He died in 1909. His daughter's name, Medora, was probably taken from Byron's poem 'The Corsair'. 24 See Russell Reid, 'The De Morès Historical Site', North Dakota Historical Quarterly, vol. 8, 1941, pp. 272-83. In 1963 Louis Vallombrosa, the Marquis' eldest son, presented the château and the surrounding grounds to the State of North Dakota. 25 See Maurice Soulié, Marie Ier, roi des Sédangs, 1888-1890, Paris, 1927, pp. 122-6. Mlle Dahlberg was supposed to be studying Siamese monuments in Bangkok but she was probably in the pay of the Germans who had recently discovered an interest in the region. Her brother was ostensibly a trader at Haiphong but really engaged in the smuggling of contraband goods. 26 A tour of the East was often a risky venture. Many companies went broke and singers and actresses left penniless and hence vulnerable as a consequence. See, for example, Conrad's novel Victory and Somerset Maugham's story 'Flotsam and Jetsam' for fictional but accurate accounts of the lives of distressed European actresses in the East. 27 Robert Fraser-Smith founded the Hong Kong Telegraph in 1881. He was also its editor and publisher until his death in 1895. The paper was edited from 6 Pedder's Hill and Fraser-Smith employed a staff of about four Europeans, usually Scotsmen, as reporters. As J. S. Thomson in The Chinese (London, 1909) writes: "The newspapers of the Treaty Ports are generally set up by the Macaense (sic) and edited by Scotchmen". Fraser-Smith was constantly involved in libel actions and in 1890 was sentenced to six months imprisonment for libelling J. Minhinett, a foreman in the Public Works Department, by suggesting he had committed rape. He did Page 60 Page 61 ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1989 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h 223 harmonium by D.H. ENGEL 17. "Eupeidee" (German student song and chorus) Th: Olympic Theatre (H) R: An advertisement only was published in the Herald of 29.10.1864. From it we learn that tickets could be obtained at the premises of Hiram Fogg & Co (ship chandlers, general store and auctioneers; one of the oldest foreign firms in Shanghai, located at the southern end of the Bund); Hall & Holtz (see 29.6.1864); A.A. Hayes Jr (Olyphant & Co, Nanking Road, ex Park Lane); and Herbert Cope (Geo Barnet & Co, Kiangsi Road (ex Church Street) and Hankow Road (ex Custom House Road)). It also becomes clear that there were at that moment at least two theatres in the Settlement: the Lyceum and the Olympic. The programme is interesting for the number of composers which have now been forgotten (Silcher, Kücken, Becker, Werner, etc.) and the piano arrangements of well-known opera arias. 12.11-18.11.1864 W. BROUGH: “Conrad and Medora” (1856) T: Burlesque pantomime (1 act) J.B. BUCKSTONE: “Married Life" (1834) T: Comedy (3 acts) J.W. MARSTON: "A Hard Struggle" (1858) T: Domestic drama (1 act) W. SHAKESPEARE: “King John”, prison scene (Act IV, scene III) Furthermore: “Cinderella”, possibly by H.J. BYRON (1860) or T. TAYLOR (1845). "Wonder"; no contemporary pieces are listed in HED; only: Mrs. S. CENTLIVRE: “The Wonder. A woman keeps a secret” (1714) and H. CAREY: "A Wonder or an honest Yorkshireman" (1735). C: Lewis A.D.C. Th: N.N. (E) R: The Lewis company continued to draw large houses and ventured even to put a Shakespeare scene on the programme, from King John. It proved to be "the hit of the week". In it starred Miss Julia EDouin and Mr. Henry BIRCH: "The acting was perfect. Miss Julia EDouin doing the fullest justice to the character of Prince Arthur and indeed taking the house by storm!" (NCH 19.11.1864). 19.11.1864 Sat H.J. BYRON: “Aladdin or the Wonderful Scamp” (1861) T: Burlesque extravaganza (1 act) C: Lewis A.D.C. TH: N.N. (U) N: Benefit of Miss Tilly Earl who played the role of Aladdin R: NCH 26.11.1864 23.11.1864 (Wedn) R.B. SHERIDAN: "The Rivals" (1775) T: Comedy (5 acts) C: Lewis A.D.C. TH: N.N. (P) N: Benefit of Mrs. Gill who played the role of Mrs. Malaprop. R: NCH 26.11.1864 26.11.1864 (Sat) H.J. BYRON: "Aladdin or the Wonderful Scamp” (1861) T: Burlesque extravaganza (1 act) ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1989 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h 235 that in more congenial parts Mr. FUNNYDOG will help to compensate us for the loss of that most genial of humourists, our incomplete BRUSHWOOD". The critic ended with the following advice: "For the future it would be better to rehearse three pieces and play two of them the first night; then in the event of a second performance the piece which was received on the first occasion with the heartiest plaudits might be repeated, preceded or followed by the new Drama held ready and in reserve. We are inclined to offer this suggestion owing to the various complaints which we have heard of the lateness of the hour at which Thursday's entertainment concluded, and also from a selfish wish perhaps to have two dramatic treats instead of one” (NCH 16.12.1865). ## APPENDIX I ## Authorlist of plays staged in Shanghai 1850-1865 In this list full titles of the plays staged in Shanghai will be found as well as first nights in London (these generally according to Nicoll. History of English Drama). P: Performance in Shanghai ?: The play is listed under more than one author | Author | Play Title | First Night in London | P: Performance in Shanghai | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | AYTON, Richard (1786-1823) | "The Rendez-Vous" | 21.9.1818 | 24.3.1852 | | BARNETT, Morris (1800-1856) | **The Serious Family** | 30.10.1849 | 8.10.1859; 23.3.1865; 28.4.1865 | | A BECKETT, Gilbert Abbott (1811-1856) | "The Roofscrambler” | 15.6.1835 | 12.12.1850 | | | **Siamese Twins** | [14.4.1834] | 5.5.1853 | | | **The Turned Head** | 3.11.1834 | 27.1.1865 | | BERNARD, William Bayle (1807-1875) | "A Practical Man" | 20.10.1849 | 8.3.1854 | | BOUCICAULT, Dion (1822-1890) | **The Colleen Bawn or the Brides of Garryowen** | 29.3.1860 | 25.4.1865 | | | "The Octoroon or Life in Louisiana" | 6.12.1859 | 7.1.1865; 13.1.1865; 14.1.1865 | | | "Used Up" (with C. Mathews) | 1.6.1846 | 26.1.1853; 8.2.1857 | | BRIDGEMAN, John Vipon (1819-1889) | **I've Been Eaten My Friend!** | 8.9.1851 | 22.3.1854 | | BROOKS, Charles William Shirley (1816-1874) | "Anything for a Change" | 7.6.1848 | 14.5.1854 | | BROUGH, Robert Barnabas (1828-1860) | "Crinoline" | 18.12.1856 | March 1863; 16.3.1863; 1.4.1863 | | | **Medea or The Best of Mothers with a Brute of a Husband** | 14.7.1856 | 28.12.1864 | | BROUGH, William (1826-1870) | 'Apartments: Visitors to the Exhibition may be accommodated. A piece of extravaganza to suit the times' | 14.5.1851 | 23.3.1853 | | | "The Area Belle" (with A. Halliday) | 7.3.1864 | 30.9.1865 | | | "Conrad and Medora or Harlequin Little Fairy at the Bottom of the Sea" | 26.12.1856 | | 138 ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1989 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h 241 Aurora Floyd Burlesqued: W.B. Gill; 19.4.1865. The Babes in the Wood: J.H. Byron; 17.4.1865. A Bachelor of Arts: P. Hardwicke; 10.2.1858, 8.5.1865. Betsey Baker; J.M. Morton; 23.3.1853. Binks the Bagman: J.S. Coyne; 8.10.1857. The Birthday: T.J. Dibdin; 9.2.1858. Black-eyed Susan: D.W. Jerrold; 28.3-5.4.1865. Bombastes Furioso: W.B. Rhodes; 28.1.1851, 5.5.1858. The Boots at the Swan: C. Selby; 14.12.1865. Box and Cox: J.M. Morton; 15.5.1854, 18.2.1857. The Bride of Abydos: H.J. Byron; 22.10.-28.10.1864. Bullrick at Kroll: N.N.; 28.3.1864. Camille: A. Dumas Jr; 27.3.1865. A Capital Match: J.M. Morton; 23.4.1857, 3.12.1864. Charles the Second: J.H. Payne; 16.3.1858. Cinderella: H.J. Byron? T. Taylor?; 12.11.-18.11.1864, 28.4.1865. The Colleen Bawn: D. Boucicault; 25.4.1865. A Conjugal Lesson: H. Danvers; 26.3.1857. Conrad and Medora: W. Brough; 12.E.-18.E.1864. Cool as a Cucumber: M.W.B. Jerrold; 26.3.1857, 30.3.1864, 4.4.1864. Crinoline: R.B. Brough; March 1863; 16.3.1863, 1.4.1864. The Daughter of the Regiment: E. Fitzball? 15.4.1865. A Dead Shot: J.B. Buckstone; 11.4.1865. The Debut: N.N.; 1.4.1864. Delicate Ground: C. Dance; 13.2.1864. Diamond cut Diamond: W.H. Murray; 12.12.1850. Done on both sides: J.M. Morton; 10.2.1858. The Dragon of Wantley: H. Carey & J.F. Lampe; 26.1.1852. Duck Hunting: J.S. Coyne; 30.3.1864, 4.4.1864, The Dustman's Belle: C. Dance; 9.2.1858. Faint Heart never won Fair Lady: J.R. Planché; 8.10.-14.10.1864, 14.12.1865. A Fast Train! High Pressure!! Express!!!: J.M. Maddox; 8.3.1854. A Fearful Tragedy in the Seven Dials: C. Selby; 15.2.1860. Fitzsmythe of Fitzsmythe Hall: J.M. Morton; 26.3.1863. The Flowers of the Forest: J.B. Buckstone; 28.3.-5.4.1865. Fra Diavolo: H.J. Byron; 15.10.-21.10.1864. The Frantic Husband: N.N.; 26.4.1865. The Golden Farmer: J.C. Cross? B. Webster? 8.10.1857, A Good Night's Rest: C.G.F. Gore; 21.2.1856. The Goose with the Golden Eggs: A. Mayhew & H. Sutherland; 13.2.1863, 17.2.1863, 26.4.1865 The Governess (Die Gouvernante): T. Körner; 28.3.1864. Grimshaw, Bagshaw and Bradshaw: J.M. Morton: 2.6.1859. The 'Green' Bushes: H.J Byron: 30.9.1865. A Hard Struggle: J.W. Marston; 12.11.-18.11.1864. The Harvest Home: A.F.F. von Kotzebue; 28.3.1864. The Haunted Inn: R.B. Peake; 6.5.1852. The Heir at Law: G. Colman the Younger; 21.4.1851. ================================================================================