olony, have to go elsewhere, such
in Ching There
her places you find the
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND..
and I hope we shall baye many reunions as the one we have had h (Applause.) I hope we shall imbue
College and other schools, sometidens of modern civilizati
+
the Imperial Maritime Customs, | t mistaken, and in the different com- panies the China Merchants Company, railway companies, and other companies subsidised by the Chinese Government. They are also in the Government service of China, and some of them have been officials: (Applause.) Now, yon understand that ignorance of one's ideas and misapprehension of one's thoughts will often lead to complications. But if these young men are sent into the interior of China they will help to remove all these difficult questions and complications. (Applause). Therefore these youths redound to the credit of this colony (Applause.) Mr. Ho Amei, who kindly pro- posed my health, alluded to my past career, and he anticipates a glorious future for me. (Hear, hear). I must confess I am a little am- bitions—(hear, hear, and applause)-but, at the same time I must not be too sanguine. I leave to the future what may happen; I prefer to rely on my own acts, and not be bound by any promises I may make. (Applause.) I shall be content with any position His Imperial Majesty may be pleased to appoint me to, and I shall do my duty faithfully and loyally. (Loud ap- plause.) But at the same time, without any breach of confidence, I may safely say that while serving my august young sovereign and my country loyally and faithfully and to the best of my ability, I will make it one of my chief aims to endeavour to cement yet closer the friendly relations that are now happily existing between China and the foreign countries. (Applause,) Gentlemen, I have spoken long enough-("No, no ")- and I promised my friend on my left that my speech would not be long. Gentlemen, I con- clude by wishing you happiness and prosperity, and I hope, if I may be permitted to do so, that on returning to China I shall find you all in good health and prosperity, and in the case of those of you who are absent from the colony I shall be glad to hear that you are all well. (Loud applause.)
Mr. LEONG SHIU KONG said-Mr. Chairman, the toast committed to my care this evening is one which needs few words to commend it to your
warm and hearty reception. It is the toast of our guests. We are deeply gratified that so many of the leading representatives of this important colony of Hongkong should be with us on this unique occasion to do honour unto H.E. Wa Ting Fang. previous to his going to represent the Imperial Government of China in that great country, the United States of America, to say nothing of Spain and Peru. We are much indebted to our guests for coming here to-night to assist us in onr en deavours to do honour to an old resident of Hongkong, Ng Choy, the new Minister to America. Let me ask you to join heart and hand with me, and drink in bum- pers health, long life, and prosperity to our guests. I couple the toast with the name of the Hon. E. R Belilios. (Applause.)
The toast was cordially drunk.
Hon. E. R. BELLLIOS said-Mr. Chairman, your Excellencies, and gentlemen, presumably because I am the oldest foreign resident of Hongkong present here this evening, I have been asked to respond to the toast that has just been proposed and honoured. (Hear, hear). I regret, however, that I cannot do it justice ("Oh, oh")-because as a rule after a good din- ner such as we have enjoyed I am practically hors de combat, and, therefore, I am unable to make a long speech. (Laughter and applause.) Gentlemen. I have been and I am a friend of the Chinese, (Applause) With Lord Wolse
Joy
I think they have a brilliant future before them. (Hear, hear.) I think with Lord Wolseley they have a great future before not as soldiers, but as merchants and (Applause.) I believe in the they are possessed of, and I believe cation and closer intercourse with race will advance by leaps and few years become one of the tions of the world. (Applause.) and trust that the Chinese of Hongkong will, in a few years, Hall of their own (applause) ---
hope --
shall be able to break the impregnable barrier of ancient conservatism which now surrounds them." (Hear, hear, an applause.) Gentlemen, on behalf of myself and on behalf on those whom I represent I thank the Chinese community of Hongkong for the splendid evening's entertainment they have given us here to-night (Applause).
Rear-Admiral MCNAIR, United States Navy, also replied. He said While I am a stranger here it gives me the greatest pleasure in the world to say a few words. I came out here in 1858 and also saw Hongkong twenty years later and eight years after that; in fact, this is my fourth cruise out here. It is wonderful to see the improvements out here and to see how beautiful everything is and how grand. As to the remarks I have heard here from your Governor, I have seen too little of him, but that little has confirmed what I have heard of him. As a stranger I can make very few re- marks, except that I am pleased to see the wonderfully good feeling between the Asiatics and Europeans. (Hear, hear.) And now you will permit me with these few remarks to
(Applause.) propose the toast of the hosts.
This toast was also drunk with enthusiasm. The CHAIRMAN-Your Excellencies and gentlemen, although I have been in America six years, and all Americans are born orators, yet I am far from being an orator. I cannot speak, as you all know, but I ask you to accept my warmest thanks for the very kind manner in which you have received this toast. (Ap- plause.)
say
and I hop and happy (Ap
The company
MA 11 3189
THE HONGKONG GENERAL. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
of the
iittee
at the Chamber's Room at 12.15 p.m., Present (Chairman), H. Smith ( Bell-Irving NJ Ede Michaelson, NJ A. Siebs, TH. Whitch R. C. Wilcox (Secretary)
The minutes of the previous meeting read and confirmed.
་
7
NEW MEMBER
It was annou that the Hongkong and China Gas Co., Limited, had been elected a member.
THE VACANCY ON THE COMMITTEE. Mr. R. M. Gray was elected a mem of the General Committee vice Mr. G. B. Dodwell resigned,
TRANSIT PASSES IN KWANGTUNG. Under date. 14th alt, the Colonial Secretary had forwarded, for the information of the Cham- ber, a copy of a translation of a proclamation issued by the Lekin Office in Kwang tung on the subject of transit passes.
THE INCREASE IN TELEGRAPH RATES.
A letter was received from the Foreign Office on the 23rd ult. replying very fully to the Chamber's letter of the 29th September last
Letters had also been received from the Berlin Chamber of Commerce and the Columbia Board of Trade ao receipt of Chamber's circular let October.
of 8th
It was resolved to address a letter of thanks to the Foreign Office for the courteous and careful consideration given to the representa tions of the Chamber, and which will be further replied to at a later date.
the 21st
Shanghai, Yokohama, Singapore, Colombo, London, Liverpool, Hull, Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Southampton, Cardiff, Glas- gow, Greenock, Leith, Aberdeen, Belfast, Dub- lin, Vancouver, Montreal, Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne:
On the 30th January a reply, was received from the Government to the effect cordance with the request of the pet petition had been referred to the State for the Colonies.
Mr. FUNG WAR CHUEN also replied. He said-It is perhaps rather unusual to get up after the Chairman, but I have been asked to do so and so I will endeavour to a few words on behalf of the hosts. We thank you very much for the toast which has been proposed and so heartily received, and it is very gratifying to us. We are very glad to see all of you here to-night. (Hear, hear.) We hope this will not be the last occasion. we shall meet you here. (Applause.)
* THE LIGHT DUES. The Governor has done a lot of good for our
Copies of the Chamber's letter countrymen, for example, in the way of public schools, in one of which I was educated, January and of the petition of the shipping and our friend Mr. Ng Choy, now His Ex- Companies and firms on the subject of the light cellency Wu Ting-fang, had the foundation dues had been forwarded, under circular cover- of his education built here. (Applause.) Ofing letter, to the Chambers of Commerce at course he finished his studies in England. Now I refer to the. Education Department. Some people say that the schools Have been doing good to those people who go away from the colony. I am not one of them. (Laughter and applause.) I hope the Governor and the public will continue to support the Education Department. (Applause.) We hope we shall be able to entertain you men of distinguished position about once every month. Before leaving the room I would ask you to do a certain thing which is perhaps very unusual. I want you to drink a glass of champagne filled up a glass like an umbrella-for the guests. (Applause and laughter.) We hope to meet you again often. There is one more point I would like to touch upon. The presence of so many of you of such important positions is really a proof of the appreciation for Chinese friendship. (Applause). The Gov. ernor is very good to the Chinese. And then there is Mr. Lockhart, the Colonial Secretary, (Applause). He has often been said to be a regular Chinaman-(load laughter)-because he likes the Chinese. (Laughter.) Wait a mo ment, he likes the Europeans as well or better, and I am quite sure you will agree with me when I say he is an Englishman—a real Eng lishman. (Laughter and “ Scotchman") Scotch, Irish, English-one nation. (No, no.") There is no distinction, and that is why England, or Great Britain, is so powerful in the world. I hope. Chins will imitate her. Before leaving the room I beg you to charge your glasses,: - |* *
The toast was received with enthusiasm. His Excellency WU TING-FANG then ad dressed a few words in Chinese to those who did not understand English. He sai entertained me to night and 1 obliged to you Confucius all the world over people are brothers.
HONGKONG'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE POSTAL SUBSIDY;
A letter had been addressed to the Chamber by the Government forwarding copy of a des- patch from the Treasury to the Colonial Office: on the question of the apportionment of the cost of the Eastern mail service togethe a report on same by the P who estimates this colony diture, on the basis proposed by at about £17,367, as compared with amount at present contributed.
After considerable was appointed to
and obtain to report: the Govern
Nort
REA
ATEXK
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