THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS. AND
which is situated at some distance from the Reverse battery, at eight o'clock, a fact those called to prove the alibi had appar ently overlooked. One of those witnesses
[July 1, 1897. THE DIAMOND JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS.
was a man named HERA SINGH, and the history could show greater national advance or | PAGEANTS ASHORE AND AFLOAT.
Surbadhar proved that HERA was in Hong- kong and returned with him that night to Leyemun Fort in a launch which did not leave Hongkong till eight o'clock, while the Havildar proved that he gave HERA permission to go to Hongkong that day at four o'clock and sent a message by him. It seems impossible to have a case in which men of HERA's class and nationality are called as witnesses without the grossest per- jury, and this, naturally, calls for the fullest and most careful investigation of such cases. With a Judge so painstaking as Sir JOHN CARRINGTON, we may be sure such in- vestigation was, in this case, and will in other cases, be made. It is, however, un- satisfactory that such endeavours to frustrate the course of justice by a combination of lying witnesses should be made. But it is, at least, satisfactory that the jury were unanimous in their finding after so long and careful a trial, and that in the result the offenders have found that the law has awarded them the punishment they so fully deserved.
*
IN EULOGY OF THE QULEN.
[CONTRIBUTED.]
con-
June 22nd, 1897, will hereafter be a memor- able day in the annals of the British Empire. As Phoebus Apollo runs his course to-day count- less millions in all parts of the world will acclaim the fact that Victoria, Queen by the Grace of God and by the right good will of the lieges, has achieved the splendid record of a sixty years reign. The cynical and matter-of-fact Greville has testified to the chorus of praise evoked by the Queen's manner and behaviour on June 20th, 1837. He tells us the little maid acted with good taste, good sense, and good feeling," and then proceeds to hint that it would be rash to count on her judgment and discretion in the more weighty affairs of state. Sixty years of ever ripening wisdom and summate tact have completely belied his prog- nostic. Good taste, good sense, and good feel- ing are a fine endowment for practical life, be it on the throne or in the cottage, and alone they are quite sufficient to account for our Sovereign Lady's brilliant success in the highest and most sacred of all human relationships. As the Queen began, so she continued: her Court has ever been a model of purity and dignity, and yet finely consistent with the sim- ple domesticity so dear to the Tentonic peoples, By the sheer affinity of excellence, our Royal Family has attracted to itself all that is good in our national life, letters and latterly art ex- cepted. The Guelphs, rich in princely virtues, have been denied the literary faculty by the Gods: their neglect of the most glorious native product of their time-English literature- seems almost fatuous, but with this exception the mind and character of the Queen are alto- gether admirable and indeed lovable.
De.
It is no exaggeration to say that Victoria's queenly virtues have given a new lease of life to the monarchical principle among the British peoples. Republicanism, if it exists at all among them, is Platonio; its redness, so apparent forty and fifty years ago, has been bleached by the steady light emanating from the new embodiment of a constitutionalsovereign. mocracy is running in full flood both at home and in the colonies, and is paradoxically found to be compatible with Monarchy. The personal virtues of a good woman have reconciled the irreconcilable, and that, too, during a long period of political, social, and economic change in which nearly every sceptre in Europe has been broken. Thrones have so often been the vantage coign of pleasure and folly, or the perch of lawless ambition, that special recognition is due when royalty shows the white flower of a blameless life. The temptations of sovereignty are ever as great as its opportunities for good.
may
We have no wish to fall into the vulgar error { of glorifying our own age and folk; but re- flecting on the progress and prosperity of the Queen's reign, we doubt if any equal period in more widely diffused happiness. The Empire has expanded into colossal proportions, a trade and manufacture such as the world has never seen has been developed; wealth has been more equitably shared, the standard of com- fort in all classes has risen, crime has diminished; education, science, art have spread as they never spread before. Our literature be inferior to that of the Elizabethan age, but if so, it is only in the one department of dramatic poetry, and to that age alone. Best of all, a spirit of altruism full of beneficent pro- mise of a greater future has invaded all classes. The Queen is of course not responsible for this; the deeper springs of national character and evolution are too complex to be modified by one personality, however eminent and august; but neither is Her Majesty to be dissociated from it. She is the apex or crown of our social and political pyramid, and exercises a far-reaching in- fluence in these departments, an influence which is not the less real because it is not always ap- parent. Nor must we forget her profound and peculiary personal influence in the region of high international politics. Her Majesty is indeed a Mother of Kings: the thrones of Grea- Britain, Germany, Greece, India, Russia, Rout manis, and many minor principalities and dukedoms are or will be held by her lineal descen- dants; and under the special circumstances of government in most of these countries, it is impossible not to recognise the personal power of our Queen, though she herself is the most restricted of limited monarchs.
The celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee commenced on Sunday, the 20th June, when thanksgiving services were held at St. John's Cathedral and the other places of wor ship. Monday was a blank in the official pro- gramme, and in all the mercantile offices work proceeded at high pressure in order as far as possible to clear off the homeward mail and leave Tuesday and Wednesday free for the festivities. But although not in the official programme, Monday had its own special function, the evening of that day having been selected for the opening of the handsome new ball-room of the Mount Austin Hotel by a dance given by a Committee of residents at the hotel. The ball-room and its approaches had been tastefully and appropriately decorated and a pleasing little souvenir of the occasion was presented to each of the guests in the form of a fan bearing on its face a portrait of Her Majesty. The guests in going to or coming from the ball were not incommoded by unfavourable weather condi tions, the night being fair thongh overcast. Amongst those present were H.E. the Governor, H.E. the General Officer Commanding and Mrs. and Miss Black, and Commodore and Mrs. Holland.
Great anxiety prevailed as to what the weather would be on Tuesday and it was with a feeling of relief and reassurance that the community observed on rising in the morning that though there was little sun the Her Majesty now typifies the beauty of appearance of the sky afforded a reason, venerable and venerated age. She sits "rulingable prospect of a fine day. Punctually as in large and ample empery" not only the eight bells struck the men-of-war and merchant myriads who acknowledge Her formal sover- vessels in port displayed their decorations, the eignty, but the untold millions who yield a still flags fluttering out simultaneously from all more wllling obeisance to wisdom, goodness, parts of the harbour, the rapid transformation and sympathy, wherever they are found. The scene being a very pretty and effective sight. At great Jewish King when offered a choice of ten o'clock a meeting of the Executive and Legis- the gifts of God, chose wisdom and lo!lative Councils was held for the purpose of send- all other good things were given to him, Alexandrina Victoria in 1837 made the same choice and with even a happier result. Length of days has been added to personal, domestic, and national prosperity; and to posterity the ctorian Viage bids fair to be synonymous with all that is great and good in the progressive life of
man.
We have no veneration for big things as such, but we confess that we cannot reflect on to-day's proceedings throughout the Empire, and especially in London, without emotion, Her Majesty will pass in the presence of at least three millions of her people to the great national fane to take a part in service of praise to Almighly God for the blessings which have accrued to the nation during her time and largely
through her medium. Throughout her world-wide empire myriads will celebrate Her royal virtues not only by joyous festival, but by the inauguration of lasting memorials in the shape of hospitals and public beneficences, We are proud that Hongkong is acting to-day in a manner worthy of the occasion and in harmony with its traditional loyalty and generosity.
GOD SAVE OUR NOBLE QUEEN.
a
The Bangkok Times of the 18th June says :-- We regret to announce the death of Mr. William F. Falconer, who succumbed to an attack of dysentery last night, after fortnight's illness. Mr. Falconer was a native of Perth (Scotland), and came out to the East about thirty years ago, to join the staff of the Chartered Bank in Calcutta. From there he was transferred to the Hongkong Branch of the same Bank, his connection with the Chartered Bank extending over a period of about twenty years. About ten years ago he resigned, and started an insurance and broker business on his own account in Calcutta. He came to Siam as accountant for the Sapphire and Ruby Mines, but latterly he had settled in Bangkok as an auditor and accountant. He leaves a widow and a daughter in Calcutta. The funeral takes places at the Protestant Cemetery this evening.
Much
ing à congratulatory telegram to Her Majesty. Unfortunately the expectations of a fine day were disappointed, a thunder storm accompanied by heavy rain breaking over the colony shortly before eleven o'clock, the hour fixed for the Governor's reception. The rain, however, apparently deterred no one from venturing out, the reception being very largely attended, and the function was a brilliant one. After the reception the addresses from the colony, from the Chinese, and from the Freemasons were presented, the Hon. C. P. Chater presenting the first and third and the Hon. Ho Kai the second. Before the company left Government House it became known that a telegram had been received conveying the intelligence that H.E. the Governor had been made a G.C.M.G. and the Hon. C. T. Chater a C.M.G. satisfaction was expressed at the conferring of these well merited honours, coupled, however, with some disappointment that the list was not a longer one. Shortly after twelve o'clock the weather cleared up and with the exception of an occasional slight drizzle remained fair for the rest of the day. Early in the afternoon vast crowds began to flock down to Happy Valley to witness the re- view, many of them arriving apparently much earlier than was expected, as there was no one on the ground to regulate the seating until the. stands had been in large part occupied, and the arrangements that had been made with so much care were to some extent dislocated. The review itself was a magnificent spectacle and only lacked a little touch of sunshine to impart brightness to the scene. To the troops however, especially the artillery, the work must have been fatiguing and unpleasant, the heavy rain of the morning having left the course under water here and there, and the march past had to be carried out ankle deep in mud. The various corps were warmly applauded as they passed. After the review a musical festival took place, the orchestra being composed of the combined bands of the West Yorkshire Regi- ment, the Hongkong Regiment, and H.M.S. Undaunted, and the choir consisting of some three hundred voices. The effect was splend** and heartstirring, and the enthusiasm when the
t
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