104
TRAGIC DEATH OF SIR EDWARD SYMES. K.C.I.E.
Sir Edward Spence Symes, K.C.I.E., the chief Secretary to the Government of Burma, com- mitted suicide on the 8th ult., by shooting him. self in the head with a revolver while driving to his office in a gharry,
The late Sir Edward Symes was practically the one permanent element of the Government of Burma in the Secretariat in Rangoon, states the 8. F. Press. He came to Burma originally, either at the very close of 1873, or the opening of 1874, and was from the first employed at head- quarters under Sir Ashley Eden, instead of doing district work. It was only when his seniority required chauge, that he was transferred to the successive Commissionerships of the Central Eastern and Southern Divisions of Upper Burma, subsequent to the annexation of that country after the war of 1885. Sir Edward was practically the chief adviser, in turn, of Sir Charles Bernard, Sir Charles Cr sthwaite, Sir Alexander Mackenzie, and Sir Frederick Fryer, and his name was a household word in the service:
He was born in London on the 16th August, 1852, the third son of Dr. E. S. Symes. He was educated at University College, London, and passed for the Indian Civil Service in 1873. He was decorated for services in connection with the annexation of Upper Burma.
His
Personally, the late Sir Edward Symes was the most likeable of men, though his extremely silent, impassive, and almost melancholy personality did not lend itself to any general intimacy with him. health, owing to long service in the trying climate of Burma, became latterly precarious. It must be well over two years ago since Sir Edward went home on long leave, and he had at least two extensions of that period, owing to continued ill health. He could, in fact, have been only two or three days in Rangoon after coming down by the mail steamer from Calout- ta, when his tragical end came.
It is an unspeakably sad end to a splendid mind and a valuable official career, says our Straits contemporary, but the memory of Ed- ward Symes will be long cherished with the deepest regard and esteem by all who knew
him.
HONGKONG.
The French gunboat Admiral Charnier ar- rived on Thursday from Nagasaki, while the gunboat Vipère, of the same nationality, left for Canton.
The uniform to be worn for the Church parade of the Hongkong Volunteer Corps to-day will be review order, with white helmets, belts, and
side-arins.
H.E. the Governor of Macao is to be present at the Memorial Service to-day in honour of the late Queen, and will sit in the Government House pew at the ceremory.
Following on the death of Her Majesty the Queen and the accession of King Edward VII. to the throne, the administrative officers of the Crown, under the Ordinances of the Colony, assembled before His Excellency the Governor on Thursday afternoon and took the oath of allegiance to the new Sovereign.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
❘
Our Portuguese contemporary O Porvir in its current issue publishes a portrait of her late Majesty, Queen Victoria, surrounded by a wreath surmounted by the Portuguese Standard and the Union Jack. The lithographing has been done very successfully at the office of the paper. The editorial article contains an ap- preciation of our late Queen.
the 26th ult. from Macao, eta,
The French cruiser Descartes arrived on
The street hitherto known as Market Street has been renamed Po Hing Fong Street.
Lients. J. H. Aitken and R. Mitchell, Hong kong Volunteer Corps, have been granted twelve month's leave of absence.
The return of visitors to the City Hall Li- brary and Museum last week shows that 494 non-thinese and 148 Chinese visited the former institution, 273 non-Chinese and 2,747 Chinese the latter.
The recognition of Mr. W. F. Aldrich, U. S. Vice-Consul and Deputy Consul-General, as in charge of the U. S. Consul General, during the absence on leave of Mr. Rounsevelle Wild man, is notified in the Gazette.
Mr. Washington Woodcock, formerly pro- prietor of the Kowloon City Hotel, died sud. denly on Saturday, the 26th ult., in his house at Kowloon City. He was 58 years of age. Death is believed to be due to natural causes.
Sportsmen at the Peak will doubtless be in- terested to learn that on the 26th ult. a full-grown woodcock was flushed from the boggy bed of the tiny streamlet that wanders down towards Pokfulam, past the Homestead end of the Chamberlain Road, within thirty yards of the roadway.
|
[February 2, 1901.
Club Race No. 4 of the Royal Hongkong Yacht Club will take place on the 3rd February ever course No. 4. The Races for the Navy Cup postponed until the 9th February. The times, etc., are as previously notified
Messrs. Hughes and Hongh offered for com. petition on the 27th ult. 19 sites for the erec- tion of booths and mat-sheds on the Government ground adjoining the Race Course on the occa- sion of the Race Meeting.
Two lots were withdrawn and the rest fetched in the aggregate $840, against $945 last year.
At the meeting of shareholders in the Hum. phreys Estate and Finance Company on the 28th alt., Mr. Hart Buck (who presided) said...---- Gentlemen: Before proceeding with the busi- nes of this meeting it is my sad duty to refer with the deepest regret to the great national calamity that has fallen upon our Empire by the death of our beloved Sovereign. I am quite certain I echo the sentiments of every one of her subjects when I say that we felt for her not only the respect and veneration which we should naturally have for so distinguished a ruler, Lut that we had also a deep personal love which was inspired by the knowledge that Her Majesty was perfect as woman, as wife, and as mother.
The task of floating the sunken dredger, the Cunton River, is proceeding as expeditiously a5 After the benediction at St. John's Cathe-possible, though several unforeseen difficulties dral on Sunday, the 27th ult., the organist played have arisen. It appears that the dredger pos the Dead March in Saul, the choir and con- sessed two deck-bousos, one on each side, and gregation standing. After evensong Chopin's when she capsized she forced the port deck "Marche Funèbre" was played, the choir walk- house through the deck, making a large rent ing out in silence. On both occasions the which it is necessary to repair. Several divers organist managed the organ with great effect. have been busily employed hermetically seal- ing down some of the hatchways, and in preparing places for receiving the coffer-dams which have been built for the purpose. The coffer-dams have been erected at the Praya Reclamation Works, and it is anticipated these will be placed in position during the week, and an attempt made to pump her out early next week. Lieutenant Litchfield, of H.M.3. Ter- rible, is superintending the diving operations, and is himself taking part in the diving.
"
The China pony Tarantula, which in Mr. Evelyn's" name won the Racing Stakes and took third place in the Champion Stakes at Amoy this month, was offered for sale by auction at the Race Course on the 26th ult. by Messrs. Hughes and Hough, and was bought in at $550. A couple of walers fetched $100 a piece.
|
14
On the 26th ult, the British cruiser Mohawk left for England. On the 27th the British torpedo-boat destroyer Whiting arrived from Shortly before noon on the 25th. ult.Chevalier Shanghai and the Portuguese gun-boat Zaire Z. Volpicelli, Italian Consul-General, and three left for Macao. On the 28th the French gunboat other prominent members of the Italian com- Vipere arrived from Macao, the British battle-munity, having obtained the permission of H.E. ship Glory left for Shanghai and the French the Governor, placed at the foot of the Queen's cruiser Descartes for Saigon.
Statue a large Horal wreath, composed of white Mr. J. J. Keswick presided at a general meet- chrysanthemums and greenery, with a black silk ing of the Hongkong Benevolent Society held in ribbon bearing the words The Italian Consul the City Hall on the 29th ult. The report showed and Residents" in gold capitals. In the after- that 35 cases had received assistance from the noon a second token of respect was placed at Society during the year, and a child whom it the foot of the status in the shape of a large had maintained and educated since 1895 had, cross within a wreath, of white chrysanthemums been sent home to its parents in England. on a green background, surmounted by a crown Ninety-nine cases had received assistance at of roses and chrysanthemums. This was sent the Star Coffee House and the Salavation from the office of this journal and was tied with a Army. The captain of the latter Home had, bow of black silk ribbon with the words “Hong- however, died during the year, and the Com-kong Daily Press" on it. During the present mittee had deemed it best that the monthly week there was placed at the foot of the statue allowance should be stopped, and the same given a fresh wreath of white chrysanthemums with to the Star Coffee House where the Rev. J. H. the inscription, in silver letters on black silk, France was doing a good work for the society."From a grateful Pensioner." The donor, we Work had been found in the colony for a num- believe, is Mr. da Silva, late chief clerk of the ber of applicants, and some, whose passages had Hongkong Post Office, who was in her late been paid away, had written grateful letters of Majesty's Service for over twenty years and thanks, and in one case the money advanced who is now enjoying a well-earnt pension. had been refunded. The society had paid for the maintenance and education of four children who were destitute, and in many other ways had looked after the interests of the deserving poor. The Committee tharked the managers of the various steamship companies who had so kindly responded to their appeal for free or reduced passages for their applicants. During the year Lady Carrington and Mes- dames Hawkins, Ritchie, Sachse, Atkinson and Douglas Jones had left the colony, and Mes dames Robertson, Swan, Thomson, and France had joined the Committee. The following ladies retired by rotation, and successfully offered themselves for re-election:-Mesdames Hoare, Goodman, Robertson, Siebs, Swan and France. On the motion of the Chairman, second-
On the 25th ult., at noon, the first of the eighty-one minute guns in token of respect to the late Queen Victoria was discharged and the firing continued at regular intervals until the full number had been reached. Ated by Dr. Thomson, the report was adopted, 3.30 p.m. the Accession Salute in honour of King Edward VII. was fired, when all the flags on Government buildings and warships in the Harbour were, hoisted, as also were those on the various Consulates, commercial houses, etc. The flags remained hoisted until sunset, when they wore again brought down half-mast high. They will remain so until further
notice.
as also were the accounts which showed a bal ance carried over from last year of $2,336.95. Donations had been received amounting to $1,132, and with the sum of $68.27 interest made up a total income of $3,537.22. Against that $2,038.60 had been spent on applicant's relief, and printing $27.55, leaving a balance carried over of $1.471.07. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings.
An interesting ceremony took place on Thurs- day afternoon on the tennis-ground of the Naval Yard, Hongkong, when the Distinguished Service Order was bestowed on five members of His Majesty's Navy for gallant conduct in North China. Three sides of the tennis-ground were lined with bluejackets picked from the fleet, the Union Jack was erected in the centre, and a band was in attendance. Shortly after 2.30 pm. Rear-Admiral Bruce, K.C.M.G., and Lady Bruce arrived, and were received by Commodore Powell, C.B. There were also present Mrs. Powell, Col. The O'Gorman and Madam O'Gorman, Mrs. Percy Scott, and a large gathering of naval officers. The recipients of the D.SO. were Lieutenants Lowther-Crofton (H.M.B. Centurion), Char. rington (H. M. S. Alacrity), Mackenzie (H.M.S. Whiting), and Phillimore (H.M.S. Barfleur), and Engineer Cockey (H.M.S. Cen- turion), who came up in turn to have the decorations pinned on their breasts by Lady Brace. While the gallant recipients were bo- ing congratulated by their friends a pleasant ceremony terminated by a general salute by the bluejackets and “God save the King" from the band.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.