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July 6, 1901.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADÉ REPORT.
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"Tis not in mortals to command success,
soldier? And what man of us all did not mourn ten thousand dollars for his canteon, and the with our late, beloved. Queen and with the Admiralty told him that they would give him bereaved parents for the gallant young Prince
But we'll do more, Sempronius, we'll deserve a similar amount if the 810.000 was collected.
it." Christian who has laid his bones among | He got $8,000 in Hongkong, and if he wanted So much for Sir those of his brother soldiers in the blood- more, he knew he would get it. (Applause.) a warrior, but history will assuredly one day Edward Seymour as stained fields of South Africa? One and He was quite certain that Hongkong was always tell how deeply we all in their several spheres of activity and ready to assist them, and, in conclusion, he for the statesmanlike qualities that have done are indebted to him usefulness, the membra of the Royal family thought if the Navy remained on this side have shown themselves worthy of the respect they would be more in touch with the good twelve months.
so much to assuage the difficulties of the past and affection of the subjects of the King and I people of Hongkong. (Laughter and applause.) iron band, but surely an iron determination to We will say nothing of an ask you to raise your glasses with me and drink HIS EXCELLENCY rose to propose the toast support the dignity and the interests of his to the health and long life of Her Majesty the of the evening, and said--I now ask you to country was never clothed in a more courteous Queen, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and join with me in drinking the health of my exterior, and I believe that Sir Edward Seymour York, and the rest of the Royal Family.valued friend and guest, Sir Edward Seymour, carries away with him the friendship as well as (Applause.).
and in wishing him God-speed on his retire. the respect of the allied leaders and the two The toast having been drunk, Sir Thomas ment from this important command that he has great Viceroys on the Yangtse whose attitude Jackson proposed the toast of the "Army, Navy filled for the past three and a half years with of true patriotism during the late trying times and Volunteers." He said the theme was a sneh brilliant. success. Entering the Service ought to earn for them the deep respect of all well worn one, and one concerning which it during the throes of the Crimean War, Sir | right-thinking men. Personally I thank Sir was difficult to say anything new. However, Edward Seymour received his baptism of fire Edward Seymour for the readiness with which he saw a story in Punch a short time ago in the Black Bea, and from that time he has always met overy request from me as to which would illustrate his meaning. It was to this he has never been for many years precautions for the protection of the trade of about an old boy who returned to his school. together beyond the sound of the shot-Hongkong in the West River, and I wish him, and found that goat changes had taken place ted guns, whether on the coast of Africa, as I know you do, God-speed and a long life of there. He came across the old porter, and, where he was wounded, in the Egyptian | further usefulness in the noble profession of on asking him about these changes, the old War, or three times on active service on what which he is so brilliant an ornament. man said "The head master is changed, and must now be to him the well-known coast of Admiral Sir Edward Seymour, whose rising all the other masters is changed, but lor bless China. During this last period of service on was the cignal for prolonged applause, in reply, ye, sir, the boys is still the same." He the coast of China, Admiral Seymour's command said-Sir Henry Blake and gentlemen, I rise (Bir Thomas) did not think anything would has embraced probably the most thrilling with much pleasure to thank you for the very better illustrate the position of our Army, period of the history of this Chinese Empire friendly, and yet, I must say, too flattering Navy and Volunteers at the present time. with Western Nations, Fifteen months ago expressions with which you have kindly pro The changes that had taken place in recent China seemed to be in its usual state of prac posed my health, and also to thank you years were marvellous in point of arma- tical quiescence. Now and again there were most sincerely for the extremely kindly way ment, equipment and everything else, but, incidents that might be regarded as normal you have drunk the toast. It would be lor bless ye, sir, the boys is still the same." evidences of sub-acute irritation. But there still того difficult for me to find words (Applause). These boys, our soldiers and was nothing to show the world at large that to express my feelings with regard to the position sailors, had in times past maintained the the Boxer Movement in Shantung would of last year, to which His Excellency has so integrity and dignity of the Empire. He involve almost all the northern provinces and kindly alluded. Anything that happened on believed that their representatives at the would result in the carnival of blood that devas that occasion was due more to the services of present time were made of quite as good stuff tated the province of Chihli from that time down those who were with me, and let it be clearly as the best of those soldiers and sailors who to a recent period. When those urgent messages understood that I refer equally to the forces of fought under Nelson or under Wellington or of the 8th and 9th of June came to the fleets of our own country and to those of the seven othér any other of the great naval and military com- the eight nations lying at Takn that the nations who were with U18. (Hear, hear.) manders. They had maintained the Empire in Legations in grave peril and help The unanimity existing on that occasion the past and had handed down a noble inheri- must come at once or it woull ba too was perfectly remarkable, and possibly almost tance. They hoped and prayed that nuder alate, no time WBS lost in landing two uparalleled in the history of the eight divine providence their successors in the future thousand men, of whom 90 were British, ations brought together under such circum- might not only maintain but extend that and of this column Admiral Seymour took stances. I think the whole position is well sum- empire in all is present and even greater command. The history of that gallant attempt med up in what Shakespeare has said-“ One magnificence. (Applause).
to relieve the Legations you have all read: touch of nature makes the whole world the hurried advance in which not a moment kin. (Applanss) I shall leave China with was lost; the evident belief of everybody that very agreeable recollections. It is forty-four Borer opposition would melt away like mist years since I first came into the harbour before the sun; the discovery that the railway--possibly longer ago than, or as long ago as, was destroyed in front and broken up in rear, anyone listening to me can remember. China while the column was attacked with a dogged undoubtedly has interested me more than any courage and pertinacity that proved how little other part of the world. It will be with we know of the possibilities in Chins when the especially pleasing recollections that I shall people are roused to a state of fanatical frenzy. part from Hongkong. This is. I think, one For seven long days 'the column fought its of the greatest sea-ports of the world, way back, attacked day by day by Imperial and a sea-port possessing the intensest import troops, who had now joined the Boxers, ance to China, not only with regard to Britain, pounded by horse artillery that they could not but also with regard to the other nations. To reach, and slowly dragging the junks laden have been entertained here by His Excellency with their ever-increasing tale of wounded over the distinguished Governor of this Colony, and the shallow waters of the Peiho. Every to be met by and have my health drunk by the village and town was doggedly defended and gentlemen representative of the Colony, is an had to be taken by assault. At the assault honour and pleasure I shall never forget. I upon the large town of Peitsang the Admiral do not wish to talk about myself more than lost for a time the service of his flag captain I can possibly help, but I cannot help remem- Commodore POWELL, in the course of a witty and right hand. Captain Jellicoe, who fell bering I have had the honour of serving under speech, said the history of Hongkong had been shot clean through the lung, but whom Sir M. Culme Seymour and Sir James Hope--- bound up with the Navy for the last sixty I welcome among 08 this evening once two distinguished Admirals not forgotten in years, and the Navy had always found Hong- more bale and sound. At length, weary China yet. I have endeavoured, though kong most kind to it. It now seemed, however, and fagged, with ammunition expended and only in an unworthy way, to set those two that the palmy days of the Navy had passed almost the last ration consumed, the column flung Admirals before me as my models. (Applause.) sway. (Laughter). Just now the Polo Club were itself into the Arsenal at Hsi-kn-that was I have noticed a great many changes in China. galloping over Admiralty ground (laughter), gallantly carried by a charge of British marines Buildings have sprung up like mushrooms both and they wanted even to take the Hospital Hill under Colonel Johnstone, and where it found sup- here and in Kowloon, but I do not allude so away and cast it into the sea (laughter). Not plies of rice and stores of ammunition that enabled much to these changes as to other changes less content with that, they wanted to move the them to repel the continued attacks upon it until visible to the eye but more pertinent to the whole Navy bodily over to the other side of the its ultimate relief by a column from Tientsin, mind-changes of a commercial nature. When Harbour. Laughter.) The Navy must have when it returned, having lost one seventh of I came to Hongkong forty-four years ago done something, for Hongkong was not now so the force in killed and wounded. It was a
midshipman, I might almost say kind to them as it once was. There was a time gallant attempt, and the undoubted courage we were without rivals in the commercial mé when a predecessor of his wanted a piece of land of the unceasing attacks was the measure of premacy of the Far East. There were some at the Peak, and the Governor gave him a piece the valour of those who brought their wounded French who tried their qualities, sometimes in of land for a dollar a year. He (Commodore safely through. And all through that trying war, sometimes in commerce, and therefore Powell) wanted a piece of land for the Navy time Admiral Seymour gare another proof honourable and pleasing qualities. - Now we every now and then, and, when he asked for it that in him England possesses a man with have American and German marchants who be was told that it was now so much a foot. all the best qualities of a leader-quickness in rival the British merchants. These are the The amount was so great that he almost dreaded conception, courage in action, and coolness changes, and though rivalry--I say it in no to write home telling the authorities the in difficulties. Unsuccessful as was that at unpleasant sense--now exists in Chins, as long se long figure it would cost them. (Laughter.) tempt it was, as I say, gallantly made, and in that rivalry is honest, we wish our rivals that Times must have changed indeed. He must looking back upon the episode Sir Edward success and prosperity they may deserve. say, however, that, notwithstanding this, the Seymour may well remember Addison's | (Applause) With regard to the event of the Colony was very kind to the Navy. He wanted' couplet---
last twelve months in the North to which His
Major-General GASCOIGNE in his reply, re- ferring to the war in South Africa, said thero had been a great many criticisms, some of them, no doubt, deserved, some possibly not 80. He could answer for this, that the senior cficers of the Army would welcome most fordially any good reforms that might come to ohe army, but one thing he most sincerely hoped was that. whatever reforms were made, nothing would be done to touch the regimental officers or soldiers, whether they be of the regular army or of the volunteers. Whatever criticisins there had been, as Sir Thomas Jackson had most kindly said, the boys were the same as ever they had been. He thought also that the Volunteers had proved themselves worthy to fight side by side with their comrades of the regular army. His Excellency conclude:l by referring to the cordial relations which existed between the Army and Navy.
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