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Excellency has so eloquently and kindly alluded, the position was very curious, and no one feels more strongly than I do that our expedition was a failure. The world has been kind enough to judge it as an attempt not wrong to make, but I feel distinctly that those who took part in it and everyone of our countrymen who thinks about it know the fact to be as I have stated it. I cannot sit down without just alluding to the two Chinese Viceroys of the Yangteze upon whom His Excellency has com mented. They are both well known to me, and I have the greatest regard for them. They are honourable gentlemen, and the term patriotic is, I consider, the most suitable that could be applied to their ruling. (Applause.) Sach patriotic ruling is to the benefit of China, and will tend to the preservation of peace and that good feeling and harmony which ought to exist. Your Excellency and gentlemen. I will only ask you again to accept my deep gratitude for the way in which my health has been proposed and also for the way in which you have received the toast. It will be amongst the most pleasant recollections in my life, the evening I have spent amongst you now. (Prolonged applause.)
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
On the initiative of Sir THOMAS JACKSON, the He's a jolly good company rose and sang fellow," and gave three rousing cheers for Sir Edward Seymour.
This was the last toast on the card, and the National Anthem having been played, the com- pany dispersed.
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CHINA ASSOCIATION'S LUNCHEON AT THE CLUB. On the 3rd inst., Admiral Sir Edward Seymour was entertained to luncheon at the Hongkong Club by the Hongkong Branch of the China Association. Mr. J. J. Francis, K.C., Chairman of the Branch, presided, and there were also present H.E. Sir Henry Blake, Admiral Sir E. H. Seymour, H.E. Major- General Gascoigne, Sir T. Jackson, His Honour A. G. Wise, Commodore Powell. Capt. Jellicoe, Colonel Perrott, Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart, Colonel the Hon. R. H. Bertie, Hon. T. H. Whitehead, Hon J. Thurburn, Messrs. C. 8. Sharp, D. Gillies, H. P. White, G. C. Anderson, J. Brown, V. A. Caesar Hawkins, A. S. Lewis, R. L. Richardson, G. H. Medhurst, F. Maitland, W. Poate, H. A. Ritchie, E. Shellim, A. J. Raymond. T. H. Reid, A. S. Hooper. A. Cunningham, J. Brown, F. Smyth, H. W. Robertson, D. M. Moses, A. H. Rennie, C. D. Wilkinson, R. C. Wilcox, A. G. Wood, and Murray Stewart (Hou. Secretary).
After luncheon, the CHAIRMAN proposed "The King" and " The Queen, the Duke and Duchess of York and Cornwall, and the other members of the Royal Family," both of which were suitably acknowledged.
Mr. FRANCIS then followed with "H. E. the Governor," to which His Excellenty briefly re- plied, expressing the pleasure it had been to have had the honour of being invited to be present.
The Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD, in proposing the toast of “ The Army, the Navy, and the Auxiliary Forces," said that through the in- disposition of his friend Mr. Chater he had been called upon to fill up the gap. The toast he had proposed was one that on all occasions was received enthusiastically at the hands of all Britishers. (Applause) The China As- sociation was extremely fortunate in having as their guest the distinguished and gallant Admiral who was now completing his term of office in the command of the Fleet on the China Station. During his period of office Admiral Seymour had rendered conspicuous service in the North of China, and the speaker was sure that he echoed the sentiments of the other members of the China Association in wishing Admiral Seymour a long life of happiness and usefulness. (Applause.) It was considered a privilege by the civilian residents of Hongkong to have representatives of the military and naval branches resident with them. They assisted in all local sports, and entered heartily into the social life of the colony. In particular, the thanks of the Polo Club were due to Commodore Powell for the hearty support he had extended to them. (Laughter and applause) Dealing with the question of trade, Mr. WHITEHEAD said he had been on an extended tour round the world, and he had come to the conclusion that it was to be a battle, not of ships or of men, but of commerce. Other countries were leaving no
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July 6, 1901.
to
the
stone unturned to advance their commercial difficulty—a scheme which, though it would interests, and many British centres were already | doubtless benefit the colony, had probably
considered moro as something seriously threatened. It was to be a commercial | been battle, as he already had ssid, and if they fought benefit the Navy. One thing that interested as their brothers in the Army and Navy, the hím very much, said Captain JELLICOs, dealing victory might be theirs. (Hear, hear.) With with the question of shooting, was the toast of "The Army" Mr. WHITEHEAD interest now taken in straight shooting. It name of was one of vital importance to the welfare of the said he desired to couple the General Gascoigne, and with that of "The Empire, and it was to be hoped that the day who had rendered such was not far distant when every British colony Auxiliary Forces
would be provided with ranges where the inhabitants ould become skilled in the use of a rifle. (Applause )
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splendid service in South Africa-the name of H. E. the Governor, Hon. Colonel of the Hongkong Volunteer Corps. With the toast The Navy" the name of Captain Jellicoe of would be coupled. Captain Jellicoe recovering in the most marvellous from what might have been a fatal wound, a bullet having passed through his chest and lung. The toast was then given and fittingly responded to.
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Replying for the Army, Major-General GASCOIGNE said : Your Excellency and gentle. men, I do not propose to delay the really serious business of the day, and so I shall confine myself to as few words as possible. For the last sighteen months a good deal of attention has been di. | rected to the Army, and no inconsiderable amount of criticism passed upon it--no doubt some of it very much deserved. All I can say, gentlemen, is: if you will look around and take a fair veiw of things. I think-I think you have still every reason to be proud of your army. (Hear, hear.) fu saying this, I hope you will not think I am an old fogey and one of those who believe that everything is for the best in this best of all possible worlds, and that consequently I would let everything be as it is.
I am not against reform; I am in favour of reform, and during my thirty-eight years' service I have seen many good and wise reforms made in the Army. I can only say I believe it is the wish of all officers of the Army to see it placed on an absolutely sound basis, and I believe they will lend themselves in possible way to secure that end. I hold the opinion, however, if you will allow me to ex- see any deficiencies press it, that when we in a system we are rather disposed to become hysterical over it, whilst other nations, seeing their defects, repair them and keep matters to themselves. Again, looking at the other side of the question, I think we are also disposed some- times to run away with false impression", and are inclined to favour measures that would leave our house in no better order than before. I don't wish to detaiu yon, gentlemen, but I should like to say just a few more words with which I think you gentlemen of the Chamber You will be obliged of Commerce will agree. to help the army in the future by finding employment for deserving soldiers on their rotirement. You must take this upou yourselves, or it will become a question not of voluntary eulist went but of conscription. I think it would bo an excellent thing if the nation took steps to ensure that a deserving old soldier, at the end of his time, would be given employment in civil life. (Hear, hear, and applause.)
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Replying on behalf of the Navy, Captain JELLICOE said he had been out on the China station for three and a half years, and it was impossible not to be impressed with the changes that had marked that period. When Admiral Seymour first took command of the China Squadron. it consisted of one battleship and five cruisers, besides small craft. At the present day the Squadron was made up of five battle- ships and thirteen cruisers, large and small. a great (Applause.) There had also boon many additions to the river gunboat "flout. | Other changes besides those in the numeri- cal strength of the Squadron were to be noted. The colony itself was gradually going over to Kowloon, and it was possible," said Captain JELLICOE, that if he returned in twenty years' time he would find a house built on the place where the Centurion now lay. (Laughter.) He was quite certain, however, that when that house was built the Navy would be very warmly welcomed inside. (Renewed laughter.) Though changes might take place, the hospitality of the colony remained as warm as ever. Continuing, the speaker pointed out that though the strength of the Squadron had increased, no corresponding increase in the facilities for 'repairing sh ps had taken place. · Mr. Chatør, whose alisonce was to be regretted, had, Captain Jellicor believed, a scheme to surmount that
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H.E. the GOVERNOR, in responding to th toast of The Auxiliary Forces," said the Volunteer Force was increasing in strength and it was gratifying to note that the officers and men were taking a serious interest in the work. His Excellency concluded by a humour- ous reference to the paucity of Volunteer officers in a company embracing so many young men.
In proposing the health of Admiral Seymour, Mr. FRANCIS said: Your Excellencies and gentlemen, we are here this afternoon, on behalf of the China Association, to wish God. spood to Admiral Sir Edward Seymour on his departure from this colony, and to thank him, as well as we are able, for the admirable services he has rendered to the Crown and to us during the three and a half years he has been in command of the fleet in these waters. We have not merely to thank him for the admirable manner in which he has fulfilled
what we
might term his general duties. but also for the special services he rendered during the last fifteen or eighteen months→ (applause)-services that must necessarily have involved the exercise of very serious and very important diplomatic functions, and this special work, by universal consent and so far as we are able to judge, has been admirably and successfully performed. (Applause.) But, gentle- men, there is I think one special matter with reference to which we are bound particu larly to thank Admiral Seymour, and that is his oxpedition from Tientsiu for the relief of Peking. Admiral Seymour described that expedition last night as a failure., Gentlemen, it was not a failure. (Hear, hear. It is true the expedition did not attain the immediate object for which the Admiral started from Tientsin, but it cleared the way for the success- ful expedition which followed it, and seriously impressed the Chinese with whom it came in contact, and their immediate advisers, with a fair idea of what it was they were trying to buck against. (Hear, hear, and applause.) We have had many accounts of the siege of the Legations, and it seems tolerably certain that but for the dissensions amongst the Chinese themselves those in the Legations must have been swept away long before any re lieving force could have arrived. There were divided counsels among the Chinese, one party, and a strong one, in favour of peace. The peace party were undoubtedly greatly strengthened by Admiral Seymour's expedition, and that expedí tion must so far be considered a great sucCZAS, (Applause.) I think we have heard it said, gentlemen, on what is supposed to be the highest military authority in the world, that the expedition was a mistake. I sincerely hope, gentlemen, that Englishmen will continue to make such mistakes. One thing that has carried Britain through in face of the gravest difficulties was this-we made mistakes of that sort
see it, and we don't know danger when we never know when we are beaten. Ninety. nine times out of a hundred we have succeeded by just such mistakes, when, a more accurate of chances might have sug. calculation gested delay and led te steps that possibly been attended by different might have
little results. Now, gentlemen, I have further to add beyond saying that of us for many years to come will forget Admiral Sir Edward Seymour or the valu. able services rendered to "the British in this colony and in China-in fact, to the whole European world. I feel sure, too, that Admiral Seymour will not forget Hongkong and the China- Association; and that when he gets home he will do all he can to further the interests of the mercantile, trading, and shipping concerns out here. During the three and a half years he has been in command of the Fleet in these waters, Admiral Seymour must have made himself thoroughly acquainted
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