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May 19, 1902.
taneous.
The man to whom a great share of the credit for this high state of efficiency is due is. Colour-Sergeant Purdon, one of the instructors of the regiment, who has been with it for only four years, but who, in that short time, has helped to bring it up to such perfection that he is now prepared to match his men against any troops in the world, both in fighting and in drilling. He speaks, reads, and writes Chinese, and is consequently as much at home with his Chinese soldiers as he formerly was with his comrades in his old regiment, the Coldstream Guards.
*
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
upon.
THE DEPARTURE OF SIR THOMAS JACKSON.
379
At a
weather was of the most unfavourable descrip-
time before you became confirmed in the post of tion, and the parade had to be cancelled, 80.
Chief Manager in 1876. No one who is even that the public were robbed of one of the finest
superficially acquainted with the history of spectacles it could have been their pleasure to
Hongkong can ignore the fact that you took see. However, those residents in the Colony CHINESE COMMUNITY'S BANQUET, over this very responsible office at a period of who went on board the Empress of Japan on the On the occasion of his final departure the greatest doubt and uncertainty attending the 14th inst. were able to form a slight conception from the Colony, Sir Thomas Jackson, Chief commercial affairs of the young Colony. Al- of what the Weihsiwei Regiment can do in the Manager of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank- though blame was sought to be saddled on the matter of drill from the detachment's ap- ing Corporation, was entertained to a banquet executive on account of the legislative measures pearance and actions as it formed up preparatory on the 10th inst. in the City Hall by the which it enacted for the depressing state of to the inspection by Major General Gascoigne, Chinese community of Hongkong. The com- affairs, it cannot be denied that far more potent and on every side expressions of admira pany numbered over 150. Mr. Ho Tung factors throughout the East werecontributing to tion were heard, as genuine as they were spon-presided, and among others present besides bring commercial disaster upon Hongkong. The the guest of the evening were His Excellency | vicissitudes of banking, like all other trades, the Officer Administering the Government, became apparent in the reports and balance Major-General Sir W. J. Gascoigne, K.C.M.G., sheets issued by our local bank at this time. Hon. A. M. Thomson, Hon. A. G. Wise, Hon. The carping criticisms which its detractors R. M. Rumsey, Hon. W Chatham, Hon. A. W. | levelled at it were unmeasured and unrestrained. Brewin, Hon. J. J. Bell-Irving Hon, T. H. Yours, however, was not the spirit to be dannteil Whitehead. Hon. C. S. Sharp. Captain the by adversity, but rather the contrary. Hon. H. W. Trefusis, A.D.C. Messrs. N. A. trying time you entered upon your duties with Siebs, J. R. M. Smith, C. W. Dickson, zeal, and brought to bear upon them the ability D. R. Law, H. W. Slade, E. A. Hewett, and determination not only to maintain the V. A. C. Hawkins. A. Hanpt, E. Goetz, E. position and reputation of your charge, but to Tomkins, R. Wilcox, G. H. Medhurst, eclipse its success of the past. How far your H. Schubart, D. M. Moses, Fung Wa Chan, end was accomplished will best be seen in the Lau Wai Chuen. Ho Fook, Leung Shin Kong, speech of the Honourable F, D. Sassoon, who Tam Tsz Kong, Ip Oi Shan, Lenng Pui Chi, spoke as Chairman of the Bank at its half-yearly Kwok Siu Lan, Un Lai Chuen, Tong Lai Chuen, meeting in February 1886-ten year after your Yung Yik Ting, Wong Kam Fak, Ho Kom assumption of the Chief Managership. He said Tong, Lo Cheung Shiu. Leung Yan Po, Chan he would take the opportunity of recording the He Wan, Chau Siu Ki, Wei Long Shan, Lan immense services you rendered to the Bank Tsin Ting, Wong Ki Sam, Wei Lai Yu, Chan by your unremilting energy and ability. Kang Yu, Man Kwong Tin. Kau Tin (Applause.) So long ago as then the Bank,
Kum it Hing, Chau Yang Cheong, Chow
with the bulk of its earning power remaining Wing, Ma Fat Ting, Kwok Yik Yu,in China, had mid→ vast strides and attained to Tang Chi Ngong, and Chan Pan Po. The an important position. When you first took entrance to the hall and the staircase were charge of the Bank at the beginning of 1876, beautifully decorated with Chinese lanterns it had a reserve fund of only $100,000. To-day and -evergreens. After an excellent dinner, it boasts of 14 millions (applause) or 41 purveyed by Mr. W. M. Farmer, of Messrs; millions in excess of its capital, with incompar- Madar & Farmer, the toast-list was entered able property here and at the branches held in premises and dead stocks. The increase in The toast of "His Majesty the King" and deposits shows the continuance of public con- Her Majesty the Queen and the other mem-fidence in the Bank both in Europe and Asia. bers of the Royal Family" were given from the I will repeat what a former Chairman of the Bank Chair and duly honoured.
has said: "I doubt if the most sanguine of the The CHAIRMAN then proposed the toast of good men who were its promoters, expected it to the evening. He said-Your Excellency, Sir grow to the extent it has." (Applanse.) As a Thomas Jackson and gentlemen, I will not shareholder I must say, and I think I echo the attempt to disguise the pleasure and the great feelings of others, that I am not sorry you have honour I feel in occupying the chair to-night, been instrumental in working such a wondrous and as Chairman of this representative assembly expansion. (Laughter.) No other expression to be called upon to propose the toast of the adequately defines its development. During evening to our illustrious guest, Sir Thomas the period of its existence the Bank has more Jackson. (Applause.) Gentlemen, ours is than fulfilled its purpose. The Savings Bank, essentially a fleeting community, Men come
which commenced business in May, 1884, under and men go. And we have come to regard the your auspices, has also been proved to be useful arrivals and departures as matters of course to the class for whom it was intended. Sir. with stolid indifference. But there are acquain-recognition of your eminent and enduring tanceships, which once formed do not take long services has been made by Hor late Majesty to deepen into friendship, and it is these friends the Queen (up planse) and, after that, it is that we would vainly wish might stay with us at best but poor testimony we can bear to your With a full consciousness of the poor for ever.
But it cannot be. In the order of worth. things our best friends take their departure from tribute we can give you I feel I cannot do us, and the least we could do is to meet previous better than to recall the lines recorded in to the final leave-taking to wish God-speed to public print concerning you; it is thus in- the departing friend. (Applause.) We are effaceably consigned to posterity by the art met here to-night in obedience to one of those preservative of all arts that your energy has calls of duty devolving upon us as representing been exhaustless, your tact and temper beyond the Chinese commercial and tradal interests of praise. (Applause.) In the midst of great Hongkong to do honour to Sir Thomas Jackson, pressure boh of worry and responsibility, to whom we all owe so much. I make no
you have always retained your cheerfulness, apology in asking you to bear with me while I your urbanity. Few men have won greater express my small meed of praise and genuius popularity in Hongkong; none have been better entitled to it. Whether as the gnial Manager admiration of a gentleman whose very name has become a household word in Hongkong. of the Hongkong & Shanghai Bauk, the out- (Applause.) To trace the history of the great spoken member of the Legislative Council, or institution from whose Chief Managership you the munificent and public-spirited supporter of now retire is but to trace your own history as our local institutions, we shall most acutely miss We wish you many you have been known to us and to the world at you when you leave us. large for the past 26 years. When yon, sir, long years of life to continue with vigour arrived in Hongkong in the autumn of 1864 to unimpaired the career of usefulness to your join the Agra and Masterman's Bank, many of fellow-men. (Applause.) Now, gentlemen, let us were not yet out of our teens and as for us drink a bumper to Sir Thomas Jackson. myself 1 just then emerged from the period of babyhood. We could not then possibly have had any conception of the great personage that was to be so intimatly known to us in after years, (Applause.) One year after your arrival the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank was formed and in the following year you joined it, becoming successively Accountant at Shanghai, and Manager at Hankow and Yokohams before returning to the Head Office as Sub-Manager in 1870. The two re-appointments to Yokohama and a short leave you had in 1874 with an acting Managership of the London Office occupied the
In a short interview one of our representatives had with Colour-Sergeant Purdon, he was able to glean a few fac s in connection with the 1st Chinese Regiment that should interest our readers. The regiment now consists of 1,300 men, and is so popular in Weihaiwei that the supply of recruits far exceeds the demand; indeed, for the past eight months has been found unnecessary to enlist a single recruit. Their physique is good, and in one company of 30 men not one is under 5ft. 8in. The men take to their drill readily, and once the civilian rawness has worn off they evince a liking for their work and take a pride in attaining as rapidly as possible the high standard of excellence that their instructors set for them. Three hundred men of the regiment took part in suppressing the Boxer troubles last year, and out of that number 2 officers and 23 men were killed and 3 officers and 40 men wounded-a high percentage truly. All of the thirteen men comprising the Coronation contingent participated in the fighting at Peking when the Legations were relieved, and as they also were present at the taking of Tientsin they are thus entitled to a couple of bars with their medal for the campaign. At Tientsin, Colour-Sergeant Purdon and four men were wounded, and it is the former's constant regret that he was in consequence prevented from being present at the relief of the Legations in Peking. However, at Tientsin it was his good fortune to perform a deed for which he is to be presented with the distinguished conduct medal. Of his bravery Colour-Sergeant Purdon spoke with the greatest modesty and unconcern. "What did you do to gain the medal?” he was asked.
"Oh, nothing much-only carried a wounded man back under fire, and refused to retire when I was ordered." But that nothing much" saved a man's life and gained for his gallant preserver the decoration that, next to the Victoria Cross, is most coveted of the soldier. As Major-General Gascoigne said on the 14th inst., the Weihaiwei Regiment is the first to send to England a detachment of English-drilled Chinese troops, and their appearance will we feel certain, create as favourable an impression in London as it
has here.
A Seoul telegram of the 28th ult, to the Asahi states that Yu Sin-Chun, brother of Yu Ki-Chung (the latter of whom is regarded as a pro-Japanese Corean), and four other men have been suddenly arrested. It is believed many members of the late Independent Club will be arrested, and great panic prevails. A later telegram announces that sixteen arrests have been made since last advices. The cause of the coup d'état is unknown, but the rumour is circulated that a scheme was on foot among the Coreans to revive the Independent Club. It is believed that this rumour was taken advantage of by the officials in the Imperial Court and the Government to represent to the Throne that the members of the former Independent Club had some seditious intentions and hoped to act against the Government with the assistance of the Corean refugees now in Japan.
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The toast was pledged with enthusiasm. Sir THOMAS JACKSON who was warmly welcomed, said in reply-Your Excellency, Mr. Ho Tung and gentlemon, first of all I have to thank your Excellency for being present. I take it as a great honour, and I have also to: thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the very kindly way in which you proposed my health and have spoken of the Hongkong and Shanghai The prosperity of the Bank is Bank.
ELS all, and it is only very dear to
proper that it should have right and received appreciation at your hands. In saying
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