[
December 1, 1902.]
what cany be done in the most conservative towns, to the thousands of officials who regularly make pilgrimages to this provin- cial seat. If by any chance his example be followed by eveu a few, Chang Chih-tuug's n'me should deseredly go down to posterity in a halo of grateful memory. It was currently reported during this visit that already H. E. has begun extending the system of roads, and that a section some few hundred feet in length was being built in a great hurry in order to permit of his being driven in his carriage to a temple which he was to officially visit on the 17th inst.
THE EVENING RECEPTION.
On Saturday evening His Excellency received all foreign visitors to the Port; in the Idilitary College. These guests included Vice-Admiral Bridge and his staff, the captains and officers of all the men-of-war iu harbour, these including British, German, American, Japanes, Italian, and Aus`rian, besid ́s officers from Lis og fleet, the Consular, Municipal and Commercial repre- sentatives mentioned above, besides Customs officials and other foreign members of his -Gvernment. The sutrance courts and the ceutral hall of the College had been turned into a veritable crysanthemum show for the occasion, the central hall containing an exceptionally fiue mass of these beautiful blossoms. The large class-room on the right was used as the reception-room, and there each of the gue ts were presented to their host ia tura, H.E. haring a few appropriate wo:ds of greeting for each one.
H.E. must have had a trying time considering his age, as he was kep standing for a full hour going through this ceremony. THE BANQUET.
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At 6 o'clock sharp the guests were all lined up and followed their host across the central courtyard into the large hill on the left, which had been conver`ed for the occasion into a very spacious banquet hall. Down the centre of this was a long table, with cross tables at each end. H.E, sat at the centre of the main table, with Admiral Bride and D. Knappo as the senior naval and consular officials respectively. on each side of him. The military and naval officers of all nationalities sat on one side of th table, consular officials and others on the other. The guests were thoroughly divided as to nationality and the large number of Chinese high officials and interpreters, together with the consular representatives resident at Nan- king, brought the number stated around the board to seventy-eight. The table arrange- ments hal been made with considerable skill while the decorations, principally composed of crysanthemum blossoms, added considerably to the beauty of the scene. The very large number of officials present, all in their very brightest cos'nmes, made the scene an exceptionally
brilliant one.
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The dishes composing the menu were s rved in either Chinese or foreign styles, the two classes of food. being alternated, el rea courses and dessert completing the whole. Just after an inte: mission which marked the middle of the mal. His Excellency rose, 18 did his guests and His Excellency asked those present to drink the health and prosperity of Her Majesty the Em press-Dowager and His Majesty the Emperor. This being duly honoured, he proposed the health, long life, and prosperity of the various sovereigns and rulers represented around his table, expressing the hope that thir presence there that evening was but one of the many occasions on which he might see them us their mutual good relations cont uued and improved, and finally he drank to the health of all his visitors, to whom he returned thanks for their presence in Nanking as mark of respect for his deceased friend and predeces or, as well as for the courtesy they had shown him upon his arrival at his new post.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
After a brief inspection of the cadets of the military school, drawn up in the court yarl, all bade their host good night and a return to their various homes was made.
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THE FUNERAL.
Sunday, the 17th day of the moon, having been decide upon as a propitious day for removing the mortal remains of the late Viceroy Liu Kang yi from his old yamen, great preparations had been made. The gates of his yam n. and the entrance courts Lad been draped with immense masses of white cloth in the proper shapes and designs, while the body lying in state in its immense coffin had been surrounded for weeks by often changed relays of priests and personal attendants. Thither had come all the more important of the thousands of officials who had served under his late Excellency performing the prescribed ceremonies and leaving as a fecord of their Hither also had arrived the thousands of tokens ri-its obituary offerings of suitable kiuds.
of respect and sorrow from the still greater number of friends and co-workers of the great Viceroy who had completed his mundane duties. All the hoaour which etiquette and honest sor- row combined could suggest to the Chinese mind had been done in honour of the remains, and all was ready for the final act, the be- ginning of that pilgrimage whose conclusion will be marked by the Chinese equivalent of "Ashes to ashes, earth to earth.” On that day the coffiu was removed from the old home of the deceased, to make the first stage on the journey to that ancestral home near which it will finally rest.
This was the event to attend which so many distinguished foreign officials and representa tires had made the journey to Nanking. By 9.30, the previously arranged hour, the Naval and Military officers, the Consular Body from Shanghai, and the representatives of the Foreig population of that city. had assembled at the yamen of the dead ruler, and had expressed their appreciation of the worth of the dead statesman in appropriate manner. They having expressed the desire to accompany the remains a short distauce on their last journey, the place of honour, immediately before the personal relatives of the dad Viceroy, was accorded them, and they walked in procession from the yamon of the deceased, past the temporary yamen of his successor, and a short distance further, as the last means of showing their respect for the memory of one of the twain who had done so much to make foreign life possible along the Yangtsze.
THE FUNERAL CORTEGE.
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the procession was resumed by a very long line There was a break in the line after this, and
of Buddhist priests, clothed in the usual parti coloured robes of red and grey, preceded and held followed by two long inscrited blue streamers
aloft, and a Shortly after this the main portion of the narrow blne umbrella.
pageant began slowly to pass. First came a company of the late Viceroy's soldiors, in semi-foreign costums, armed with rifles, with fixed bayonets, carried on the shoulder. They escorted a large chair, draped in white, wherein was exposed a hand-painted portrait of the deceased, which was in turo followed by first the officers of Lin Kung-yi's foreign drilled troops Chinese) and next of the immense number of small officials and yamen runners who had served under His Excellency. After this came a line of amusing paper figures, carried by small boys, who caused much merriment during great number of superior Chinese officials, their progress. They were succeeded by a very clothed in official robes and wearing a'l the insignia of their ran. These latter followers were within th long lines of white cloth which extended from ei her side of the coffia supported by runners and soldiers whose duty it was to keep back the crowds. Following these Chinese officials came all the official for eiga visitors, headed by Admiral Bridge and Dr. Knappe, nearly all of these gentlemen being in full uniform. These in turn were followed by a large official chair draped in white even to the metal button on top, a number of musicians blowing th-long trumpets which al- ways accompany a coffin, and other yamen personal servants. Next came another company of the dead satrap's for ign-drilled bodyguard, in blue unifor us with black facings, followed by another long line of Chinese officials in full dress, and a few more paper figures. The deceased's official chair was carried after these, it being in turn followed by the relatives of the deceased, all dressed in coarse white cloth and looking unshaven and distressed.
Then came the coffiu itself, borne by sixty- The catafulque itselt was completely hidden four bearers, many of whom wore official hats.
under a large square canopy of dark blue velvet, embroidered in gold thread with emblematical figures and long lies of texts. This was in turn surmounted by a huge stork at its apex.
FOOCHOW.
The following items are from the Foochow Echo of the 13th inst. :-
Y
It is with the deepest regret that we record the death of Mr. Charles Gray of the Imperial Chinese Postal Service, at the early age of 37, which occurred on Thursday, the 13th inst. Mr. Gray, after a somewhat varied career, joined the Chinese Customs Service in 1891, and on the inauguration of the Chiness Postal Servios, was installed Asst. Postal Officer, in charge of the district. in which position he remained up to death. The heart tronble which carried him
through the closely packed masses of people As this grand catafalque was carried slowly lining the sides of the roadway, a hush fell проп all for the moment. making the spectacle an impressive oue, This practically completed the ceremony, as only a few chairs carrying. Promptly at 9.30 a.m. the first portion of the female relatives and young childen, all in white, procession was seen approaching. This consist-followed the coffi.--Shanghai Mercury. ed cf a long double line of youths, dressed in long yellow vestments, preceding a number of processional chair, also decorated with yellow funeral cloth containing large red lacquered tablets with inscriptions in gold. Following these were carried some ten paper represent- ations of mythical personages, standing ten or twelve high, which in turu were followed by a large canopied chair decorated in red, yellow, and green. The next section of the procession consisted of fully ono hundred of those red boards with inscriptions, such as are always carried in greater or less numbers by every official when in state. The bearers were all olad outwardly in white gowns having the monogram of th deceased printed on them in light blue. They were succeeded by a huge number of rauners, some in black with high pointed caps, carrying swords, and more in white carrying the mystical long-handled curved swords, clubs, tridents, and other symbols of the manifold offices held by the deceased. Then came in long precession an outward symbol of the respect felt for the late aged ruler by those under him. This consisted of no less than Admiral Bridge, th senior gast, res.onded sixty-two huge honorific umbrellas, of various briefly on behalf of the others present. Ho
coloured silk, the apex of each being the stork. expressed the appreciatio of all at the numer- that bird so closely connected in Chinese min ous courtesies shown them by H. E, even at a with funeral needs. The hanging curtain to time when he must be unusually busy with his own affairs, and added the best wishes of all present that he might have good health to en- able him to rule loug and successfully over his new dominions. This was most heartily responded t by all prossut,
The banquet was not finished until well after 9 o'clock. At its conclusion H.E. again headed the guests i leaving the room and returning to the reception-100m.
each umbre'ls had perpendicular inscriptions right around, while this was in turn supple men'ed by a kind of fringe, composed of strips of silk, two i ches wide and half the longth of the curtain, each strip having also som appro- priate text printed on it. This display of ambre las produced a great impression upon the thousands of Chinese of all classes who were packed tight in every part of the wide road through which the procession passed.
off did not manifest itself until a little more than a year ago, and Me Gray in spite of inor-asiur weakness manfally stuck to his work until less than a fortnight ago, when he was carried to the hospital, since when his falling away was very rapid. Mr. Gray was a most deservedly popular man in the port, as was evinced by the large attendues at the funeral yesterday, which included sɔveral of the Pagoda Auchorage residents.
The Autumn Chrysanthemum and Flower Show was held on Saturday, November 8th, and a very plns:at afternoon was provided not only to lovers of flowers bat to the public in general. The recention ground was bright with a display of bloom, and the flowers exhibited showed that the standard of excellence attained by our local horticulturists waS certainly not on the wane. The Viceroy's ̈- band payed during the afternood aul tea was provided. Altogether the Autumn show was an unqualified saccess, and the committee is to be congratulated.
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