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THE KING'S BIRTHDAY
CELEBRATIONS.
UNVEILING OF STATUES.
PICTURESQUE CEREMONIES.
On Thursday having been fixed for the local celebration of the anniversary of the birthday of His Majesty King Edward, the day was observed &$ a general holiday and advantage was taken of the occasion to unveil the statues of Queen Alexandra and the Princess of Wales. The usual review at the Happy Valley-a picturesque and striking pageant was cancelled, but the ceremonial in Statue Square when the statues were exposed to public view was very imposing, and the review of the naval brigade in the Dockyard was not the least attractive
feature of the day's programme.
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Adequate arrangements had been made for the unveiling ceremony. Two stands erected for the convenience of residents, but many preferred the greater view obtained from the verandahs of the adjacent buildings, even the Law Courts having a large quota of spectators. The troops of the Garrison were massed on all sides of the square, and in addition to the Hongkong Volunteers, the colours of six regiments were borne by
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
been among us those feelings have ever grown deeper and stronger. We regard her 89 the more regally endowed of Queens, and as the type and example that is best in womanhood. Her devotion to the duties of her high station and the success and charm with which she has performed them, as well as her never-failing sympathy with sorrow and suffering, are known to as all. You have erected this statue not only as an emblem of loyalty but as a mark of admiration and love of the noble lady who is our most gracious Sovereign, It will give Their Majesties, I am sure, special pleasure to learn that this statue was sub by their loyal sub- scribed for not only jects in this Colony, but by many who owe allegiance to other and friendly Sovereigns. They desired no doubt in this way to express their admiration of our Queen, to testify to the benefits they have received under the King's Government in this Colony, and to bear witness to the cordial relations which have existed between them and His Majesty's subjects in Hongkong. It will ever be a source of gratification to me that I have been asked to perform the ceremony of unveiling this statue to-day on the anniversary of His Ma- jesty's Birthday, and the replica of the Corona- tion Medal which the Chairman has presented to me will be a valued memento of the occasion.
In the name of the subscribers, I now unveil the statue and present it as a memorial for all time to the Colony of Hongkong.
sur-
of the their standard bearers at the rear
The Governor then pulled a rope, the shroud Queen Victoria Statue, The bright array of soldiers with their gleaming bayonets was the obscuring Her Gracious Majesty fell away,
and from the four corners of the most prominent element in the thrilling spec-rounding scaffolding four Union Jacks fiut tacle, and the vastness of the Empire was well illustrated by the turbanned sons of Ind marching with the helmetted soldiers of the King. Beautiful sunshine brought out every detail of the picturesque display, and the large throng of spectators felt compensated for the loss of the usual review at the Happy Valley.
tered bravely in the breeze, while the band of the Buffs struck up the music accompanying a royal salute and the spectators raised cheers for Her Majesty.
[November 27, 1909,
The statue has been presented from the sea. by Mr. H. N. Mody, who is ever ready to come forward to promote the welfare and add to the beauty and utility of the Colony, in which he has spent the greater part of his life. In the name of the Colony I thank him for his generous gift. Of Her Royal Highness and of the Prince of Wales it may be said that no prospective King and Queen of England have ever travelled so largely and seen so much of the British Empire as they have. It is significant of the increased importance with which the British Colonies are now regarded by the Mother country that their Royal Highnesses should thus have made themselves personally familiar with the sister nations those, destinies are linked with those of the British Isles, and with the Colonies, which, like Hongkong, are 80 important to the trade and to the naval supremacy of Great Britain. We are also proud that our future Queen will be the first for many centuries to be British-born. May Their Royal Highnesses be vouchsafed by Providence long lives, so that in due course they may reign over a united and loyal and patriotic Empire! At the request of the generous donor I now unveil the statue, and present it in his name to the Colony to which in so many ways he has been a benefactor.
A bugle then sounded, the shroud enclosing the statue fell, and four Union Jacks were run up to the corner poles of the scaffolding which had enclosed the Princess: The band then played, a royal salute was given and all hats were doffel to the revivified Princess.
THE MARCH PAST.
His Excellency the Governor, the General Officer Commanding, the Commodore and the General Staff then mounted the steps of the
the unfurled on
Queen's flagstaff, and naval gunners near Statue Pier fired a salute. The booming of
Health unto His the guns and the cheers of the spectators proved a heart whole
Queen's Statue to view the march past.
The Union
The Governor and Committeo then crossed the square to the shrouded statue of the Princess of Wales, which was next to be revealed. All round the enclosed statue were squads of the Buffs. and in close vicinity were the Hongkong Volunteers, who were in charge of Captains past. in
Andrews, Wolfe and Craik.
Just before 10 o'clock H.E. the Governor, accompanied by H.E. the General Officer Com- manding, and Commodore Lyon, with their respective aides-de-camp and secretaries attendance, arrived on the scene, and was received with a royal salute, the band of the Buffs strik- ing up the National Anthem. When the music had ceased the gubernatorial party, accompanied by members of the Coronation Committee, proceeded to the specially-erected platform in front of the statue of Her Royal Highness Queen Alexandra, where the first unveiling ceremony took place. The cost of this statue was defrayed out of the surplus of the Corona- tion Fund. Mr. George Wade was the sculptor, and the statue is worthy of his eminent re- putation.
Hon. Mr. E. A. HEWETT, in asking his Excellency to undertake the unveiling, told of the conditions leading up to the obtaining of Her Majesty's statue. He hoped that for many a long year the statue would remain not only as a memorial to the gracious lady it represented, but also a token of the amity and good fellowship which existed between the various nationalities who combined to make up the cosmopolitan population of Hongkong. He asked his Excellency, as a small souvenir of the event, to accept a replica of the Coronation medal, and to
unveil the statue
HIS EXCELLENCY said: - Mr. Hewett, Ladies and Gentlemen-The Chairman of the Coronation Committee has already recalled to your memory the circumstances connected with the origin of this beautiful statue of our Gracious Queen. Its erection is an indication of the deep-seated loyalty of this Colony to our Sovereign, whose throne is the symbol and bond of unity between all parts of the British Empire. We pride ourselves here in Hongkong upon our loyalty and patriotism, and I doubt if any Crown Colony can rival this fine
of statues-of our late revered group Queen, of their Gracious Majesties who now reign over us, of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, who at some future date will be our King and Queen. As we wish long life to the King, so we desire that that date may be long deferred. It would be superfluous for me to say more than a very few words regarding Her Gracions Maj- esty
The enclosed square from which the unveiling ceremony was conducted was occupied by His Excellency the Governor, Major General Broadwood and Commodore Lyon, and by Mr. H. N. Mody, the generous donor of the statue. Mr. H. N. MODY said: -Your Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is with the greatest pleasure that I now call upon your Excellency to unveil, and take over for the community, the statue of Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales. The embellishment of the very few open spaces we possess in this Colony is, I think, an object worthy of the attention of those who have the good fortune to be able to take a hand in doing so, nor can this object be better attained than by the erection of statues of those to whom we owe allegiance, devotion and love. It was, there- fore, with the greatest pleasure that, on the opportunity being afforded me to do something in this line, I offered, subject to the sanction of His Majesty Our King and to the consent of the Royal Personage immediately concerned, to present to the Colony the statue you are now about to unveil. His Majesty's sanction was readily granted, and Her Royal Highness very graciously consented to give the necessary sittings to Mr Wade, the sculptor selected whose works of art are numerous and well known, and I am given to understand he has produced a very speaking likeness, which it is now my prond pleasure to present to this Colony. We may well be proud of the fact that we hold the honour of possessing the very first statue of our Gracious Princess that has as yet been erected, though one is now being prepared for India. Like our present Gracious Queen, the Princess of Wales has always shown a keen interest in all works of mercy and charity. Long may she be spared to do so. With these few remarks I now ask your Excellency to unveil the statue.
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HIS EXCELLENCY said :-Mr. Mody, Ladies and entlemen,-The addition of this statue of H.R.H. the Princess of Wales completes the group which forms our Royal Square," and so 'soon as. the building sheds, which the Queen. Admiration and love for I regret will still for some time disfigure her lie deep in the heart of every British sub-it, are removed, this Square will form a ject. During all the 46 years that she has worthy and dignified approach to the Colony
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Jack
was
Majesty," and the troops started on the march
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The Bluejackets, with their machine-like evolutions, well filled the premier post in the pageant, while the marines took second place with no less distinction. Then followed the Royal Artillery, the H.K.S.B.R.G.A., the Royal Engineers, the Buffs with their historical colours, the Volunteers, the Mahrattas andthe Rajputs, the two latter displaying banners which have earned the adoration of all Britons.
THE NAVAL REVIEW. The end of the march past concluded the proceedings in Statue Square, and the wended their way to the spectators then
Yard. The impassible gates of Naval this usually secluded quarter were thrown open, and a large crowd of spectators filled the com- pound to witness the evolutions of the first defence of the Empire. Those in charge of the parade were Commodore Lyon, Commander J. Nicholas, H. M. S. Flora, Commander Smith,. H.M.S. Monmouth, Commander Acton, H.M.S. Tamar, Commander Pyke, H. M. S. Mon- mouth, Lieut. Chilcott and Lieut. Dukes Hughes.
A bugle call announced the arrival of H. E. the Governor at the Naval Yard, simultaneous with which the big Union Jack at the saluting base and the two White Ensigns were unfurled. A royal salute followed, and then his Excellency inspected the bluejackets and marines.
When the Governor returned to the saluting base the feu de joie opened. The big guns of the naval men on the waterfront first boomed their "happy returns of the day," the rifles of bluejackets and marines joining in the chorus with a precision which should gladden the hearts of all Britishers. Following the display three hearty cheers were raised unto His Majesty, and then the first line of defence of the Empire marched past Governor and people, fully im- pressing all with their qualifications, and by their precision satisfying the most sceptical that Briton's sons are Britons yet," and that the British Navy has not deteriorated, and can still be relied on with confidence "To keep our foes at bay."
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OFFICIAL DINNER.
His Excellency gave an Official Dinner last night at Government House in honour of His Majesty's Birthday, to which the judges and members of Councils were invited,
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