Ir would be quite unreasonable to criticise amateurs in the same way as professionals, There are certain points in which the Inter must always excel the former, but amateur ver object to a few friendly comments. gentlemen who daily go to bract vite-shooting are always ready to try their strength nob only against. their fellow-citizens but against regulars in Hongkong or Volunteers in England, and they hold their own in a manner Uhut is most encouraging. We trust the volunteer fire brigade, which includes many of the same persotis, will not be offended if we call attention to one matter connected with their organisation, in which they fal) short of the standard of excellence reached by brigades elsewhere, and in which, to an outsider, it appears that there is room fur improvement. We refer to the matter of the time which elapses between the alarm being given and the water being brought to bear
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.