In the evening the Volunteers again mustered, this time at the Shanghai Club, for the purpose of discussing their annual dinner. x C. J. Holliday occupied the chair, having Mr. Myburgh, the Chsirman of the Council, on his right hand, and Major Halahan on his left. Capt. Barnes Dallas sat in the" vice-chair, and the cross tables were presided over by Capt, Morrison, Capt. Harvie, Lieut, Macgregor and Lieut. Malherbe. There were about seventy officers, members of the Corps and guests present. The dinner was fairly well served, the wineflowed freely, and the attendance was good. The town band played well, but some of the diners would have considered it an advantage if the performers had stationed themselves somewhat further from the dining hall. Good music is, doubtless, a promoter of digestion and a great addition to the delights of banquet, but it should be sufficiently subued to allow those who prefer the pleasures of intellectual conversation to hearne 6—Waltz—" Flugschriften 7.—Gavotte Imperi The diners having satisfied the hearty appetites promoted by their arduous labours of the afternoon, The Cmateacax rove to propose the first always been our first dinner will carry on the custom this y year we opened, I remember, with of " Our Respective Rulers." This year the first toast of the evening which I propos to lay before you is that of "Plo Municipal Council." In apeaking as I do, I do not address you in my capacity as one of that much injured body, but simply as a Shanghai Volunteer. "I am sure you will all agree with mo that they alford us ity we require. I think no xy the generosity with which they give us everything we oak for, Lhave particular satisfaction in proposing this toast this evening because of a somewhat remarkable coincidence. The pre-lent head of that respectable body is, I may almost aay, my oldest friend in Shanghai. He came to Shanghai in the same year with myself; and, what is still more lar, he is uow Chairman and Tam of the Council. You will understand the great in proposing this toast to combine with it the name of Me. Myburgh (cheers), Apart from his ce) nection with the Council, I think the mere mention of the name of our worthy friend Me Myburgh is sefficient to make the toast acceptable. Me. Myburgh is well known to all of us here; he the centre of the sport of the place; he has endeared himeelf to us all, and I am sure that it is with double pleasure that you will drink musical honour,""
Mr. Mxnvnox said: Mr. Holliday and gentlemen, on behalf of the Council Ihave to thank you for the kind way in which the health of the Council has been proposed and responded to, and also for the kind way in which you received Mr. Holliday's mention of my name in connection with that toast. Mr. Holliday has alluded in gracious terms to the jolly days when we wera boys together," and when we were free from the cares of office—days which, I am sorry to say, we shall never see again. On behalf of the Council Ihave to thank the Volunteers for their attendance on parade to-day—especially considering the state of the weather. It was very crodit~ able indeed; and so far as I oan judge the manwuvres ' were very well executed. However, this will be shown when the inspector's report appears. I lave now toast to propose which I think will be duly honoured—it is the health of Major Halahan (cheers), who has come all the way from Hongkong to inspect, not a large force, but a handful of volun! The Municipal Council thought fit to summon an officer to come all the way from Hong-Kong to inspect that small force, and I may eay that the object which they had in asking the Commanding Officer at Hongkong to send a qualified man up here to inspect the Volunteers was to promote the eflicienoy of the Corps, and at the same time to add a certain amount of eclat to the inspection—to induce those who are not already in the ranks to join, and to induce those already in the rauks to turn out in greater numbers, Iam sure—or at last I hope—that Major Halahan has not been disappointed in inspecting so small a for I trust that his trip to Shanghai will have given him some pleasure, and that next year ho will be induced, if possible to come here again; the weather will in all probability be more favourable then, and we shall be able to prosont a bottor front. I beg to propose the health of Major Halahan (cheers)
Musical honours were accorded to the Major, and the toast was drunk with Major Hanazaw in response, said: Gentlemen, I thank you very much indeed for the kind way in which you have drunk my health, Toan only say how sorry I am that the weather has been so unfavourable to-day. When I heard that the General had been asked to sond an officer down I selected for the duty, especially as I had was only too glad to find that I had been
heard so much of the hospitality of the gentlemen of Shanghai. This is the third term of our present General in China; he takes grent interest in the volunteer move.
and I know that when I ack ho will be most anxious to know all the particulars of what I h Ishall, of course, be able to report moat favourably of everything I have soon; but Thope before I report to. Hongkong you will give me an opportunity of a other parade—just a quiet para: that goes on amongst yours the best sort of teat. As I the General will want mo to make a detailed report, and I should like to have another opportunity, if possible, of seeing the Shanghai Volun T am very bad at expressing myself (no, no), but I hope you will understand that I am very much obliged to you for your kindness." Allow me to propose: "Success to the Shanghai Volunteers.""
The Cuarnscay, in responding on behalf of the Corps, said: Gentlemen, I have to ask you to excuse the husky toues in which Laddress you, over which I have no control, and which prevent my speaking more clearly. I believe some people think ion of sitting on a horse and pleasant one, but if you had ing—as I have now—of red-hot poker being driven down your throats, you would not think it so nice. After the kind way in which Major Hala-han has spoken of our efforts to-day the pleasant duty devolves on me of returning thanks on behalf of my brother officers and myself, and on behalf of the Corps. Unfortunately the duty of answering for the Corps is one which not unfrequently falls on the Commanding Officer. When you first did mo the honour to entrust me with the command of the Corps, letters were written to the papers by members of the Corps, and I had a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.