The annual inspection of the Municipal Police took place in the compound of the British Consulate-General on Tuesday afternoon. The total number of men present so cording to the parade state was 367 of all ranks.
All the members of the Council were Pettisson had conducted Mr. Fearon (the resent and after Captain-Superintendent Chairman) through the ranks of the. niep, the latter said Inspectors, sergeants and constables of thoShanghai Municipal Police: Having just inspected you I am glad to say on the part of the Council that Il am piesoed with your appearance on parade. I am also glad to learn from your Captain-Superintendent that the men of the Force have fallen in with the new hours of duty, on the incrossed scale of pay, with that willingness he would expect from a disciplined police force. I regret, however, to learn from him officially of the number of foreign constables that have been brought rp before him as defaulters since his arrival here for offences of a grave nature—so serious that they are in his opinion indicative of a serious want of dis Your Captain-Superintendent has come to us from the Royal Irish Constabulary, a force well-known among police forces where discipline is strictly and justly maintained; and the Council are therefore determined having regard to his experience to support him at any cost in enforcing and maintaining di cipline here. The calling of a policeman is an honourable one, requiring many good qualities in the men who adopt it—such as steadiness, industry, tact, good temper, and intelligence; those men who possess and cultivate these good qualities, will get on, but if they lack them they will assuredly goto the wall. In no business in the world would employees be tolerated who are wanting in sobriety, are unpunctual or absent themselves from duty, and who do not thoroughly attend to their work when nominally engaged on it. It is therefore obvious for the convenience and safety of the public who employ you, that such failings and lapses cannot be tolerated in the Police Force here. That advancement is certain for deserving mien you can see in the presence of your Inspectors here to-day, in the many good positions held in Shanghai by men formerly in the police, and in the fuct that an extra inapectorship, sri inspectorship that will be a permanency, has lately been created for good work done on the recommendation of the Captain-Superintendent.
In rej Captain Pattisson said—Mr. Fearon gentlemen: I beg to thank you for your expression of opinion as the smartness of wy men on parade. 'T quite agree with and cordially endorse the emarks made as to the honourable character of a policeman's calling. I have been a policeman for 18 years—a policeman pure and simple—and I have never regretted adopting that profession. I trust I shall use my best endeavours—and I also trust that the officers and men under me will uso, their best endeavours—to give the Council and public of Shanghai useful and honourable service.
Sikh Sergeant No. 69 was then called to the front and informed by Captain Pattisson that in consideration of his long and meritorious service he was promoted to the rank of jemadar, and would henceforth be entitled to wear a sword.
'A photograph of the parade and the members of the Council having been -taken, the men were marched back to their estations and dismissed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.