The annual. torchlight procession of the members of: the Shanghai Fire. Brigade took place on Saturday night.
The turn-out was not so extensive as some of the "parades have bean, because ponies instead of coylies were used by the engine companies and consequently tut so much room was taken up, The weather had been threatening during the first part of the evening and it looked at one time us if the rain would come down in torrents. This fortunately did not happen and the firemen hada good evening after. all. The.mect was on the French Bund and the procession was formed as follows:—Town Band with about 25. musicians, the Mih-ho-luan; about 21 strong drawing their own trucl and reel and bearing torches, Next came the Hongkew" Company, No.2, with 10 members xnd 32 coolies, Deluge," No. 4, with fourteen members and twenty-one coolies, followed by the French Conipany "Lo Torrent," No. 6, who had with them the. members of La Lyre society playing lively music, about 35 in all, while the rear was
7, with 14members and 10 coolies, The effect brought up by the "Victoria" company, No. of the whole turn-out was very charming and picturesque, the various uniforms of the firemen setting off the show. The Torrent pine and reels, as also the stand under ch the La Lyre members marched, were a blaze of lanterns, the illumination of the others being confined to the torches, though all: bad stands of fla; A few halts were nade on the route which was along the Bund, over the Garden Bridge, along Whangpoo and Minghong roads to Broadway and back tothe Bund. The engin which had not gone over the bridge again rejoined the procession and the order was given for s gallop back to the French Gon: cession. This was executed it tive of the recent order of the Municipality with regard to furious driving, without accident, and the procession was dissolved and the companies returned to their engine houses. The Gromen then wended their way to the Astor House for supper, The boys had a time of it and some speeches were ade by the Chief Engineer, whose remarks with reference to the employment of ponies were not altogether asccepted'y.by M. Blondin, No. 3 District Engineer, who was in favour of coolies; by Mr: Probst, Vice Chairman of the Municipal Council; District Engineers Moore and Ottomeier, and others. Most of the firemen had left before 1 a.m. and the first annual supper of the Fire Department came to an end. Several other guests were invited and the walls of the hall were gracefully decorated with flags, while the banners of: the different companies were displayed in prominent:
tions. The mottoes on them were as
and'down comes your house," Hongkew jhows:—Mih-ho-loong Soy "the word "Excelsior," Deluge Useful as well as ornamental," Victoria '*Nulli secundus," Lo Torrent "Lo devoir avant tout," and the Shanghai Fire Department, We fight' the flames."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.