On the invitation of His Excellency the Governor (Sir Henry Bl large and representative company assembled. at Government House on the 30th of August for the purpose of witnessing an interesting and unique ceremony so far as Hongkong is concerned, namely, the presentation to Sir Thomas Juckson, chief manager of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, of the letters patent conferring on him the dignity of knighthood.
Viscount Suirdale (Hix Ezcellency's Private Secretary) read aloud the letters fave attached to them the Great Seal of tent, which are inscribed on vellum and
England, and they were then handed amidst applause to Sir Thomas.
The company then sat down to tiffin. Sir Thomas occupying the seat of honour to the right of His Excellency. Subsequently is Excellency rose and said—Ladies and gentlemen, Task you to join with me in drinking the health of Sir Thomas Jack. son—(applause)—to whom it was such a Pleasure to me a short time ago to hand Her Majesty's letters patent. In saying that the dignity conferred upon Sir Ti richly merited I spe:
my personal observation from the tongue of good report, that erys-tallised estimate of a man who has been for many years in a, prominent jwsi before the public, and whose acts thoughts and feelings have become factors in the general welfare. (Hear, hear.) I may say L think without exaggeration that from the time Sir Thomas hee manager of that institution which his financial genius has placed in such an enviable position, he has been a very minent factor in the advancement of British wulitical and commercial interests in the Far East, of which people at home hear so much and know so little, Tu conferring this dignity upon Sir Thoma Majesty the Queen has but gi tion to the opinion of the commu: these regions—that is, of all who know him and when I say all who I mean everybody whose interest tas brought him here or who is represented in Far Cat! for who does not know T. J.? (app! I believe, Indies and gentlemen, that if letters were dropped in the post Petersburg, Berlin, Pari Santa Fe, and the little post Straits of Magellan, addressed **T. J. China," they would find their way iv Hongkong and Shanghai Bank in Queen's Road—(applause)—and I am further assured that if these letters were matters the writers would recei showing a wide grasp of general principles, complete mastery st details, and level-headed determinate er action was taken or adv honest and just. (Hear, hear.) [may be forgiven in feeling x patriotic pride in welcoming my countryman Sir. Thomas Jackson to the brotherhood of knighthood, because while fully appreciating and the capabilities of the many and Englishmet interests in ti I think it can hardly be denied that the three names which stand out most prominently in these regions are the names of three Irishmen—MeLeavy Brown, Robert Hart, and 'T' Tnekson, (Applause). We may assume that successful in business, supremely happy in. his family relations—(hear, hear,}—enjoying the confidence and esteem of a community reaching over 30 degree-s of Intitude, even this evidence of Her Majesty's appreciation of Sir Thomas Jackson can hardly add to the happiness of which it would seem that the cup must he nearly full—(hear, hear,)—but it must be a satisfaction to the community to know, that even in this farthest. point of our World-wide empire good work for the general interest of the empire will not be forgotten—(hear, hear,)—and the Order of Knighthood may well welcome Sir Thomas Jnckson asa member, because an "honest man is the noblest work of God." (Applause.) Task you to join with me in drinking the health of Sir Thomas Jackson and wishing him long life xnd the enjoyment in the future of that happiness and success which he has always enjoyed in the past. Applause.)
Sir Thomas, who was heartily greeted on rising to respond, said—Your Excel-Ieney, Indies and gentlemen, I very gratefully respond to the toast of His Excellency proposing my health. The distinction which has come to me I look upon as a very marked one.
I believe Tam the first joint stock manager who has ever received the decoration of knighthood. This is no small compliment not only to myself personally, but also to the Bank I serve and the colony I reside in. (Hear, hear.) Coming to Hongkong in the year 1864, I have spent some two-thirds of a pretty active life here. I feel that my best efforts have been far too richly recognised, and if they had been twice as good they would not have been good enough.
Tu connection with the position which the Bank now holds it would be very unjust "me and very inconsiderate of me to my colleagues to enyross even the greater share of the credit. The Bank has assumed a very forward and pronounced position not only in finance and commerce, but also to a certain extent in politics. Of those polities Lam profoundly innocent; bur. in this line my able colleague Mr. Cameron and my equally esteemed and able colleague in Peking, Mr. Hillier, have done sterling service to the empire. They have been behind the scenes in " way perhaps that even Her Majesty's Ministers have not always been, and everything they could possibly do ty forward the welfare of the re has been done willingly and un-(Hear, hear.) Phe Hongkong y look upon as my No, 1 wife, (Laughter.) It has had any atten om for 35 years, and while it would unknightly and unwise to quarrel with any Indy, such a mistress as this deserves the heart and soul, and all the energy man is capable of. (Hear, hear.) When in the worth of China a short time ago T met a globe-trottery—an extremely nice old felloxc, an American, who was most genial, He started from San Francisco, went to New York, London, Bombay, ' Calcutta, Singapore, und called at Hongkong, and he said that' wherever he went this side ven, there he found the Hongkong Bank. (Applause.) the Hongkong Bank has been associated with the prosperity Hongkong. When T came here in 1865—some 24 years after the colony was formed they might live been, here had been file found things not in so prosperous state us
ures and " number of risky firms had disappeared. There wax a good deal of uphill wark, but there was grit in this little colony which enabled it to pull through, Your Excellency, I have the greatest opinion of the future of Hongkong. I am perfectly sure, situated as we are near the wreat empire of China—for whatever her internal condition may be she is and must always be, with her four hundred million people, an ins
of forwarding the welfare of the British Hortant factor-—we have the opportunity empire und showing an example to the adjacent empire, I thank your excellency most sincerely for asking this company to meet me here to-day. This is a red-letter Aay to me and a day which I shall always remember. (Applause.
The proceedings then terminated. '—Hongkong Daily Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.