A stentorian voice boomed "Fore as a signal that, the preliminary waggle accomplished, the business of the first hole was toward. In a room apart a fragment of the Town Band, under Mr. Castro, discoursed sweetly while the courses made their ordered and dignified march, It was with the arrival of the decanters that the business of the evening began, however. Then the Chairman called "Gentlemen, the King!" the toast was honoured musically, weeds were lighted, and the next speech was awaited, The Vice-Captain (Mr. H. G. Gardner) made it. He gave "The Navy, Army and Auxiliary Forces." The wonderful impetus which sport in general had received from the presence among us of so many of all Services was referred to, with special reference to golf. Mr. Gardner found many nice things to say of the Services as golfers, and the toast was warmly received.
Captain Baker replied for the Navy, modestly disclaiming any special merit for them as golfers, but expressing their hearty appreciation of the invariable kindness and hospitality which had been offered to them of all hands in Shanghai, Major-General Dorward, in replying for the army, echoed Captain' Baker's thanks, He added that the army had the distinct tion of numbering more golfers in its ranks than any other profession, avertin, gloomily that they were "all duffers. Did the authorities realise, he went on, how wholesome a training golf was they would lay out links as well as rifle-ranges, and the result would undoubtedly be that our army would get into fewer bunkers. He ended with the moving story of the parson who once gave out as his text:
What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose the last hole?"
To the Chairman fell the toast of the evening, "The Royal and Ancient Game—Success to the Shanghai Golf Club." He proposed it neatly and briefly, and it was drunk in bumpers—not, as someone suggested, in " bunkers."
Mr. H. J. H. Tripp replied. He traced golf in China to its beginnings, when ho and Mr. A, P. McEwen started it in Hongkong, and told how since it had spread, until to-day hardly a port was without its links.
"The remaining speeches were more or Jess infor "The Honorary Secretary,"
Messrs. A. Shewan and Sutherland," and "The Singers" were all honoured. As to these singers they were numerous and excellent. Mr. F. Hagberg gave "The Song of the Bow" and' "The Deathless Army" splendidly; Mr. C. Biron sang a coster song; Mr. E. T. J. Blount was inimitable in "English as She is Spoke," and " By Desire Mr. W. J. Tyack was, as ever, sweetly melodious in telling of "Bonny Mary of Argyll Mr. R. Sutherland give a golfing song, and played the ocarina; Mr. K. J. McEuen gave a Barrack-Room Ballad with excellent spirit; and Mr. W. H. Lewis several times announced himself to be " The Bandolero." It remains to say that Mr. A. N. Woodward was as kind and as skilful as ever in playing accompaniments. And so the curtain rang down on a very successful evening.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.