Municipal Police was held st the Town Hall on Thursday afternoon. The whole of the force not on duty paraded at 5 p.m. Captain Superintendent A. M. Bois-dragon was in command, There were also present Deputy-Supt. K. J. McEwen, Cadet Fenton, Chief Inspector J. Ramsay, and ten European Inspectors of Police, The forgo was drawa up ssfoljows ~=Cept, Supt,, Boisragon, Deputy Supt. McEwen and Inspectors, '89 European Sergeants and constables, 1 Jomadar and 113 Sikhs; on the right Trooper-Sergeant T. W. Spottiswoode, and 11 mounted Sikh troopers; in the rear 404 native police-sergeants snd constables. Total on parade, 582.
When Mr. F, Anderson, Chairman of the Municipal Council, Messrs. H. D. Gray, H. Keswick, and W. A. C. Platt (Watch Committee) entered the Hall, the general salute was given. The force looked very smart indeed, and it was a pleasure to see such a fine body of men, The dress was review order with rifles, The force stood to arms, while Mr. Anderson and the members of the Watch Committee made a careful inspection. The inspection over, Mr. Anderson ad-Gressed the force a8 follows Captain Boisragon and Members of the Shanghai Police:—After inspecting the various branches of the Force represented here to-day, I am glad to seo that the smart appearance and bearing which we are accustomed to look for in the men under your command are well maintained, When we see this large body of men on parade without any withdrawal from the ordinary routine of duty, it enables us to form some estimate of the strength of Force, and of and ard of disme which prevails in it, and when the general effect is undoubtedly to create most favourable impression, as is-the case to-day, I cannot but feel that thie annual ceremony is one which has much to commend it.
Wo are passing through difficult and anxious times in which events of the grossest importance are taking place from day to day; although far removed from in the North, affected from time to time by the course of the war. Latterly a large influx may hi your labours, it is from low most satisfactory to be al iso that, under trying conditions, most orderly state of affairs has prevailed throughout. On the other hand the rowdy element amongst the native population has been giving more trouble than usual, cases of serious crime, many of them of an exceptionally difficult character have come under your notice, and some of them have been dealt with' most Unfortunately more re-to be done, and I hope that we may count upon the ce-operation of the native horities in suppressing th ts which seems to hover about our The regulation of an increasing traffic of a most heterogeneous description, much of it conducted by labour which is constantly changing, and therefore ignorant of the rules of heavy tax upon your hich is not mad patiencs of control the community which seems to be enamoured of rapid locomotion in crowded thoroughfares; let us hope that tramways, and motorbusses if they are also coming, may improve matters.
I would like again to impress upon you the importance of taking advantage of the opportunities of acquiring a Knowledge of Chinese, which have been provided by the Council. I can under stand the difficulties which present themselves to the senior members of the Force, but the advantages to be gained by not being dependent upon
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.