The members of the Lancastrian Society of Shanghai together with some twenty guests made a jovial party which quite filled out the large tea-room at the Shanghai Club and left not one vacant place at the tables on Saturday night. Lancastrian red and Chinese blue were united in the table decorations, a couple of clouts were given honourable positions behind the President (Mr. Brenan Atkinson), the menu and concert programme were eloquent of a " feast of reason" to accompany the " boggin" and as the evening wore on the language of the county palatine asserted itself all along the tables.
With one exception, the speeches were of the lightest and briefest. The President opened the programme by giving the loyal toast in the one expressive phrase "The Duke of Lancaster." The National Anthem gave the company that first opportunity to try their vocal strength and they embraced it heartily. Next Mr. Himrod, doing duty at the last moment, as spokesman for the guests proposed "The Association of Lancastrians in China," and had no difficulty in finding pleasant things to say of men, whom, ho remarked, he always found well tofore with in business, more especially as regarded finance, and respect. The company of guests signified assent by arousing rendering of the usual musical honours plus a well-striped tiger. Mr. W. J. B. Carter (the Society's Vice-President) in replying, modestly declared that Lancashire men deserved all that they were credited with and a great deal more. Seriously, though, he suggested that every man in Shanghai who came from the county should belong to the Society, for while there had so far been no call on the funds by any distressed Lancastrians, the Society wanted to be.g prepared for any such occasion.
To Mr. Wise it fell to translate into words the hospitality and kindly-feeling already expressed tothe "guests" mother ways. the toast of the " guests" and this time it was the Lancastrians present who started the "tiger." Mr. Prentice, replying, conclusively proved the wideness of Lancastrian hospitality by pointing out how many arts and professions were represented among the guests.
In proposing the toast of the evening, The County Palatine and her trade," the President remarked that last year was not a very prosperous one for Lancashire, but men of the county had proved t-fore now their ability to survive hard tines. Not so much was heard now as formerly of American competition, but whatever competition came Lancashire was prepared to meet. 'They could not but feel a little proud that Mr. Bruce Ismay had been sent for to direct the groat shipping combine, but than it was not possible to teach' Liverpool men much about shipping. The President also remarked that Manchester had the finest technical colleges in the world.
Mr. Kerfoot's reply had evidently been the subject of much study, and though an after-dinner speech was perhaps hardly the occasion for a controversial address, yet the importance of Free Trade to Lancashire, and the prominent part taken by Cobden and Bright in giving Froe Trade to their country was some extenuation. Mr. Kerfoot prefaced his remarks by a reference to the chief characteristics ut Lancashire men, their love of music and of sport, their grit and their sterling qualities,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.