Banquet to Returned Soldiers.
The members of the Royal Society of St. George, Shanghai branch, held a banquet and dance in the banqueting hall of the Astor House Hotel on Thursday, in honour of members returned from war service. The hall was very prettily decorated, the Astor House band discoursed gay music and about 200 people partook of an admirable dinner.
After the toast of "The King" all stood while Major R. I. Fearon read out the Roll of Honour of members of the Society.
In proposing the toast of " Our Guests, members returned from War Service," Dr. R. 8. Ivy, the President of the Society, said that it was an ancient custom among barbarous peoples and civilized to welcome heroes back from war with feasts. That was the feeling which had prompted them to invite their guests that evening to the banquet. After alluding briefly to England's share in the war, Dr. Ivy said that it was not an Englishnian's habit to boast, and the last thing that their men now back would do was to talk of what they had done. But deeds spoke louder than words, and so long as history Insted, those deeds would be remembered and the heroism with which they upheld the standard of St. George in unstained honour in Flanders, France, Italy, Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Africa, on the seas, under the. reas and in the skies above. From the bottom of his heart, on behalf of all present he welcomed them back.
Lieut.-Colonel Hayley Bell, p.s.0., replied for the guests. He said there was no place in the world there men were being welcomed back from the war where they would find more or warmer friends about them than in Shanghai, and the jolly evening which the Society was ing to him and his fellow-guests was one of countless things that made them all feel how well worth while it was to get back to China, and particularly Shanghai, where, whatever outward changes there might be, there was no change in their friends. Colonel Bell then referred in moving terms to the men whose names hid been heard on the Roll of Honour; and he gave, in conclusion, the toast of " St. George and Merrie England."
Tables were then removed, other guests arrived and a very pleasant dance took place.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.