Perhaps by reason of the fact that no official invitations were issued for the parade in H. Consulate ground at noon there was a remarkably large attendance of Britons at this the main official function of the day.
The men on parade were a representative Naval unit from the various ships in port, the British Companies of the S.V.C. and the Sikhs attached to the S. M. Police Force, all under command of Major Trueman, 8.V.C.
Punctually on the stroke of noon; successors the Consul-General, Brennan, and Major L. E. Canning entered the parade ground and inspected the men drawn up there, after which he took the salute in the march past.
Tue Consut-Geserat's Srercs-
Then addressing the men, Sir Everard said:—Major Trueman, British officers, non-commissioned officers and mem bers of the S.V.C., this our sixth Empire Day parade is notable in more than one respect. In the first place Empire Day has now been recognized as a public holiday, which regularizes a practice instituted by your patriotic zeal and strengthens the bonds uniting all Britons throughout the world in a common celebration year by year. Then again to-day sees our first assembly after the definite conclusion of the Great War which filled our anxious hearts for more than four long-drawn years: practically all. our Shanghai men who came through the war have now returned, many T am glad to say to resume service in your ranks. That they did well is what we looked for on the part of men drawn from a Corps with your high ideals alike of discipline and fellowship.
"The S8.V.C. deserved well of us all during the war, not only those members who were able to realize your common longing to go to the Front, but also those who were compelled to stand and wait while their comrades took part in active service. I venture indeed to suggest that their's was the harder part whom insuperable reasons kept here in Shanghai and to most of them the Corps afforded a means of keeping fit and ready for the eagerly expected day of recall home, and gave assurance that they were not in fact standing idle while others strove might Parriorisa TRIUMPHANT.
"In our British community before the war the Empire spirit burned none too brightly. Shanghai is not within the borders of our Empire and there was a tendency towards a cosmopolitanism which cared for none but local things and deemed rather bad form any display of pride in being British. But a few months of war changed all that. Thereafter our patriotism triumphed and we gave all we could to the Empire's cause. For that happy reformation such credit is due to the spirit inculcated in your Corps to which the British authorities turned again and again for support.
"To you-the memory of the war years niust ever be a satisfaction as well as a stimulus: and I am sure that, whenever you and your recall " that stressful attended by' period there will be recalled also "A further point of interest in to-day's ceremony is that it affords the opportunity to hand in a public and official manner to two Shanghai Britons marks of distinction won in the war."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.