There is a real satisfaction being able to write those three words, which makes the conventional compliments unnecessary. For just as there is no warmer expression of gratitude than "I thank you" when it is sincerely; meant, so there will be no need of words when Sir Edward Pearce's friends greet him on his return from Hongkong, to make him feel how genuinely glad they are at the honour that has been conferred on him. Men, of course, are not knighted for the sake of their personality, although a casuist might say that without personality they could never -rise to the deeds that end in knighthood. Of those deeds in Sir Edward Pearce's case there is no question. But it is possible for men to do great things and acquire great honours, and still _remai remarkably unbeloved. Sir Edward Pearce has managed differently. No doubt he has some enemies somewhere: it would, indeed, be'a. poor compliment to pretend otherwise. But there can be few men ho, in their upward career, have earned so much personal affection. During his long service as Chairman of the Council he gave of himself unsparingly, not only in routine work, but in attendances at sports, school and society meetings and innumerable other functions.
Withal, though so much in view, he could never be said to thrust himself forward and "swank" is as far removed from his nature as the very shadow of unkindliness. And that is why so many people all up and down the coast of China are glad to call him Sir Edward.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.