Porter, secretary and deputy general manager of the company, supported by Messrs. C. M. Bain, P. Lo Bris and W. P. Lambe, directors, and Mr. K. Rothe of the Chinese Telephone Administration.
After toasting "Our Respective Ralers," the chairman congratulat-the guest of the evening on his forthcoming marriage and assured him of the wholehearted of the staff during hi i¢e and cordial welcome to him and his. wife on his return, Mr. C. M. Bain, endorsing the remarks of the chairman, referred to the long and meritorious service of Mr. Cole with the company and asked all present to rise and drink to the health of Mr. Cole and the future Mrs, Cole, wi sponded to with ringing cheers.
Mr. Cole in reply thanked his confreres for their good wishes and gave many reminiscences of career in telephone engineering both in London and Shanghai.
The table was beautifully decorat. ed for the occasion, the centre being. adorned by miniature roadside poles carrying six pairs of wires the whole length of the table. An exceedingly novel event preceding the dinner was a large pie placed in front of the guest of the evening, which, on being opened, was found to contain a little foreign boy of 34 years of age, who on rising amidst the pie crust recited "Old 'King' Cole" but broke off to tell all about "'Sing a song of Sixpene Jnarvellous' piece of culinary genuity.
Another surprise was a large vase of poinsettine which—worked by a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.