"L want frst of all to express my gratitude for the honour which you have done me in arranging this farewell lunch party, for me," said Sir John in reply, "And my apprecia~ tion Is none the less because 1 realize that the compliment is paid not only to me personally og a fellow member of St, Patrick's, Society but also to the position which T occupy here as the local representative of the British Empire and of His Majesty the King.
"St, Patrick's Society in Shanghai is coond to none in loyalty to King and Empire and we may well be proud of the prominent and distinguished part taken by Irishmen in building British prestige and the British position in this country, "To take a few names at random, 1 would mention Sir Robert Hart, the founder of the Customs Service, which, as you know is the corner stone of China's economic structure ind of her foreign trade. "And there his Intest successor, Sir Frederick Maze the present Inspector-General, who has maintained the Integrity and efficiency of that. service with the greatest" ability through the most dimeult period of the Chinese revoltion, and with much less foreign support than was enjoyed by previous occupants of the post. Tam glad to have the opportunity' of paying this tribute to him from my personal are indeed all those here present today._ But the names 1 have mentioned fare enough to show that our record proud. one, and 1 personally. flag to have been a humble member {nisuch goodly company.
Well, Gentlesen, when your Pres dent transmitted your kind invitation {fo me he was good enough {0 absolve from making 0 long speech on se: aunt of my many farewell functions
Sincerely for your homptallty and for wit conclude by thanking, you ihe warm-hearted, manner in. which you have received ud endorsed. the Kina things. your President. has said out me," Tie evidently has a gener-nature and is not unacquainted wltn'the Blarney stone, "it any of you should be going! home on Teave in the near future we are likely to meet in London at. the Thatched House Club or elsewhere and in the meantime I wish you all the best of luck In the years to come."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.