Chairman Says The Corps Will Be Maintained Although the need for economy had compelled the Shanghai Municipal Council to revise certain establishment charges there was no intention do otherwise than retain' the Shanghai. Volunteer Corps as an tegal part of the machinery of the Selilement's security. All" talk of disbanding the Corps was unjustified. Members of the Corps should not be under any apprehension regarding its continuance. The Russian Regiment, too, was essential and would be tained, Thus, making, so he said, his last appearance as Civil Commandant at fan annual dinner of the Shanghai Volunteer Corps, Mr. H. E, Arnhold amid enthusiastic applause nailed the Council's colours to the mast and disposed of doleful speculations regarding the Corps' future on April 10, Ready at Minute's Notice There was no sign of colour at the dinner, Colonel f, F. W. Graham, refraining from making 'a studied survey of the year's work, took the occasion to declare "that the organization, begun sharily after he took over command, had been com: pleted. If Mr, Stirling estenden walked into that room and announced that the Counc had ordered emergency mobilization no ofoer or man would have heart disease, 'The Corps was ready to the last bayonet frog." Colonel Graham was complimentary to the Police whose cooperation in the past year had en-chanced the value of the Corps' services in time of trouble, To Mr. Arnhold as a staunch friend of the Volunteers—friendship which was not shown merely in lip service but in gallant Aghting for the Corps' exist enee—Colonel Graham pald'a warm {tribute which the company's applause endorsed, Brigadier A. P. D, 'Telfer-Smollett Jed the way in' replying for'. the quests of honour. Me had been much impressed by, the smarmes of the turn-out at the Inspection, Colonel Graham had referred to correspondence which had raised the question of the Corps' expense in the Shanghai press. "He dismissed it as out Of touch with the facts. The Corps had been mobilized eleven times in the last, thirty years, "Tis existence, was vital. Colonel Graham, Major G. Douglas and Captain M, C.
Reynolds would be leaving this year They would be greatly missed but they ad done splendid work and greatly improved the efficiency of the organization, thanks to the admirable support given them by the Corps ax a whole. The Brigadier asked the company to applaud the community spirit shown by the members of the Light and Heavy Batteries which had been disbanded' in that those ofoers and. men had, in large numbers, transferred to' other units Inthe Corps—a fine example, No Eeonomy In Disbandment Then came Mr, Arnhold with his authoritative, precise and welcome reassurance, He was warmly re= ceived as he expressed hin gratineaion at the good. showing at that afternoon's inspection. He parti= ularly stressed the high state. of 'Mficiency and discipline of the Rus= sian Regiment and gave the further assurance that there would be no thought of dispensing, with its ser= vices, The advocates of economy who Sought to save money by such bandment would be sadly' disillusion if their advice were adopted. The Consequential Increase In. the cost of the Police would at once frustrate their hopes, to say nothing of the folly of relinquishing so remarkable and efficient a unit as the Russian Regiment.
Finally, Major Kenneth Bourne testied "to the Police pleasure at the Corps" ce-operation in the pre~ servation of law and order. In dealing with trouble, fomented most ly by agistators, the problem was to prevent ignorant men from being Jed astray. The chief consideration was to be able to show force at affected points with such promptitude that actual conflict was averted. Therole of the Police in combination with the Volunteers—here Major Bourne added his own tribute to the others already paid to the Russian Regiment—was 10 deter mischief makers if possible. The Police felt that the Commandant's scheme of cooperation had greatly strengthened this deterrent influence of the Settle ment's two forces. There was good feeling between Police and Volun~ teers. Major Bourne wished them te go forward hand in hand in the future with every success. "Amid applause he informed the gathering that Major F. W. Gerrard, the Com= missioner, was making good -progress after his operation and would shortly be out of hospital, and when the Corps is mobilized, there are no less than nineteen, each capable of feeding 100 men, available.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.