In a period of crisis, ihe functions of a Chamber of Commerce are far wider than commercial, and so it devolved upon the various Chambers to organize a Committee for assisting the evacuation of foreign residents from Hankow. So the Transportation Committee came into existence. The 800 or 900 persons by rail to Hoi kong have won the praise of the community and entitle the Committee and the Railway Administration to our most grateful thanks. We were represented on the Commfittee by Messrs. Dean and Dupree. Mr. Dean was Chairman and Mr. Jarvis is Hon.
Secretary. It is upon them that the brunt of the work has fallen, and to them, therefore, that the greatest measure of thanks is due. Very greatly to our regret, Mr. Dean is about to leave on transfer to Shanghai. He has been an invaluable member not only of this Committee, but also of the Hankow community in this crisis, and I venture to think that his departure will be regretted as much by the whole of Hankow as by his own fellow-countrymen. We would be churlish to grudge him his well-earned transfer and promotion, but we hope none the less that we shall again see him in residence in Hankow.
The Coronation of His Majesty King Geonge VI was celebrated by us with proper ceremony on May 12, when the British community were hosts to a large gathering at the Race Club. The occasion was rendered the more memorable for us by the fact that the high dignity of a Commander of the Order of the British Empire was conferred on a member of the community, Mr. W. S. Dupre The recognition of Mr. Dupree's many services to the community was particularly gratifying to us, as it betokened approval and appreciation of local British action and attitude towards the many problems of the past ten years. In commemoration. of the event, we were subsequently hosts to Mr. Dupree at a dinner, which was attended also by intimate Chinese friends.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.