Forming up on the big lawn, the [Shanghat Scottish paid the customary compliments to the President, after which Mr. MeDonald, addressing them, saids—
It is a very great honour and pleasure for my wife and myself to fweleome you here to-day, particularly as itis the twentieth anniversary of the formation of your gallant Company. As I have received fexplieit instructions to be brief today, I will try to get down to bedrock at once, But, before T deal with Jyou, T should like in the frst place thank in advance the Chairman of the Council for presenting long-service medals, Col. Graham for thinking "of and arranging the cere-many, and our generous. Vice-President, Mr. Ben Beith, and Mrs. Beith, for iheir great Kindness in lending their beautiful house and garden for turn now to you gentlemen of the Scottish. I congratulate you most heartily on your splendid turnout and appearance to-day, your wonderful feflelency returns and your general record. and Keenness" during. the preceding year. I remember that some years ago a leading London Hlustrated newspaper mistook _you for and described you as the Scots (Guards; you probably most of you saw the picture yourselves. Well, what that paper would describe you jas now with your white spats and belts and all the efficients you have, T cannot imagine, "Before I conclude, I cannot resist referring to the fact that I am de-Highted to see the list of those of [you who are about to receive their long-service medals, amongst whom notice the founder of your Company and the eldest statesman of four Society, Mr. Charles Bain, who Celebrated his Goth birthday on Sunday; my old fellow private and batman, now risen to the dizzy height Jot Lance-Corporal, I refer to L/Cpl. Oxley Cumming, who first joined the Shanghai Volunteer Corps in 1897; and Lieut. Blaikie, who was the frst NCO. to drill me when T Hoined "the S.V.C. and whom we all most heartily congratulate on his Impending marriage to Miss Doreen Heath on October 30. have been far longer than 2 Intended to be, but T have not yet felt the dirk in my back which T asked Col. Graham to see implanted there if T were to verbose. Capt. Wilson and gentlemen of the Shang: hai Scottish, T again thank you most heartily for the great honour you have paid to my wife and myself fand, through us, to the Society by Your presence here to-day."
Mr, MeDonald concluded by saying that he had been particularly asked Sir John Brenan to say how sorry Lady Brenan and himself were that they were prevented from Jattending. The garden party happened to coincide with the arrival Jot Sir Thomas and Lady—Southorn find he had to meet them on their visit to Shanghai.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.