It comes as a happy coincidence that on the eve of the celebration of the French national day and a few days after his arrival for the first time on the Shanghai station his Government should have deemed it At to promote Rear-Admiral Alfred Richard, Commander-in-Chief of the French Naval Forces in the Far East, the rank of Commander of the Legion of Honour. Other communities in Shanghai, especially the British, will join with the French community in extending their con-[gratulations. Rear-Admiral Richard, who succeeded the late Rear-Admiral Descottes-Genon, whose tragic death occurred on what was to have been his first visit to Shanghai, has had a long and distinguished naval career but as far as the British community fs concerned his services will be more greatly appreciated in the light his participation in the operations Jat Zeebrugge and Ostend in April Jand May, 1918, when as commander fof the French torpedo boat Boucher the took part in all the British naval operations against the submarine Jbase at Ostend while H. M. S. Vindie~ tive and other vessels, on St, [George's Day, made the spectacular Jattack on Zeebrugge, one of the most [brilliant naval operations in the course of the war. For his services, Rear-Admiral Richard was mentioned jin the "London Gazette."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.