viâ Canada, and on arrival at home were encamped at the Alexandra Palace together with other colonial contingents. The Hongkong and China contingent, under Major Chapman's command, included in addition to the Volunteers, detachments of the Hongkong and Singapore Battalion, Royal Garrison Artillery; the Hongkong Regiment; Hongkong Submarine Miners; and 1st Chinese Regiment (from Weihaiwei). The contingent was inspected by General Dorward, and by General Fukushima on board the R.M.S. Empress of Japan; by H.E. Lord Minto, the Governor-General of Canada, General Parsons, and Colonel Roy, in Canada; by General O'Grady Haly, on board the s.s. Tunisian; by H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught and Lord Roberts, Commander-in-Chief, at the Alexandra Palace; and by H.M. the Queen and H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. The contingent furnished guards of honour to Their Majesties on Coronation Day; to H.R.H. Princess Christian; and to Lord Kitchener on his arrival in London; and were inspected by, and received coronation medals from, H.M. the King at Buckingham Palace.
In 1902 the field battery, machine-gun, and infantry companies were changed into garrison artillery, with the result that there was a falling off in numbers. This, however, was to be expected owing to the change in the composition of the corps, which was naturally not acceptable to all the former members. On March 31, 1903, the strength was 274 of all ranks. In 1904 the six 2·5-inch R.M.L. guns were replaced by 15-pounder B.L. guns, and the whole corps was re-armed with the new pattern army rifle (M.L.E. short) and the latest pattern bandolier equipment.
The mounted troop, a valuable addition to the Volunteer Corps, was raised in 1905, the numbers on March 31st of that year being 20. The troop is organised on similar lines to those on which the Company of Shanghai Light Horse was formed, and has a present strength of 40 members. The Volunteer Reserve Association, which consists of men over thirty-five years of age, and has for its principal object the encouragement of rifle-shooting, is under the presidency of Sir Henry Berkeley, K.C., and was formed in 1905. It had a membership on March 31st of 154. The members on March 31, 1907, had increased to 248. To H.E. Sir Matthew Nathan is due the credit of starting the mounted troop and the Volunteer Reserve Association.
Major-General F. B. Slade, C.B., R.A., inspected the artillery units at gun-practice at Sywan on February 4, 1905, and reported that "the practice, considering the foggy state of the weather, was decidedly good, both from the field and machine guns."
The new headquarters were commenced in June, 1905, and opened on December 15, 1906. The building was paid for out of the corps funds, with the addition of a grant from the Government of $5,000. All the rooms are well furnished; the officers' and sergeants' mess-rooms, reading and billiard rooms, and canteen, together with a well-equipped gymnasium, have been completely fitted up out of private funds at no cost to the public purse.
The mounted troop went into camp near to Sheung Shui in the New Territories at Christmas time, 1906 and 1907.
On February 9, 1906, the corps formed a guard of honour at Government House to H.R.H. Prince Arthur of Connaught, K.G., and on February, 6, 1907, had the honour of furnishing a guard of honour on the occasion of the visit to the Colony of T.R.H. the Duke of Connaught, Inspector-General of the Forces, the Duchess of Connaught, and Princess Patricia. The mounted troop formed the escort to Their Royal Highnesses.
On March 31, 1907, the corps numbered 290 of all ranks. The establishment of the corps is:—
| Staff ……… | … | 8 |
| Mounted Troop … | … | 43 |
| Artillery Companies | … | 312 |
| Engineer Company | … | 60 |
| Band……… | … | 23 |
| Total of all ranks | 446 | |
The strength on January 31, 1908, was 292. There is no band at present, but it is hoped that this valuable adjunct to the corps will soon be resuscitated. The formation of an infantry company as an addition to the corps has recently been sanctioned and steps are being taken to recruit it. A telephone and field telegraphs section is also being raised to augment the existing engineer company.
The corps possesses some handsome and valuable trophies for shooting &c., of which the following may be mentioned:—
For Gun Competition.
Challenge Cup, presented by H.E. Sir Hercules Robinson.
Challenge Cup, presented by Captain E. D. Sanders.
For Machine Gun Competition.
Challenge Shield, presented by H.E. Sir W. J. Gascoigne, C.M.G.
For Rifle (Team) Shooting.
Challenge Shield, presented by H.E. Sir H. A. Blake, G.C.M.G.
Challenge Cup, presented by Mr. J. J. Francis, Q.C.
Challenge Cup, presented by Mr. R. Cooke.
For Rifle (Individual) Shooting.
Challenge Cup, presented by the Hon. Mr. J. J. Keswick.
Challenge Cup, presented by H.E. Sir F. J. D. Lugard, K.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O.
For General Efficiency.
Challenge Cup, presented by H.E. Sir Matthew Nathan, K.C.M.G.
The following is a list of honorary colonels and commandants of the corps since its reconstruction in 1893.
Honorary Colonels.
1893.—H.E. Sir William Robinson, G.C.M.G.
1899.—H.E. Sir Henry A. Blake, G.C.M.G.
1904.—H.E. Sir Matthew Nathan, K.C.M.G.
1907.—H.E. Sir Frederick J. D. Lugard, K.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O.
Commandants.
1893.—Lieut.-Colonel F. Jerrard, D.A.A.G.
1894.—Major A. R. Pemberton, Rifle Brigade.
Lieut.-Colonel Sir John W. Carrington, C.M.G.
1899.—Colonel R. B. Mainwaring, Rifle Brigade (acting).
1900.—Major M. M. Morris, R.G.A. (acting).
1902.—Captain (local Major) C. G. Pritchard, R.G.A.
1907.—Major Arthur Chapman, V.D.
Officers, 1908.
Hon. Colonel: H.E. Sir F. J. D. Lugard, K.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O.
Commandant: Major Arthur Chapman, V.D.
Second in Command: Major Donald Macdonald.
Staff Officer: Captain A. J. Thompson, R.G.A.
Captains: D. Macdonald, 1st Cinque Ports R.G.A. (Vols.), attached; J. H. W. Armstrong, Hon. A.D.C.; T. Skinner; G. G. Wood, 3rd V.B. the Essex Regiment, attached; G. P. Lammert; W. A. Crake, and W. Nicholson.
Surgeon-Captain: C. Forsyth.
Lieutenants: Mowbray S. Northcote, W. M. Scott, J. A. T. Plummer, E. D. C. Wolfe, C. H. Ross, H. W. Kennett, and J. S. Gubbay.
Surgeon-Lieutenant: J W. Hartley.
Second Lieutenants: F. O. Reynolds and G. Blood.
Corps Sergeant-Major: W. Higby.
Staff Armourer-Sergeant: G. W. Avenell.
MAJOR ARTHUR CHAPMAN, who entered the Hongkong Government service in 1889 as the Assessor of Rates, and holds that position still, was born at York on December 1, 1861. For many years past he has taken the greatest interest in the Volunteer movement. He was a member of the 1st East Riding of Yorkshire Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers), and he joined the local corps in Hongkong in 1893. When that corps was disbanded his was the first name to be sent in for enrolment in the present force. Immediately elected lieutenant by the popular vote of the men, he was promoted captain in 1897, and major, second in command, in 1899. He had charge of the Hongkong and China contingent that went home for the King's coronation, the contingent consisting of detachments of the Hongkong and Singapore Battalion Artillery, Hongkong Regiment, Hongkong Submarine Miners, and the Chinese Regiment from Weihaiwei. He was acting-commandant of the Hongkong Volunteer Corps in 1901, in 1902, and during a portion of 1903, 1905, and 1906. His appointment as commandant dates from April 2, 1907. On two occasions he was in charge of the Volunteers during disturbances in the New Territories. He is the possessor of the Colonial Auxiliary Forces' long service medal, the Colonial Auxiliary Forces' officers' decoration (V.D.), and the Coronation medal. He also received a letter of thanks and a medal from the community of Hongkong for services rendered during the great plague epidemic of 1894. On the outbreak of the disease Major Chapman was one of the first civilians to volunteer for plague duty, and it was his example that induced others to join the search parties. He is a Justice of the Peace for the Colony.
