death made among the Courts of European nations. The flags of the Colony were at half-mast, and minute guns were fired, on the decease of the Queen of the Netherlands (January 13, 1877), the King of Italy (January 15, 1878), Princess Alice (December 18, 1878), Czar Alexander II (March 14, 1881) and President Garfield (September 20, 1881). In striking contrast with his predecessor, who took no notice of the death of the Emperor of China, Sir John ordered the flags of the Colony to be lowered and 21 minute guns to be fired (April 23, 1881) on the death of the Chinese Empress Dowager, the event being solemnly announced in the Gazette. Sir John also attended officially at celebrations, in honour of the birthday of the King of Portugal (October 31, 1878) and of the second anniversary of the coronation of Pope Leo XIII (March 3, 1880), held at the Roman Catholic Cathedral.
In the way of hospitable entertainment of the representatives of foreign Powers, Sir John had even more to do than his predecessors. Of Chinese officials, there came the Hoppo Tsun Kai (May 11, 1878); Chen Lan-pin, Minister to the United States, Spain and Cuba (June 5, 1878); Chung How, the Ambassador to St. Petersburg (November 11, 1878 and November 26, 1879); Liu Wan-shung, Minister to Germany (November 11, 1878); the Canton Viceroy, Liu Kwan-yih (January 25, 1880); finally, the new Hoppo Chung Kwan (April 10, 1881). There were also a good many foreign dignitaries whom Sir John had the honour to entertain in one way or other. General U. S. Grant, the hero of the American Civil War, arrived in Hongkong (April 30, 1879), was entertained at a state dinner at Government House (May 3, 1879), spent a few days in Canton and Macao (5th to 10th May), was presented with an address by the Chinese (May 12, 1879), but had to leave Hongkong before the garden party, with illuminations and fire-works, which the foreign community had arranged in his honour, could come off. The next visitor was Prince Thomas of Savoy (Duke of Genoa) who arrived in the Frigate Vittore Pessani (June 23, 1879, and again in 1880). Prince Heinrich of Prussia arrived in the Frigate Prinz
