On reaching the school we found Bishop Smith, with his wife and many others, already there; but the Governor’s wife not having made her appearance, there was a little delay. This school, which is under the patronage of the Bishop, numbered sixteen girls, from four to fourteen years of age, and was in charge of Miss Wilson, an Englishwoman. Her Ladyship having at length arrived, after some religious exercises were had, the children were examined by their teacher. The Bishop, with the aid of a Chinese student, then interrogated them for some time, and after making a few remarks to the audience dismissed them. The girls of this school, besides receiving a useful education, are taught and thoroughly trained in the precepts of the Bible. Two of them, who were twelve or fourteen years of age, and were from the better class of Chinese families, had quite a prepossessing appearance as they toddled about on their little feet. They were also candidates for confirmation, and were at this time examined preparatory to receiving that rite. The Chinaman who assisted in the examination was a teacher from an institution which Bishop Smith had established at Hong Kong for the benefit of Chinese youths. There were also at Hong Kong other missionaries and schools, supported by different denominations, but my stay in the colony was too brief to enable me to become acquainted with them. The English mail-steamer, which we left at Singapore, did not reach Hong Kong until thirty hours after the _Poyang_ had anchored in the bay; and although we brought the news of Prince Albert’s death, the official announcement to the Governor, Sir Hercules Robinson, was not received until the arrival of the mail. The sad intelligence had been so long on the way that there was only a week, or ten days, of the prescribed Court mourning left; but for that space of time the Government dignitaries wore the sable as directed, and the invitations which had a few days previous been issued by Lady Robinson for a grand reception on the twenty-ninth of the month, were countermanded. This was done by sending a servant to those invited, with a note containing the following announcement:-- “In consequence of the melancholy intelligence of the death of His Royal Highness, the Prince Consort, Lady Robinson’s ‘at home,’ fixed for the 29th instant, will not take place. “Henry Aikenson, a. D. c. Govt. House, January 25.” Under this a list was given of the names of those invited; and to be certain that the paper had been presented to all, each one signed his name directly opposite where it was already written.