PRINCE Chun arrived in Hong Kong aboard a German ship, the ''Bayern'', on July 25, 1901. He was on his way to Germany to apologise to the Kaiser for the murder of the German Minister in Beijing, Baron Von Ketteler, who was killed during the Boxer Rebellion.
Prince Chun was the brother of the reigning Emperor of China, Kuang Hsu.
At Blake Pier he was met by a number of British officials including Reginald Johnston. Because of the sensitive nature of his mission, the Prince preferred not to receive a ceremonial welcome. There were no salutes from the warships in the harbour and no military parade.
Johnston described how ''four red-coated chair-bearers bore him swiftly from the water-front''. The Hong Kong Weekly Press presented a very different picture.
''As matters turned out the police escort was not visible until an absurdly late hour in the proceedings, and our visitors had to force their way through a gaping and unmannerly crowd up to Government House.'' After admiring the portrait of Queen Victoria there, the Prince went to the Chinese Club. He then took the Peak Tram and had tea with the Governor, Sir Henry Blake, on the Peak.
Afterwards he returned to the ''Bayern'', and the tender care of Major-General Von Richter and the 9th Company 4th Ostasiatische Battalion of German infantry.