With such chimerical fancies, the young Corsican saw the fleet, on a splendid morning, stand out into the Mediterranean, the line-of-battle ships extending for a league, and the semicircle formed by the convoy six leagues in extent. On their way to Malta, the first object of their enterprise, they were joined by a large fleet of transports, bringing the division of General Desaix. On the 10th they were before Valetta, a fortress which, properly defended, would have set the French at defiance for months, before which time the British Admiral would have been upon them, and destroyed the whole scheme of the expedition, and probably its commander and projector with it; but the surrender of the place had been bargained for with the Grand Master, Hompesch, before starting. The once formidable Knights of Malta were now sunk in indolence and sensual sloth, and the French agent had agreed for the surrender for a bribe of six hundred thousand francs to the Grand Master. As General Caffarelli passed through the most formidable defences with Napoleon on their way to the house of the Grand Master, he said to him, "It is well, General, that there was some one within to open the gates for us. We should have had more trouble in entering if the place had been altogether empty."
ONE:The history of this question of Jewish Emancipation gives proof, as striking as any upon record, of the obstinacy and tenacity of prejudice established by law, although no possible danger could arise to the British Constitution from the admission of the Jews; although Mr. Salomons had been elected Sheriff of London in 1835, and a Bill was passed to enable him to act; although the year after, Mr. Moses Montefiore was likewise elected Sheriff of London, and knighted by the Queen; although in 1846 Jews elected to municipal offices were relieved by Parliament from taking the oaths;[605] although Baron Rothschild and Alderman Salomons had been repeatedly elected by immense majorities; although Bills for emancipating the Jews, the only class of her Majesty's subjects still labouring under political disabilities on account of their religion, were passed year after year by the House of Commons, but were indignantly rejected by the House of Lords. At length, in 1858, the Commons were obliged to admit the Jews by a resolution of their own House, but it was not till 1860 that an Act was passed permitting Jewish members of Parliament to omit from the oath the words "on the true faith of a Christian."[See larger version]
ONE:If the French had been by no means successful in Germany, they had been much less so in other quarters of the globe. In the East Indies we had taken Pondicherry, their chief settlement, from them, and thus remained masters of the whole coast of Coromandel, and of the entire trade with India. In the West Indies, the French had been fortifying Dominica, contrary to treaty, and Lord Rollo and Sir James Douglas were sent thither, and speedily reduced it. France, indeed, was now fast sinking in exhaustion. Louis XV. was a man of no mark or ability, inclined to peace, and leaving all affairs to his Ministers, and still more to his mistress, Madame de Pompadour. Choiseul was a man of talent, but of immense vanity, and little persistent firmness. He was now anxious for peace, but, too proud to make the proposal directly, he induced the Courts of Russia and Austria to do it. It was suggested that a congress should be held at Augsburg for settling the peace of Europe. England and Prussia readily consented. But the Duke of Choiseul, anxious to have a clear understanding of the terms on which England and France were likely to treat, proposed a previous exchange of views, and dispatched M. Bussy to London, whilst Mr. Pitt sent to Paris Mr. Hans Stanley.The prospects of the European war at this juncture, as observed from England, were gloomy in the extreme. The dispersion of the armies of Spain, the retreat and death of Sir John Moore, leaving the whole of the Spanish and Portuguese Peninsula under the feet of Buonaparte, disposed many to believe the power of the conqueror unassailable. The Whig Opposition made every use of this feeling to damage and, if possible, drive their rivals from office. That the Whigs, in power, would have refrained from Continental war any more than the Tories is not to be believed. They had always, when in officeexcept, in the case of Fox, for a short intervalbeen as ready to fight; but they had generally conducted their campaigns with much less ability. Now, their great organ, the Edinburgh Review, indulged in the most vehement censures on the Cabinet; charged all the adverse circumstances of the Spanish and Portuguese war to its bad management; and intimated that it was the most wicked and idiotic folly to hope to contend with Buonaparte at all. But if ever there was a time when the continuance of the war was excusable, and perhaps necessary, it was now. Great Britain had gone fully and freely into the conflict to assist the Continental nations. She had pledged herself[571] solemnly to Spain and Portugal, and to have withdrawn at this crisis would have been equally treacherous to our allies and pusillanimous as regarded the enemy. It would have been, in fact, to proclaim to the world that we had been completely beaten out of the field, that we could not do what we had promised to our allies, and that Napoleon must be left the master of Europe, and the dictator to Britain. Such a confession would have destroyed for ever the prestige of Great Britain, and justly. Ministers felt this, and never were more resolved to persevere to the end. To show that they did not for a moment despair, they signed a treaty of peace and amity with Spain only five days after the arrival of the news of the retreat and death of Sir John Moore, binding themselves never to acknowledge the authority of Buonaparte over Spain, or of any family but of Ferdinand VII. and his lineal successors. That they were supported in their views by Parliament was soon made evident by the rejection, by a majority of two hundred and eight against one hundred and fifty-eight, of a motion of Lord Henry Petty censuring the Convention of Cintra, and, by a majority of two hundred and twenty against one hundred and twenty-seven, of a motion of Mr. Ponsonby for inquiry into the conduct of the late campaign in Spain. Ministers had at length satisfied themselves that they had in Sir Arthur Wellesley a man capable of contending against the haughty tyrant of Europe. The most liberal votes were made for the prosecution of the war. The total of supplies for the year amounted to fifty-three million eight hundred and sixty-two thousand pounds, including a loan of eleven million pounds. For the army twenty-seven million pounds was voted, and for the navy nineteen million pounds. Between twenty and thirty thousand men were drafted from the militia into the regulars, and thus the army was augmented to that amount by soldiers already well trained. The loan was freely taken at a lower interest than any hitherto borrowedthe Opposition asserted, because trade was deranged, and capitalists were at a loss how to invest their money; but the Ministers contended, on the other hand, that it was solely because the war was popular with the nation. Before, however, entering into its arduous and bloody details, we must narrate some disgraceful affairs at home.
Guiding our corporate vision for success
HKBN is steered by a Board of Directors that intermingles a range of expert abilities for visionary thinking. Our board consists of eight Directors, comprising two Executive Directors, three Non-executive Directors and three Independent Non-executive Directors.
Bradley Jay HORWITZ
Chairman and Independent Non-executive Director
Bradley Jay HORWITZ was appointed as the Chairman and an Independent Non-executive Director of the Company on 6 February 2015. In 2005, Mr. Horwitz founded Trilogy International Partners and has served as president and chief executive officer since it was established.
Bradley Jay HORWITZ was appointed as the Chairman and an Independent Non-executive Director of the Company on 6 February 2015. In 2005, Mr. Horwitz founded Trilogy International Partners and has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since it was established. Trilogy International Partners was established to acquire wireless international assets in Haiti and Bolivia and to develop additional international wireless assets, primarily in South America and the Caribbean. Prior to establishing Trilogy International Partners, Mr. Horwitz served as President of Western Wireless International, having founded the company in 1995 while also serving as an Executive Vice President of Western Wireless Corporation. Previously, he was a founder and Chief Operating Officer of SmarTone Mobile Communications Limited. Mr. Horwitz graduated from San Diego State University, U.S. with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1978.
Chu Kwong YEUNG (William YEUNG)
Executive Director
Chu Kwong YEUNG is the Executive Vice-chairman of the Group and an Executive Director of the company. Mr. Yeung joined the Group in October 2005 as Chief Operating Officer and became Executive Vice-chairman in September 2018.
Chu Kwong YEUNG is the Executive Vice-chairman of the Group and an Executive Director of the company. Mr. Yeung joined the Group in October 2005 as Chief Operating Officer, responsible for overseeing customer engagement, relationship management and network development. In November 2008, he was appointed as Chief Executive Officer and became Executive Vice-chairman in September 2018. Prior to joining the Group, Mr. Yeung was Director of Customers Division at SmarTone Mobile Communications Limited, and served as a police inspector with the Hong Kong Police Force. Mr. Yeung holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Hong Kong Baptist University, a Master of Business Administration Degree from the University of Strathclyde, U.K., and a Master of Science Degree in Electronic Commerce and Internet Computing from The University of Hong Kong. Mr. Yeung was recognised as Champion of Human Resources by The Hong Kong HRM Awards 2010. Mr. Yeung is one of our proud Co-Owners.
Ni Quiaque LAI (NiQ LAI)
Executive Director
Ni Quiaque LAI (NiQ LAI) is the Chief Executive Officer of the Group, and an Executive Director of the company. Mr. Lai joined the Group in May 2004. He has rich experience in the telecommunications, research and finance industries, and is passionate about developing HKBN Talents because he believes if you get the people right, the company will do great. Prior to joining the Group, Mr. Lai was an analyst and the Director and Head of Asia Telecom Research for Credit Suisse, where he was involved in numerous global fund raising initiatives for Asian telecom carriers.
Ni Quiaque LAI (NiQ LAI) is the Chief Executive Officer of the Group, and an Executive Director of the company. Mr. Lai joined the Group in May 2004. He has rich experience in the telecommunications, research and finance industries, and is passionate about developing HKBN Talents because he believes if you get the people right, the company will do great. Prior to joining the Group, Mr. Lai was an analyst and the Director and Head of Asia Telecom Research for Credit Suisse, where he was involved in numerous global fund raising initiatives for Asian telecom carriers. Mr. Lai holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Western Australia, and an Executive Master of Business Administration Degree from Kellogg-HKUST, Hong Kong. He is a Fellow member of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA) and CPA Australia. In March 2016, he was recognised as Best CFO by FinanceAsia Survey of Asia's Best Companies 2016 (Hong Kong). Mr. Lai is one of our proud Co-Owners.
Deborah Keiko ORIDA
Non-executive Director
Deborah Keiko ORIDA was appointed as a Non-executive Director and a member of the Nomination Committee of the Company on 20 November 2015. Ms. Orida is the Senior Managing Director & Global Head of Active Equities at Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (“CPPIB”), a substantial shareholder (as defined in Part XV of the Securities and Futures Ordinance) of the Company.
Deborah Keiko ORIDA was appointed as a Non-executive Director and a member of the Nomination Committee of the Company on 20 November 2015. Ms. Orida is the Senior Managing Director & Global Head of Active Equities at Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (“CPPIB”), a substantial shareholder (as defined in Part XV of the Securities and Futures Ordinance) of the Company. Ms. Orida joined CPPIB in 2009 in Toronto and has held senior leadership roles, including Managing Director, Head of Relationship Investments International, covering Europe and Asia, and was most recently Managing Director and Head of Private Equity Asia. Ms. Orida is responsible for leading Active Fundamental Equities, Relationship Investments, Thematic Investing, Fundamental Equities Asia and Sustainable Investing. Prior to joining CPPIB, Ms. Orida was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs & Co. in New York and Toronto where she advised management teams and boards on mergers and acquisitions and financing transactions. Prior to Goldman Sachs & Co., Ms. Orida was a securities lawyer at Blake, Cassels & Graydon in Toronto. Ms. Orida previously served on the Board of Directors of Nord Anglia Education and the Board of Directors of the Investment Committee of the Bridgepoint Health Foundation and was the Chair of the Board of Directors of Vitalhub Corp., a mobile healthcare startup company. Ms. Orida holds a Master of Business Administration from The Wharton School and a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts from Queen’s University, Canada.
Zubin Jamshed IRANI
Non-executive Director
Zubin Jamshed IRANI was appointed as a Non-executive Director, a member of the Audit Committee and a member of Remuneration Committee of the Company on 30 April 2019. Mr. Irani is a Partner with TPG Capital and leads the Asia Operations Group. He brings over 20 years' experience in building strong teams, driving performance and managing change within businesses.
Zubin Jamshed IRANI was appointed as a Non-executive Director, a member of the Audit Committee and a member of Remuneration Committee of the Company on 30 April 2019. Mr. Irani is a Partner with TPG Capital and leads the Asia Operations Group. He brings over 20 years' experience in building strong teams, driving performance and managing change within businesses. At TPG Capital, Mr. Irani has worked in the consumer, healthcare, financial services, telecom and technology sectors. Prior to TPG Capital, Mr. Irani was with United Technologies Corporation ("UTC") where he led the business in India which included Carrier Air-conditioning and Refrigeration, Otis Elevators and UTC Fire & Security. Mr. Irani started his career at McKinsey & Company and worked in the Cleveland, Detroit, Copenhagen and Mumbai offices, serving several multi-national clients with a focus on automotive, industrial and post merger management. Mr. Irani holds a Masters in Materials Science and Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, U.S. and a Bachelor of Technology in Materials Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India.
Teck Chien KONG
Non-executive Director
Teck Chien KONG was appointed as a Non-executive Director and a member of the Nomination Committee of the Company on 30 April 2019. Mr. Kong is a Partner at MBK Partners and is based in Hong Kong. With extensive investment experiences in both the telecommunication and media industries, he has led MBK Partners’ investments in WTT Holding Corp, China Network Systems Co., Ltd. and Gala TV Corp.
Teck Chien KONG was appointed as a Non-executive Director and a member of the Nomination Committee of the Company on 30 April 2019. Mr. Kong is a Partner at MBK Partners and is based in Hong Kong. With extensive investment experiences in both the telecommunication and media industries, he has led MBK Partners’ investments in WTT Holding Corp, China Network Systems Co., Ltd. and Gala TV Corp. Prior to MBK Partners, Mr. Kong spent five years at Carlyle Asia Partners, where he was Vice President and co-head of the Singapore office, and three years in the investment banking division at Salomon Smith Barney in New York and Hong Kong. Mr. Kong currently serves on the Board of Directors of Apex International Corporation, Teamsport Topco Limited and Siyanli Co. Ltd., and has experience serving on Board of Directors of Beijing Bowei Airport Support Limited, China Network Systems Co., Ltd., Gala TV Corp., GSE Investment Corporation, Luye Pharma Group Ltd and WTT HK Limited. Mr. Kong holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan Business School, U.S., and has completed an executive management programme at Harvard Business School, U.S..
Stanley CHOW
Independent Non-executive Director
Stanley CHOW was appointed as an Independent Non-executive Director of the Company on 6 February 2015. Mr. Chow has over 21 years of experience as a corporate lawyer in Hong Kong and Canada, including more than 18 years of expertise in dealing with the Stock Exchange's Listing Rules during his time in private practice and as a senior manager at the Stock Exchange's Listing Division.
Stanley CHOW was appointed as an Independent Non-executive Director of the Company on 6 February 2015. Mr. Chow has over 21 years of experience as a corporate lawyer in Hong Kong and Canada, including more than 18 years of expertise in dealing with the Stock Exchange's Listing Rules during his time in private practice and as a senior manager at the Stock Exchange's Listing Division. Mr. Chow was a partner in the Hong Kong office of Latham & Watkins, an international law firm, from March 2009 to February 2014. Prior to joining Latham & Watkins, Mr. Chow practised law with Allen & Overy, from November 1996 to January 2009 where he was a partner in its Hong Kong office for over 8 years. As a corporate lawyer in Hong Kong, Mr. Chow has advised on a broad range of corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions transactions. Prior to his time in private practice, he was a senior manager in the Stock Exchange's Listing Division from May 1995 to October 1996 and also practised law with Canadian law firms in Hong Kong and Canada. Mr. Chow is a member of The Law Society of Hong Kong's Company Law Committee and was admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong in 1995 and in England and Wales in 1994. He was also admitted as a barrister and solicitor in British Columbia, Canada in 1994 and in Ontario, Canada in 1991. Mr. Chow graduated from Queen's University, Canada with a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) Degree and holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Toronto, Canada.
Quinn Yee Kwan LAW, SBS, JP
Independent Non-executive Director
Quinn Yee Kwan LAW, SBS, JP, was appointed as an Independent Non-executive Director of the Company on 6 February 2015. Mr. Law currently serves as the Deputy Chairman of Professional Conduct Committee of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and is an advisor of the Hong Kong Business Accountants Association.
Quinn Yee Kwan LAW, SBS, JP, was appointed as an Independent Non-executive Director of the Company on 6 February 2015. Mr. Law currently serves as the Deputy Chairman of Professional Conduct Committee of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and is an advisor of the Hong Kong Business Accountants Association which he was previously the Director and the Vice President of such Association. Mr. Law is currently an Independent Nonexecutive Director of Bank of Tianjin Co., Ltd. (stock code:1578) and ENN Energy Holdings Limited (stock code: 2688), both of which are listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange. From 1 August 2012 to 31 July 2018, Mr. Law was a council member cum Audit Committee Chairman at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. From 1 March 2008 to 28 February 2013, Mr. Law was the Deputy Chairman and the Managing Director of the Urban Renewal Authority, a statutory organisation in Hong Kong. Mr. Law is a Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants and is also a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. He was admitted as an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators on 11 November 1980. In view of Mr. Law’s experience in reviewing or analysing audited financial statements of private and public companies, the Directors believe that Mr. Law has the appropriate accounting or related financial management expertise for the purposes of Rule 3.10 of the Listing Rules.
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Towards the end of May Wellesley commenced his march over the Spanish frontiers; his force being about twenty thousand infantry and three thousand cavalry. He fell in with the old Spanish general, Cuesta, at Oropesa, on the 20th of July, who was at the head of thirty thousand men, but miserably equipped, discouraged by repeated defeats, and nearly famished. Sir Arthur was woefully disappointed by this first view of a Spanish army in the field, and here, indeed, all his difficulties began. The general was a regular Spanish hidalgoproud, ignorant, and pig-headed. He received Wellesley with immense stiffness and ceremony, as if somebody immeasurably his inferior; and though he knew no English, nor Sir Arthur any Spanish, he would not condescend to speak French with him. His army collected supplies from all the country round; and though the British were come to fight for them, the Spaniards expected them to provide for themselves, and there was the greatest difficulty in inducing the people to sell the British anything except for fabulous prices. Still worse, Sir Arthur found it impossible to get Cuesta to co-operate in anything. He fancied that he knew a great deal more about military affairs than the "Sepoy general," as Wellesley was termed, and that he ought to direct in everything, though he had done nothing but get well beaten on every occasion. And yet, if we take a glance at the French forces now in Spain, against whom they had to make head, the utmost harmony and co-operation was necessary.On the 2nd of May, two days only before Buonaparte entered his little capital of Elba, Louis made his public entry into Paris amid quite a gay and joyous-seeming crowd; for the Parisians are always ready for a parade and a sensation; and none are said to have worn gloomy looks on the occasion except the Imperial Guard, now, as they deemed themselves, degraded into the Royal Guardfrom the service of the most brilliant of conquerors to that of the most pacific and unsoldierlike of monarchs, who was too unwieldy even to mount a horse. For a time all appeared agreeable enough; but there were too many hostile interests at work for it to remain long so. In the new constitution, by which the Senate had acknowledged Louis, they had declared him recalled on the condition that he accepted the constitution framed for him; and at the same time they declared the Senate hereditary, and possessed of the rank, honours, and emoluments which Buonaparte had conferred on the members. Louis refused to acknowledge the right of the Senate to dictate a constitution to him. He assumed the throne as by his own proper hereditary descent; and he then gave of his free will a free constitution. This was the first cause of difference between the king and the people. The Royalists condemned the new constitution as making too much concession, and the Republicans resented his giving a charter of freedom, because it made them the slaves of his will. The Royalists soon began to monopolise offices and honours, and to clamour for the recovery of their estates, now in the hands of the people, and these were naturally jealous of their prevailing on the king and his family to favour such reclamations. The clergy, who, like the Noblesse, had been stripped of their property, and had now to subsist on annuities of five hundred livres, or about twenty-six pounds sixteen shillings and eightpence a-year, looked with resentment on those who were in possession of the spoil; and the well-known disposition of the king and his family to restore the status and the substance of the Catholic Church, made those who had this property, and thosethe greater part of the nationwho had no religion whatever, readily believe that ere long they would attempt to recall what the Revolution had distributed. These suspicions were greatly augmented by the folly and bigotry of the clergy. They refused to bury with the rites of the Church a Mademoiselle Raucour, simply because she was an actress. Great tumults arose on the occasion, and the Government was compelled to interfere and ensure the burial in due form. The more regular observance of the Sabbath was treated as bringing back the ancient superstitions; and the taking up of the remains of Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette and conveying them to the royal place of sepulture in the Abbey of St. Denis was regarded as a direct censure of the Revolution. It was quite natural that Louis XVIII. should do this, and equally so that he should show some favour to the surviving chiefs of La Vende; but these things had the worst effect on the public mind, as tending to inspire fears of vengeance for the past, or of restoration of all that the past had thrown down. In these circumstances, the Royalists were discontented, because they thought Louis did too little for them, and the rest of the community because he did too much. The Jacobins, who had been suppressed, but not exterminated, by Buonaparte, now again raised their heads, under so mild and easy a monarch, with all their old audacity. They soon, however, despaired of reviving the Republic, and turned to the son of their old partisan, Philip galit, the Duke of Orleans, and solicited him to become their leader, promising to make him king. But the present dukeafterwards King Louis Philippewas too honourable a man for their purpose; he placed the invitation given him in the hands of Louis, and the Jacobins, then enraged, were determined to bring back Napoleon rather than tolerate the much easier yoke of the Bourbons. Carnot and Fouch soon offered themselves as their instruments. Carnot, who had been one of the foremost men of the Reign of Terror, had refused to acknowledge the rule of Buonaparte, who suppressed the Revolution, for a long time, but, so late as the present year, he had given in his adhesion, and was appointed engineer for carrying on the fortifications of Antwerp. He had now the hardihood to address a memorial to Louis XVIII., which, under the form of an apology for the Jacobins during the Revolution, was in truth a direct attack on the Royalists, describing them as a contemptible and small body, who had allowed Louis XVI. to be destroyed by[85] their cowardice, and now had brought back the king by the hands of Englishmen and Cossacks to endeavour to undo all that had been done for the people. He represented kings as naturally prone to despotism, and priests and nobles as inciting them to slaughter and rapine. The pretence was to lead the monarch to rely only on the people; the object was to exasperate the people against kings, nobles, and the Church.On the 28th of October General Hill surprised a French force, under General Drouet, near Estremadura, and completely routed it, taking all the baggage, artillery, ammunition, and stores, with one thousand five hundred prisoners. By this[19] action the whole of that part of Estremadura except Badajoz was cleared of the French. This done, General Hill went into cantonments, and the British army received no further disturbance during the remainder of the year. Thus Wellington had completely maintained the defence of Portugal, and driven back the French from its frontiers. Wherever he had crossed the French in Spain, he had severely beaten them too.THE QUEEN OF PRUSSIA REVIEWING THE ARMY. (See p. 524.)
