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to extend it to Woosung. Several other roads have been proposed, but, although foreigners are prepared to pay high prices for the land, the opposition of the officials has hitherto prevented their construction. At the time the Taipings approached Shanghai some roads for the passage of artillery were made by the British military authorities at the expense of the Chinese Government, one of them extending for seventeen miles into the country; but, excepting those close to the settlement, they have now been turned into ploughed fields. The foreshore in front of the settlement has been raised, turfed and planted with shrubs. The trees planted some years ago having now attained a good height, and several more imposing buildings having been completed, the English and French Bunds form as magnificent a boulevard as any in the East.
Many foreign houses, nearly all of them with several mow of garden ground, have been and more are still being erected near the outside roads, especially on that leading to the Bubbling Well, which is the main outlet from the settlement, and from which most of the other roads branch off. This road and its extension to Sicawei is planted with trees on both sides, forming a fine avenue of over five miles in length. A small but well laid-out and admirably kept Public Garden was formed about 1868 on land recovered from the river in front of the British Consulate. It has been considerably extended in area by reclaiming the foreshore. A general Public Garden, intended for Chinese, eight more in extent, by the bank of the Soochow Creek, was opened in December, 1890. There is a public conservatory well stocked with flowers and ferns. A Park measuring 364 by 21 feet is now being laid out in Hongkew.
Immense sums have been wasted in various attempts to drain the settlements, principally from the want of skilled direction; but the great difficulties in this matter, arising from the low lying and level nature of the ground, have now been fairly overcome. The settlements are well provided with telegraphic fire alarms. The desire of the Municipal Councils to keep the monopoly in their own hands retarded for many years the inauguration of water works, but à public company is now established, which furnishes a continuous supply of filtered water at moderate rates. A separate system of waterworks for the French Concession is being inaugurated. The electric light was introduced in 1882, and 122 arc lamps are erected on the principal thoroughfares and wharves. In 1893 the Municipality purchased the property and business of the Electric Company.
Shanghai can boast of several fine buildings of various and varied styles of architecture. Trinity Cathedral, erected from a design by Sir Gilbert Scott, is one of the finest specimens of modern ecclesiastical architecture to be found out of Europe. The foundation stone was laid on 16th May, 1866, and the Church was opened for public worship on 1st August, 1859. It is Gothic of the thirteenth century, 152 feet long, 584 feet wide, and 51 feet from the floor to the apex of the nave. The structure was not completed, however, until 1992, when the spire was erected, the cross being placed on the top on the 4th October of that year. It attains a total height of 160 feet, and, like the body of the edifice, is built of red brick, with stone dressings. The foundation of the spire was laid by the Bishop of Mid-China on the 19th August, 1891. There is a fine Roman Catholic Church in the French Concession called St. Joseph's, built in 1862, and another in Hongkew known as the Church of the Sacred Heart. There are also the Union Church on the Soochow Creek, a handsome church with spire and bells belonging to the American Methodist Episcopal Mission in Yunnan Road, a chapel belonging to the London Mission, and one to the American Episcopalians, and a very pretty and prettily situated Seamen's Church at Pootung, besides several mission chapels for natives. The Jesuit Fathers have an extensive mission establishment and orphanages at Sicawei, where a mission has existed for over a hundred years. The present Church was built in 1851. To the mission is attached a museum of natural history, etc., and an astronomical and meteorological observatory. In connection with the latter there is a time-ball on the French Bund. Under the direction of this institution, a complete system of meteorological observations, embracing the whole of the China Seas, is now carried out. The Shanghai Club occupies a large and elaborate building at one end of the English Bund. It cost Tls. 120,000, and at that is said to have rained three contractors. It was opened in 1864 and has passed through a varied and peculiar history. The present buildings of the British Consulate and Supreme Court at the other end of the Bund were opened in 1872. Near to them there is a fine Masonic Hall. Amongst the other conspicuous buildings may be mentioned those occupied by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking