Directory_and_Chronicle_1901 — Page 636

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SHANGHAI

the Bubbling Well, Sicawei, and Sinza roads, which are the main outlets from the settlement, and from which most of the other roads branch off. These roads are planted with trees on both sides, forming fine avenues of about 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 mow 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 216 feet is laid out in Hongkew. The Public Recreation Ground has also been thoroughly drained, turfed and laid-out, in spaces not devoted to sport, with flower beds. These are all under the care of a public gardener, secured from Kew Gardens, in 1899.

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, though much yet remains to be done. The settlements are well provided with telephonic fire alarms. The desire of the Municipal Councils to keep the mono- poly in their own hands retarded for many years the inauguration of water works, but a public company is now established, which furnishes a continuous supply of fil- tered water at moderate rates. A separate system of waterworks for the French Con- cession is being inaugurated, and the Chinese waterworks, to supply the native city, were completed in September, 1899. The electric light was introduced in 1882, and 141 are lamps are erected on the principal thoroughfares and wharves. In 1893 the Municipality purchased the property and business of the Electric Company, but the administration of the Electric Light Department has not given entire satisfaction and in 1899 the Municipal Council advertised for tenders for the purchase of its plant and the introduction of a private service. The French Municipality has an excellent electric light service and the native Bund is lighted by a Chinese Electric Light 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 said to be 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, 1869. It is Gothic of the thirteenth century, 152 feet long, 58 feet wide, and 54 feet from the floor to the apex of the nave. The structure was not completed, however, until 1892, 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 in Yunnan Road belonging to the American Methodist Episcopal Mission, 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 (latterly disused except for the purposes of a mortuary), 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 this 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 and the Fathers hope to introduce Marconi's system of wireless tele- graphy between Sicawei, Shanghai, and Woosung for signalling purposes. 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 ruined 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 recently rebuilt. Amongst the other conspicuous buildings may be mentioned those occupied by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, and the Imperial Chinese Railway Administration. The Lyceum Theatre, situate in Museum Road, is a fair building seating 700 persons, opened in January, 1874. The members of the German