the Editor of the Sin,—My attention has been directed to the speech delivered by the Rev. W. Muirhead, at the inauguration of the Houg-Kew Branch of the Temperance Hall, There are certain assertions in the address which I cannot help characterising as sweeping; and, as manager of an tion which provides those recreation: the absence of which the reverend gentleman ascribed the necessity for the opening of the Hall—I feel called upon to acertain te extent to contradict them. Far be it from my intention to throw cold water upon any eff the friends of perance to rai amongst the seamen visiting our port; but it is not the fact that until the establishment of the Branch Hall of the 'Temperance Society, " public houses were the only means of attraction left to sailors in Hongkew." If Mr. Muirhead had taken the pains of reading the last report of ors' Home, he would, I have no doubt, in fairness to' the Committee and the management of it, have acknowledged that during the past few years the Home has been made, as far as it was possible to make it out of its working profits, a comfortable resort for its inmates, as' also for those visiting it; and the attractions it provides are superior to those Mr. Muirhead held forth in the programme of the new Branch Hall, 'The Home is large and airy, and contains ample sleeping accommodation, dining, smoking, and reading rooms, in addition to which' is a sick ward. The Reading Room is fairly supplied with a variety of entertaining books, periodicals, and newspapers both local and foreign, There are also on the premises a skittle-shed, a quoit and commo-dions play ground, 'a bagatelle table, and other appliances of amusement, All these are accessible to those visiting the Home, og well as to the inmates, free of any charge whatever. It inay be a fact unknown to the friends of the Temperance Society, that hardly a day passes without these advantages being availed of by seamen visiting the shore from ships in the harbour, who in many instances are provided with meals and bed at the expense of the Institution.
true the Home is provided with Bar, but it is conducted under such restrictions as to render intemperance in drink unlikely—and it certainly provides to some extent a remedy against excessive drinking elsewhere. I may further mention the fact, that a seaman once taken in as an inmate, no matter how small his means may be at the time of entering, is taken care of, provided for in sickness, and supported until able to obtain employment—a fact which goes a long way to disprove the stotment that Hongkew provided no means of recreation before the opening of the new Hall of the Temperance Society there. The Sailors' Home, moreover, is under the guidance of a' committee of gentlemen, whose endeavours to do all in their power for its well being in every respect the public do not require to be reminded of; and the rauks of the Temperance Society have not been meanly recruited through its agency.
Tam, Sir, 'Yours obediently, E. E, Bowen, Superintendent, Sailors' Home, Shanghai, Aug. 26th, 1874.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.