comprise:—Stage, Pit, and Gallery; the Stage Are arranged upon uniform plan 5 each Projects into the body of the house, and has apace behind it for the actors.
Pit has raised seats on three sides, above which is the Gallery.
ordinary Chinese style, with wood posts sup:
The buildings sre, cottly erected in the porting the galleries and the framing of Yoofs, which are covered with tiles, the external walls being from 3 inches to 12 inches thick.
They are generally situated in crowded neigh bourhood, fronting private roads branching froma Municipal road, have only onoavailable and join or are in close proximity to other Chinese structures, the whole surroundings being blocked up.
It is unnecessary to describe particularly in ofall each of the Chinese Theatres, as they all have the following defects Only one main-doorway, the doors of which open inwards, and the approach to them inside ach impeded by wood partitions, counter, No side doorways of any practical uso as outlets, they being either too small or obstructed, ing into adjacent premises.
No easy means of escaping from the build-
The floors to the galleries not strong enough, and the staircases insufficient.
The Gas jets too close to the woodwork.
The open spaces adjoining the building blocked up by materials and rabbis.
Without entering into an elaborate scheme, Putting the proprietors of the Chiness Theatres to any large trouble or expense, the said defects in each Theatre can be rectified as follow:
Two main doorways at least, each not less than six feet wide, with the doors opening outwards, and the approach inside kept clear from fixed impediments.
The larger these doorways the better, are the only means direct egress into a public road.
In each side wall at least one doorway, not leas than six feet wide with the doors opening, outwards, no locks, and only fastened wit! slight bolts which can be easily forced away.
revision to be made to allow of from the side doorways into the adjoining premises, either by knocking away thin w: or through other door would be desirable to rent a house opposite each of the doorways, through which access could be gained into adjacent passage ways.
The Gallery floor where necessary to be strengthened, #0 a8 to be able to withstand any sudden weight upon one place, likely to tog jer in a panic. be caused by a crowd of people pressing Gallery to have four staircases, each at least four feet wide, strongly made, with substantial handrails #0 as to prevent people falling over, one staircase to be on each side of the main' doorway, and one on each side of the stage.
Care should be taken to keep the gas-jets away from the Woodwork; in some instances they are only a few inches off.
he open spaces between the Theatre and the adjoining premises should be kept clear, and where possible should be made to extend entirely round the building, so a8 to allow people to escape from the side doorways, and also allow firemen to work.
Where the external walls are only three inches thick, the side doorways are not of much importance as when there are thick walls, as the thin brickwork can be easily knocked away, and the people escape into the adjacent premises Ly the thin walls and doors, or the houses provided for that purpose #3 before suggested; but this does not in the same manner apply to the gallery, where these thin walls are dangerous, as they would be thrust out by the pressure of people against them, many of whom would be pushed over the side, and falling with the wall upon the
others, and probably be disabled from escap-explo below, severly mare themselves and ing from the fe.
it would be advisable to fix some strong railings between the posts in the gallery,.to prevent anyer ting over.
Where the external walls are ten or twelve inches thick, the side doorways are most important, as the walls are too strong to readily knocked a1 das a Chin Thee has only doorway of Practical use to people as an easy and rapic way of egress in case of fire, and should this doorway accidentally get blocked up the result would be serious, more especially for the female portion of the audi There are seven Chinese Theatre: English Settlement, si T on the North side of the Nankin; Road, between the Quangse Road an Yin-we-ka, Municipal number P 399, 1 on the South side of the Nanking Road, between the Fuhkien and Shansi Roads, Municipal number P 637.
1 on the East side of the Fuhkien Road, between the Hankow and Foochow Roads, Municipal number G 100.
1 on the East side of the Fuhkien Road, between the Foochow and Canton Roads, Municipal number G 155.
2 on the North side of the Canton Road, between the Fuhkien and Shantung Roads, Municipal numbers L 174 and L 195.
1 on the West side of the Tsing-yo-ka, between the Canton Road and Nae-yang-ling, Municipal number K 238.
There are no Theatres in Nongkew.
The internal arrangements consist of Stage with dressing rooms behind, Pit, Stalls, Dress-circle, and Gallery. for all parts of the Bail jing, and which can Large means of egress have been provided be considerably increased in case o, f emer gency by opening doors communicating with the staircases, but we notice that some of these doors lave locks and keys, which objectionable, as in a time of excitement among a crowd of. people, the locks may be disarranged or the knocked out or dropped, when it may be impossible to open the doors, We suggest that the locks be removeil and a slight bolt put doors were made to hinges it would be advantageous, as a crowd of people pre i loot on both sides at one time, difficult to open, while it could easly be taken off the hinges and moved on is apparently rather slight to resist the pressure of a crowd of people forcing their way down been better had the two stairs in the Prosceuium been made wider, as to permit the audience from the Dre circle and Gallery escaping down them on the Stage in the event of a- fire occurring to the front part of the building near the main entrance,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.