Without prejudice to the many other entertainments of a kindred nature which ato given from time to time in Shanghai i may be admitted that the Mih-Ho-Loong Bail is the ball par excellence of the season, In point of popularity it yields to none, while for excellence and. complotoviess, of appointments it is certainly entitled to the palm, ThoBallthat wasgivenon Wednesday evening (15th ult.) was no exception to the rule, Never, perhaps, haste Club presented a more thoroughly gala appearance th that occasion, or proved its adaptability to such purposes more conclusively. The en: trance and the staircase were transformed into an avenue of flags and coloured drapery, while facing the front door was a handsome group of shrubs and flowers, flanked with bayonetted rifles. The landing was thickly covered with comfortable Turkey carpets, and both it and the ball-room were coiled in with blue and white, thus causing the entire expanse to present the appearance of an enormous pavilion, or marquee, Which was an arrangement as novel as it was effective. The illuminations were extremely tasteful, although, it was remarked, not quite so brilliant as usual; for of course the presence of drapery, which took off ird of the height of the room, rendered it impossible to light the pretty row of gas-jets round the cornices, as has been the custom hitherto, It was also feared by some lest the tent-like arrangement of the ball-room and its approaches would make the air unnecessarily hot; this apprehension, however, was we think only partially realised, seeing that it was an exceedingly cold night and the air was less vitiated than it would have been had the appointments of the room permitted the usual lavish employment of gas. Additional brilliancy, too, was imparted to the scone by the number of uniforms. The scarlet satin of the Fire Brigade, the blue-and-lemon of the Artil-ery, snd the variegated costume of the Light Horse produced a very gay and an matedefiect, well supplemented by theban some but more subdued colours of the forms of the naval officers who were present. There was also a goodly number of ladies, although we noticed that several, too, were unavoidably prevented from attending, Dancing commenced shortly before ten C'elock, and was carried on with immense rit, the floor becoming, however, a little heavy as the wore on. Perhaps no small compliment to the entertainers was implied in the fact that there wore fewer persons in the cardrooms than is generally the case, the unwonted gaiety and attractions of the ball-room inducing many usually inveterate card-players and smokers to stand and survey the scene, even though they had not the ghost of a chance of partners. It would appear that many ladies' cards were filled up immediately.on tering the building; at any rate, there were not a few who had literally no dances to dispose of by the time they got as far as the ball-room, The supper was Jaid in the winter dining-room, being served at little tables separately, each accommoda-tiny four persons; an arrangement, which, while it precludes the possibility' of any very imposing coup-d'euil, has at least the advantage of convenience and comfort, \d appears probably on that account to e come into almost general vogue. Altogether we are fully justified in writing down the Mih-Ho-Loong Ball of 1882 as very genuine success, and expressing warm appreciation of the attentiveness of the stewards and the caro that was taken for the comfort and enjoyment of their guests, The music was unusually good.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.