To the Editor of the Sm,—On Saturday evening last, at the Temperance Hall entertainment, Mr. Blethen briefly reviewed the circumstances leading to the formation of the Shanghai Temperance Society. Considering the favour which the Society has gained in public estimation, it may not be out of place to supplement the President's remarks few words anent the progressive history of the institution, In 1871, the English gunboat Loren was stationed at Tientsin, and several of the crew of that vessel were induced by Mr, Edmund Wheatley (then living at Tien tsin) to form themselves into a Temperance Society, The original membership _consisted of the Chief Engineer of the Leven and_ six men, When the ship arrived at Shanghai, in the month of October, a place was sought in which to hold meetings. The want was represented to the port Chaplain, Rev. Mr. Syle, who at once allowed the use of a room inthe Seamen's Church at Pootung, and a few meetings were held there. But the locality was found to be out of the way and inconvenient, especially for the shore friends living in the Settlements across the river. good work, the Rev, William Muirhead, Yet another kind. eympathiser, in, every promptly helped them out of the difficulty giving them permission to hold mostings in the London Mission Chapel, Shantung Rond; there they used to meet every Saturday evening, and entertain themselves and shipmates by making short temperance addresses and singing songs. The earnestness of the "Blue Jacket" temperance ro-formers induced many shore residents to join, and when the Leven went away up the Yangtsze, the following spring, the community of Shanghai had really taken hold of the reins of the new Society. Mr. Charles Schmidt was President, and Mr.
Gordon, Secretary and Treasurer, both gentlemen being elected to fill those positions on 24th of August, 1872, when the management of the Society was yielded by its naval founders. Mr. ©. P. Blethen was ceted President on the removal of Mr. Schmidt from Shanghai, and first occupied. the chair 26th October, 1872.
The list of membership rapidly extended the Society yrew too large for the accommodation afforded in the Chinese Chapel, that,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.