Ie is not often that Shanghai is the scone of an ecclesiastical ceremony like that of Wednesday, when the foundation stone of the tower of Trinity Cathe'tral, Shanghai, was "well and truly laid" by the Bishop of North-China, the Right Rev. G. Moule, D.D. Occasions of such a nature being rare, it was no wonder that a large number of clergy and laity assembled to witness the first step in making the final addition to the finest foreign buildin; China, The foreign settlement of Shanghaiis comparatively modern place, but during its brief life it has seen many wonderful changes, and one of the greatest of these isin the accommodation for English churchgoers. When in 1849 the few residents held @ meeting and resolved to build a church which was to cost not more than $6,000, they could hardly have anticipated that in little more than two decades the ground would be occupied by the present magnificent Gothic structure in al its glory Storied windows, richly d Casting a dim. religious And Where, through the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault, The pealing anthem swells the note of pr In 1850, history tells us, a thunderstorm caved in the roof of the first church. The repairs cost more than the original building. Eleven years jater, the church had become 30 dilapidated that it was found necessary to take it down, Says Mr. Maclellan in his Story of Shanghai:
"In 1864 plans for_a new Church were obtained from Sir Gilbert Scott, R.A., which wore modified by Mr. Win. Kidner, a local architect, partly on account of the expense which they would have involved, and partly for climatical reasons, But, notwithstanding this prudential care, the Church was perhaps the most. signal instance of the extravagant ideas which prevailed in the community at the time when the planns of the architects wore adopted, The foundation stone of the new edifice was laid on the 16th May, 1866, with great Masonic ceremonies, but the want of sullicient funds hindered the progress of the Duilding. Indeed, it was completed with fikely that work on it. would be altogether rent difficulty, and at one time it seemed
suspended for want of money, or that if it was finished it would be held by the contractors until their debt was discharged. But a vigorous effort was made and liberal subscriptions were obtained; part of the compound was let on lease, the rents of it up to 1884 were advanced by the lessee and the Church was opened for public worship on the Ist of August, 1869."
On the same page Mr. Maclellan, who wrote in 1889, says: "A tower, for the erection of which sufficient funds not yet been raised, forms part of Gilbert Scott's plan." This, however, not quite accurate; Sir Gilbert Scott made no design for a tower, although he contemplated one. After the lapse of many years, the reproach has been nearly, if not quite, removed, and next June it is hoped that the tower will be not only completed but paid for. The total cost is put at Tls. 10,000, and of this amount Tls. 6,000 has already been raised, chiefly through the agency of the very successful bazaar which took place last December. The material and design will of course be in harmony with the rest of the building. The height of the tower and spire to base of cross will be 159 feet or rather more than double the height of the main roof.
The tower itself will be 78 feet high, the whole being raised on a S-feet base, Tt hae: bean: found necessary, fur considerations of safety, to build the tower at some Tittle distance from the Cathedral, and cou neet the one with the other by means of a {short line of cloisters. The construction "too, will only take place by degrees, nder that the material may settle gradually and do no injury to the existing building. The reason for these precautions lies of worse in the nature of the soil; and the ('Trustees have the best advice that, with these precautions observed, no danger will run, The superintendence of the work has been entrusted to Me. J. M. Cory, fom. whose plans alone the tower is bein built.
The serv began in the Cathedral at the chancel were the Bishop, the Revs. H. C. Hodges (Chaplain of the Cathedral), EH. H. Thomson, Yen and 'f, R. Stevenson, the' Acting Consul-General for Great Britain (Mr, Re A. Mowat), Capt. W. R, Clutterbuck, R.N., and Messrs, H. 8." Wilkinson, J.' Welel and E. J. Hogg (Trustees.) ' After the hymn "0 God, our help in ages past" and the psalm 'O, how amiable are thy dwell-, ings" came w lesson (1 Chren, xxix, 9—19), prayers by the Bishop, and the hymn "The Church's one foundation." A procession to the site of the tower was then formed. Tt was headed by the Trustees, after whom came the Acting Consul General and Captain Clutterbuck, the clergy, Bishop, choir, and congregation, At the site (where the scaffold poles were decked with flags and evergreens) two more prayers were read by the Bishop, who then assisted the architect, Mr. J. M. Cory, to place the stone, at the same time pronouncing the dedication, Mr. Cory had previously handed to. the Bishop a handsome silver trowel with an appropriate inscription. The hymn Christ is our corner stone," prayers and the benediction concluded the ceremony.
'A projected reception at the Deanery was abandoned in consequence of the late distressing death of Mrs, Hodges' brother, Beneath the stone was placed a metal box containing copies of the North-China Daily News, North-China Herald, Shang. hai Mercury, Hupao and Shénpao, together with sets of Hongkong subsidiary and the now Canton coinage, and a Mexican dollar. The inscription for the stone is being executed in England in brass, and, whew it arrives, will be affixed to it,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.