M. A., Chaplain, when preaching in St. John's' Cathedral, made reference in his sermon to the welcome news of the Relief of Peking and the safety of the Legations ete, He said "We sre bound to thank God now," and there will be a special Thanksgiving Service here to-morrow at a quarter to eleven. It will be concluded before the fung of salutes at noon, and an effort will be made to make it hearty and popular, and suitable to the ocean sion. Moed not ask you to come. You will. It should be a general holiday." Tu accordance with this announcement, the Phankegiving Service took place on Mon-Gay, the 20th inst. Amongst those present were H.E, the Gorernor and Lady Blake, BLE. Major-General Gascoigne with Capt. Hon. H.W. Trefusis, A.D.C., many of the Consuls, members of the Legislative Council, and Military and Naval officers. Unfortunately storm weather, a typhoon being signalled at the time, prevented many residents of the upper levels from being present, who otherwise would gladly have attended. The Clergy were' well represented, the sermon being preached by the Right Rev. J. C. Hoare, D.D., Bishop of Victoria. There was a full attendance of the choir, and Why as the nations" from the Messiah was rendered in a masterly manner by Mr. Alec Marsh; and "Give Thanks" was well sung by the choir. At the close of the service Mr. A. G. Ward, organist of the Cathedral, played the Hallelujah Chours in his usual finished style, THE HONGKOSG AND WHAMPOA DOCS CE., ID.
The half-yearly meeting of the shareholders in the abore comply 0k plice at the offices, Praya, on the 20th inst. The report and accounts were passed unanimously, Mr. ©. 8. Sharp seconding in an appreciative little speech. The Chairman, in the course of his speech, said that it had been decided to erect a new blacksmith's shop, a new forge with cranes, furnaces, and steam hammers; also a new erecting and turning shop with two electric motor cranes. They had likewise decided to have hydraulic capstans fitted at the entrance, and on exch side of all the Htallation for drilling, rivetting end cauld principal docks, a pneumatic power in-
ing, distributed over the Kowloon works. Finally they had resolved to construct a large new dock, and had applied to the Government for a site on the east of the Hungham No. 1 Dock. The principal dimensions of this dock will be Length on the blocks, 750 feet; width of entrance, 80 feet; and' depth of water on the sill,'30 feet. The estimated cost is $2,500,000. To meet the extraordinary expenditure this will involve, it was proposed to increase the company's capital by the issue of fresh shares, and it was intended to shortly call a meeting of shareholders to consider how this can best done, and to submit a scheme for approve!. The new dock they regarded as an absolute necessity.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.