The annual meeting of the Shantung Real Hospital was held on Thursday, Mr. Sidney Barton, o.m.c., H.M, Consul-General _presiding over a large gathering of subscribers. At the conclusion of the meeting Mr. H. H. Read, on behalf of the Race Club, handed Mr. E. Pugh, the hon. secretary, a cheque for $7,700 towards the funds of -the hospital.
Rising to propose the adoption of the report and accounts, Mr. Barton said that there was one point to which he particularly wished to draw the attention of his hearers, namely the question of the proposed new accommodation. Since returning to Shanghai after an absence of 12 years he had visited most of the public buildings and institutions in the Settlement, at the same time noting the enor-" mous growth of the place. The hospital and the Mixed Court were among the oldest. Yet on visiting the hospital the other day he had found that it alone of all the public institutions still remained outwardly in the same condition as in years gone by. Every other institution had either been greatly improved or re-built. The Mixed Court had been improved since he was there last. People in Shanghai were inclined to take too many things for granted. The present accommodation of the hospital ought no longer to be taken for granted. All those who had adequately supported it in the past should make a renewed effort to see whether it was not possible to provide for new accommodation in the shape of new buildings to enable it to take its place in the Settlement which has gone on growing, leaving the hospital an isolated bit of the old-time Shanghai. There was a special cal] for an institution which was possibly the oldest in Shanghai. Britons were conservative and proud of their old institutions. The older an institution the more they thought of it. Their Chinese friends possessed the same trait. Chinese and foreign interests were interdependent. Both proud of their old institutions, they could surely see that here was an opportunity for foreigners and the Chinese, for whose benefit the hospital existed, to unite in providing a building worthy of this work, the workers and their continued self-denying efforts. (Cheers.)
Passing to the Accounts the Chairman said that there had been an overdraft on the bank, which necessitated more special efforts than in normal years to help the finances. There was a reference in the report to the possibility of support from the Boxer Indemnity Fund. "I have no actual knowledge of what is being done," the Chairman proceeded, "and I obviously cannot express any opinion. But can say that when the time comes to put forward institutions connected with medical education, I do not think there will be any doubt that the Shantung Road Hospital should be in the front rank of those deserving. The British Minister, Sir Ronald Macleay, who had the opportunity of visiting the hospital on Wednesday, was very glad that he had been able to see for himself the excellent work done by the hospital."
Sir Edward Pearce, in proposing a vote of thanks to the hospital staff, made a sympathetic' appeal for increased support in the way of subscriptions,. especially from Chinese.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.