It was with feelings of deep regret that the news wae received on Thursday morning of the death of Mr. Edwin James Dunstan, locomotive superintendent of the Shanghai-Nanking Railway, which occurred after a lengthy illness.
Mr. Dunstan, who was 83 years of age, was in failing health last summer and in November of last year took a holiday in order to regain strength. Unfortunately, he gained little benefit by the trip and on his return to Shanghai had to leave the steamer direct for the Shanghai-Nanking Railway Hospital, suffering, it was said, from acute bronchitis, Although always cheerful, he never became sutliciently well to leave the Hospital and passed away in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The deceased received his initial training in railway work in the employ of the London and South Western Railway Company, where service he entered as an apprentice in 1890. After -gaining experlence in the various branches of the locomotive and car departments of this Company, he came out to China in 1897 to join the locomotive department of the Chinese Government Railways, and in 1899 was appointed locomotive superintendent and trafic manager of the Shanghai-Woosung Railway. Six years later, when the line wi extended from Shanghai to Nan king, and ghai the Nanking Railway, Mr. Dunstan was appointed locomotive, carriage and wagon superintendent, a posi which he filled with entire satisfaction to his employers until the time of his death, and was latterly also locomotive superintendent of the Shanghai-Hangchow Railway. For services rendered during the recent revolution in China, he received the Chinese Government decoration of the Sixth Class of the Order of the Chiaho.
Mr. Dunstan was one of the original members of the Society of Engineers and Architects in Shanghai, which has since been renamed the Engineering Society of China, and was elected a member of the Council of that Society as far back &s 1905. In 1911 he became Vice-President, and during the greater part of the last two years had acted as Hon. Treasurer to the ciety. He was also a prominent member of the Committee of Bt. George's Society, and a Freemason. He was an angina] member, and a Past Master, of the Lodge Sa'toun, and Past Scribe in the Zion Royal Arch Chapter, as well as a member of several of the leading sporting and social Clubs.
Mr. Dunstan leaves a large: amily to mourn his loss, and to them deep sympathy is extended. Four daughters, two of whom are.arried (Mrs. Blair and Mrs. Utae' and two sons are resident in Shang-i, and another son ie in England in the employment of the Great Western Railway Company.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.