Random Jottings of a Wanderer Returned: Marked Changes—
Our Sermons in Stones: The City's Cosmopolitanism—Its.
"Wichedness" and Large-Heartednéss: Shanghai—the City of Anomalies Fgh ig 'Weveren' SPECIALLY vor THE "Nontn-Cutwa Daty News" al 'A man has to leave Shanghai and not come back for at least a couple of years before he can know definitely whether he loves or hates this,'great Wonder City of Asia. This applies equally to the old hand as to the "first agreement" man, Most of. us in China develop the Gritical faculty, and forget that it is easier to be critical than to be correct. The average Shanghailander is engrossed in his Shanghai—it is his one idea. While he has an Inextinguishable desire to sing her uses (for to him to live within consummation devoutly to be wished), he claims an inherent right to use and he does use a certain prerogative to "Knock" Shanghai, entirely unaware that in so doing he is assisting to develop a civie subconsciousness of pessimism, Yet he would fight to the death, perhaps, were he to meet around the world unkindly: criticism of his favourite city by. those in whom, by virtue of scant residence in the Muddy Flat, the aforesaid prerogative to criticize does not rightfully reside.
Well, I have been away for a very long time, measured more by the changes that have come upon the face of the dear old city than by actual time: in all it has bee. 27 months, but quite long enough to have forced upon me certain well-defined physical and physiology ical" changes that have evolved since I sailed gratefully down the river for Home. I have lived in this country, too, for more years than Tam going to tell you, and to Shanghai I have given the best of my working days. I am glad, therefore, to comply with the is of the Editor of the "North: China Daily News" to set down in these columns some random remarke on the more outstandingly importa it changes that strike me on my xeturn—as he said, to set them down before Shanghai draws one unto herself again and one loses the power of perception. I claim the ight of free speech, because most of me has gone into Shanghai Tam thus part of her, 1 claim, moreover, to know her fairly well, and as a'devoteo to the wanderlust whenever practical opportunity offers can compare her with. many others of the great cities of the here directed the steps of kindly' souls from all nations of the earth make-up our glorious miseegenation, so- that one of our chief attractions is the fact that in Shanghai's settlement you find fellow creatures from far, across the seven seas. It is true that the dust countless millions of China's departed sons and peculiar gardening methods of the native husband-men have tended to make raw: vegetables a somewhat precarious Gictary—but we can sing the praises of that felicitous genius who first contrived to place human foods in a tin can. Our water supply is steady, far better than that of more than one city in India ud incomparably better than much that is consumed in Southern European countries. Our weather—rarely above a hundred in August and never unbearably cold in January pre-eminently superior to that New York or Bombay and several other great world cities.... And 8 on.
One could thus pat up a very strong ease for Shanghai, which, in its inherent make-up, issu questionably a more attractive city to live in than many places of its size in allegedly more desirable locations on this planet. The difference is that we have not yet learned the art of "boosting." " Shanghailanders are philosophers, however, What they lose on the swings, they recover on the roundabouts." The ety, moreover, is growing x0 large so rapidly that it is not to be socially so Jand-to fall into line with ole custom" quite as much as was and, taken by and large, the drawbacks one feels here are merely incidental and entirely outweighed (in the opinion of the older hands, based on long experience) by) many important advantages characteristic of life in Asia.
The Lovely Muddy Huangpu.
Immediately one rounded the bend at Woosung he saw unmistakeable that the industrialization of China is at hand. On both banks of the muddy river were new buildings, wharves and godowns. The harbour seemed to have expanded and shipping seemed to have gone further and farther down to points which a few years ago that felt. Take a launch, a sampan, anything sp that you will get a glimpse of the Bund from about the middle of the river, say, opposite the Old Dock. You will be proud of your city's growth: the scene "is "an inspiration and' a panacea for anyone who has civi> Paralysis. First that dome. A Passenger elbowed me just as I had my field glasses focussed on that dome. there?"
"What's that round root up
"That, sir, is the Hongkong and nghai Banking Corporation, 2 indly factor in China—the pillar of finance and the bearer of many troubles.
Then, what's that tall ling slightly below-—that new building?
Truth to tell I didn't know, and the fellow walked away. Mentally T rapidly scanned the Bund as I knew it—the Club, the cable offices, past the Bank, the now departs Custom House, then Kiukiang Road, and then the old North China building, which had disappeared. In fash—"Hi, you," I cried, "that's
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.