enough, when the built, the river southern but so much land has been reela Jed that it is now some five or 10 walk to the Nantao Bund, The Cathedral is also remarkable for having what is probably the jonly bamboo organ in the world This is an organ of bamboo pipes all of local workmanship and it was fused until recently and had a very sweet tone. Unfortunately owing to some trouble with the blowing Japparatus the organ has fallen into Jdisrepair and in consequence is not used now. Tungkadoo was at one time the residence of the Bishop. of the diocese but i Tue Inresion oF TuNcKADOO CATHEDRAL the episcopal seat has been removed to St. Jeseph's Church in the French Conce The history of this old church is not without its interesting side and jeames us back to the early days lof the port of Shanghai. The first stone was laid on November 21, 1847 by the Governor of Nanking jon one of the three pieces of land given by the Taotai of Shanghai in exchange for a still older church, The two architects Nicholas Massa jand the Franciscan father Jerome Mangidre, both of whom were Italians, first took on the work which was very difficult in thos days through the nature of the subsoil and it was necessary to drive great many piles before the foundations could be commenced, Probably these two men Incked ex: perience for in 1848 a portion of the construction fell down, Completed at Last After that the work was taken on by Father Hélot, a French priest, who had just finished the building lof the old church at_ Siccawei From 1848-1853 _the Bishop in charge left for Europe where he made a very strenuous. effort raise funds, even writing to the Emperor of France and the Queen of England. What success he met with is dificult to say, but things were greatly hampered' at this end jand famine and epidemic made it necessary for part of the funds which were to be devoted to the in modern times Cathedral to be used for other pur-
Photo by Re V. Dei. poses.' Thus for several months the work came to a standstill, Li was also found necessary to make considerable alterations in th original plans and to give up project of a central dome and Jclear-storey windows which would have greatly enhanced the appeartance of the church, and the architects decided to root the nave 'a great deal lower than was intended. This to some degree acjeounts for a squat and disappointing external appearance, The new Cathedral of St, Francis Xavier was, however, finished in 1853 and the consecration took place Jon March 20 of that year shortly, before Easter. There is formation concerning the actual ceremony, but we can well imagine it took place with great pomp for no less than 10,000 persons were present. The " French cruiser Cassini anchored beside tha Cathedral (which would now be quite impossible) and a number of French marines were landed to keep order among the Chinese wha came in large numbers from fax fand near. The French Consul also attended, we are told, as did nearly, al the foreign population in Shange A 17th Century Relic Tungkadoo Cathedral is not the oldest church which stands in. Shanghai to-day for there Is still existent in the Chinese City an old church which dates from the 17th and 18th centuries. It is known og the Lao-Iie-tsiang and was at one tinw a Chinese temple, It has also "an interesting history, A small chapel close to Tungkadong dates back fame years previous (0 the cathedral,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.