Club).
Mr. W. 8. Jackson formally declared the Club open. After heartily welcoming the Petty Officers and men of H, M. ships in port, he briefly described the history of the Union Jack Club in Shanghai, and said the work was first taken up by the Race Club on the representations of Commander Mullock in 1918, at which time there was no place of the kind for British sailors in Shanghai. As he anticipated, the suggestion had only to be mentioned, to the Stewards to be taken up with enthusiasm, and arrangements were promptly made for opening the first club. The old premises were recently found to be insufficient, and so with the approval of the Navy League, these new premises were leased for two years, and would provide accommodation for 250 or 300 nien. He hoped they would always find a happy and comfortable home there (applause). The Club had arranged to hand the Club over to the Navy League at the end of two years, but if the League found self unable to carry on the work, he did not think it would ko a very difficult matter to persuade the Race Club Stewards to carry on (applause). Mr. Jackson specially referred to the excellent work done by Mr. A. W. Olsen in connexion with the organization of the Club. He was glad to welcome the sailors, of whom Shanghai British were proud, and to whom they were grateful: proud of the brave deeds they had done during the great war, especially during the opportunities they had of showing the stuff they were made of (hear hear), and grateful because what they had done had enabled us here to live in safety and comparative luxury during the war (applause).
The Consul-General supplement ed what ho considered to be the inadequacy of Mr. Jackson's reference to the great and practical interest taken by the Race Club in the Navy. The Navy League had promised to take over the Club, but he had to remind them that unfortunately it was not in a position to command those vast sums which the Race Club illegally extracted from the public (laughter). The Navy League was a very moral institution, and like all moral and virtuous people, was very poor. But it had decided to carry on the Club, the Race Club being in straitened circumstances owing to its extensive re-building programme. The Consul went on to say that the Navy League proposed to establish up-river Clubs, at Ichang, Changsha, and Chungking, which it was hoped would be a comfort to the men especially during the trying summer weather. They would not of course be so comfortable as that new club, but some comforts would be provided (applause). Mr. Jamieson also referred to the fact that the League proposed to sell a piece of land, obtained in the country some years ago through the instrumentality of Mr. J. O. P. Bland, as a sports ground for the Navy, but which was perhaps too far out to be convenient, and said the proceeds of the sale would go towards supporting the new clubs. On behalf of the League he again thanked the members of the Race Club for their generosity, and! also on behalf of every British resident in Shanghai he thanked them for what they had done and for what they were prepared to do (applause). The Consul suggested in passing that the men might consider the possibility of running the club themselves, like an ordinary naval canteen, devoting whatever profit they might make to the general benefit of the club.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.