The Officer Commanding reports:
The strength of the S. V, C. on last day of the year, inclusive reserves, stood at 1,887 all against 1,597 on January 1, The strength has fluctuated considerably, for on. March, 21 the strength reached the fine total of 2280 all ranks, Thin latter length included 260 of the Russian Unit, which was raised in January A semi-permanent part of the Corps and reduced by 60 per cent. in June. It now numbers 125. all ranks. Owing to the instruct received from the Inspector-Geners Customs it became necessary to disband the Customs Company, which was finally carried out on June 1. Altogether, upwards of {961 menibers of the Corps, including Russians, have left during the year, of which 328 have left Shanghai, 80 per cent, of these going since July 1. T regret that these numbers have not been replaced, as T should have liked to have seen them, for since that date only 71 new-comers to Shanghai have realized that the safety of Shanghai is as much the interest of the able-bodied civilian as it is of the troops and, naval landing: parties temporarily loaned by the various national Governments, ire Brigade The Chief Officer reports that the number of calls received during the year was G42, which again constitutes a record, being an increase of 29 over the 126 record. The total loss during the year was estimated at Tis, 1,128,183 (foreign Tis, 227,278, Chinese Tls. 900,855)
These figures show an increase on last year of Tls. 794,871. The fire at the Chang Foong Flour Mills accounted alone for i loss of over Tls. 600,000.
Fifteen persons lost their lives by fire within the Settlement, being a decrease of 24 on last year's figures, 3 lives were lost by collapsed houses, shops, or walls, 3° by asphyxiation, 1 man was killed by an explosion, and fireman drowned by diving into the Yangtszepoo Creek, and as far as could be ascertained 3 lives were lost at fires outside the Settlement at which the Brigade attended.
The Council on March 1.192 approved the formation of a Volu teer Reserve. Many old Volunteer' firemen showed their enthusiasm by joining immediately. "This section of the Department has proved its extreme usefulness, particularly at some of the larger, as yell as smaller fires, though it is seldom thet we have fires of sufficient dimensions or duration to warrant more calls on their services. I think, however, that the community, should be highly appreciative of the services offered and rendered by, it members both at drills and fires.'
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.