The Christmas dinners of the Mercantile Marine Officers Club on no occasion could have been called ull, nor even approaching it, but this year's, held in the hospitable old club in North Soochow Road, on December 29, was a particularly cheerful affair. There was a record attendance and it was only after Some seamanlike stowage that room was found for all. The tables had been made even more attractive by the addition to the customary decorations of a large model, complete every particular, of the old wirld-Gammer, the Brilliant, Capt. H. J. West presided and Kept the "speeches commendably short, though those of Capts. Jorgensen and Maxwell were well worth heaving. Capt, Jorgensen for -the past several years has ferried #0 much of the resper that it was fitting he should give! fan address inthe nature of a Yaledictory, for the old building, which has housed the club for Jong—it is said to be the oldest club Dullding in Shanghai—mast shortly be vacated, as another skyscraper 4s to be erected on the site. Capt. Jorgensen's reminiscences recalled all-that the club had done for the service of which its. members were proud and he said that, though they were moving, they had no Intention of dissolving, but would continue to do everything possible to maintain the traditions of the lub and the servi 'The rest of the evening was spent most enjoyably, listening to a really firstélass entertainment provided by Mr. Les Lovante, Mr. E. A. Dearn (and "Jimmy"),' Mr. H, Wallace, and-a number. of members and Visitors, besides Mr. N, A, Powel, who, without a moment's hesitation, each time found the right tune for any song, dance, monologue, or shanties, and filled in the time with lections on his own.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.