Large Gathering at the Volunteer Club On January 14 the Missions to Seamen held their annual New Year dinner for the Merchant Servi the S.V.C, "gymnasium, by kind perm of Col. Orpen Palmer. The chair was taken by Dean Trivett. Col. Orpen Palmer, Capt Propert (Str. Menelaus) deck} and engine room officers, wireless! operators, stewards, patty officers, jand seamen, to the number of 143, with 20 helpers of the Missions sat down to dis The chairman, in proposing the! health of the Merchant Service, met with great applause when he that he loved the sea....in pictures. He laid stress on she! debt that the people of Shanghai ved to the men of the merchant} service.
Dir, Keogh, purser of the Ste, Menelaus responded, thanking the Missions to Seamen, for the mon in the ships.
The Chaplain thanked Col. Orpen Palmer for the use of the gymnasium, Messrs, Caldbeck, Mac: gregor for the gift of beer and mineral waters, the British and American Tobacco Ca., forthe: gift of 2,000 cigarettes, the printer of the Str. Sarpedon for the menu cards and the subscribers to the Christmas entertainment fund for the generous donations.
After dinner the tables were cleaved away, more ladies appeared, and the Marines band of HM!
Suffolk played for dancing. The band is an exceptionally good one, and the success of the dance was at once assured.
It is the first time that they have played ashore in Shanghai. The Missions to Seamen eonsidered themselves very fortunate. in securing an eight of such outstanding talent. Auld Long Syne and the National Anthem brought ton close, at midnight, a very enjoyable evening's entertainment, after wi the Blue Funnel Jaunch Aphrodite, kindly lent for the occasion, and the Sunbeam conveyed the men back to th ships.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.