Oct. 31.
"At Shanghai there is a collection, gathered. by the Chi branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, which is in a decadent state, but contains much good material."
This text is taken from a standard work of reference published in 1911. From Mr. Arthur de C. Sowerby's letter published elsewhere it will be gathered that it stands good to-day. "In other words, Shanghai has not been able, in the space of nearly twenty years, to ensure for itself the provision of a cultural amenity which in most cities is regarded as absolutely essential, Mr, Sowerby hastens to repudiate the idea that this omission is a deliberate product of grossly materialistic views, He maintains that Shanghai wants a Museum and facilities such as the Royal Asiatic Society offers for enlarging the intellectual horizons of its population. The opportunity is afforded for the Settlement to prove that he is correct by promptly contribu: ing to the fund now being raised by the Society for the purpose of ing the books and natural history specimens adequate and proper accommodation. It is certainly regrettable that the old Museum should have to be closed down until the necessary rebuilding can -be carried out. The importance, therefore, of responding emphatically to th appeal is. obvious, championed_as it is by the eloquence of the Honorary Curator.
Im this connexion it is to be hoped that the Municipal Council will see its way clear to reconsider its decision on the sub-
Ject of that grant of Tls. 15,000 Desperately for which the Society modestly pleaded. It is well known that the Council is curiously crampeil in its ideas on civie state. The modesty of its members is such that it is most reluctant to consider the project of a Mayor's Parlour. It is strongly suspected of professing the belief that an avoidance of frills anda rigid matter-of-factness best become the demeanour of Shanghai's presiding deities. Let the Borough of Little Slocombe-bythe-Marsh plunge into debt by building a museum, an art gal lery or a free library, by laying out a park or two, or by fringing the high street with shady lime trees. Shanghai will have none of such things. There is the Municipal Orchestra—by the skin of the ratepayers' teeth, so to speak,—and, although it is a constant source of much-needed mental refreshment to hundreds of people, it requires most vigilant protection or else, in some moment of remorse, it will be sacrificed for the sake of proving that the Municipal Council is not guilty of sentimentalizing, Yet the time may have come for the general public to devote themselves to the task of spurring the Council to a better con-celt of itself, Instead of being a regular brown bear all round why should it not become the completely picturesque wastrel? Why not have a few more parks, put steamboats—fifty cents trip—on the Whangpoo, erect some architecturally beautiful parking garages, and throw the pavements of Nanking Road into grateful coolness beneath an avenue of palm trees. It would then be spending quite a lot of money. It would have a spleudid answer to the critics, Apart from Museums, Mayor's Parlours, Stock Theatres and Public Libraries, all nicely-brought-up Municipalities decorate themselves with that crushing sign of respectability—an unmistakable Public Debt, No Municipal Council can be without it—obtainable in all the leading stock-markets. To embark on such a course, which quit rightly would be paying due tribute to the industry and resourcefules of posterity, would demand careful consideration, g8, More correspond-programme. So, as a modest start, pending the bigger plunge, let the Council make sure of the continuance of the Museum and give the Society that Tls. 15,000. Of course it will not be able to talk so blithely of its lack of frills but, as the servant girl said, the frill will be a very small one. Properly camouflaged indeed, it might even escape notice" by those severe sticklers for Pad: napery of whom the Council seems sometimes—but not ways—to stand in such awe. Meanwhile let everyone put a blush on the Council's schoolgirl complexion by. pouring in his or her mite to the Royal Asiatic Society.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.