By "Smov"
In their church-life Russians "go by a calendar that is two weeks behind the rest of the world. Thus this year their Christmas Eve fell on January while next morning—Christmas Day—they woke up to see snow that had obligingly (arid, as some insisted, symbolically) fallen during the night As many foreign firms allowed their Russian employees to take even Monday January 9 off from work there were, to the great joy of many families, three consecutive holidays. Although Easter is in the eyes of Russians more of a holiday than Christmas. Russian children are still faithful in their preference for the latter. They can thus be counted more fortunate than their foreign friends, as a short two weeks after they celebrate "foreign Christmas" they proceed to celebrate their own. Once again they dance round the Christmas trees, receive presents and live in a holiday atmosphere.
The religious side of Christmas is faithfully conserved in the Russian colony. On Christmas Eve three services were held—matins at 8 a.m., a liturgy of St. Basil the Great at 10 a.m. and vespers at 6 p.m. These services were conducted by Bishop John at the Russian Cathedral and by Bishop Juvenalius at St. Nicholas" Church. Although long, the Archbishops' Service is especially colourful, as in addition to the Archbishop every priest not connected with one or another church participates as well. Two ices were held on Saturday January 7, the first day of Christmas: a liturgy at 9 a.m. and vespers at 6 p.m, with all churches packed to more than their intended capacity. Christmas trees were on Christmas Eve lighted only after the evening service. when the star of Bethlehem appears in the heavens. Even at this late time could be seen buying Christmas trees on the streets and rushing them home either on rickshaws or on foot to hurriedly decorate and light them up.
Christmas Eve Dinner lomas will be signed by the French Consul-General in Shanghai. In February five years will have elapsed since the founding of this higher technical college. It was the Society of Russian Engineers that first got the idea for the founding of such a college, and their plan was supported by the French authorities, The Institute is headed by an Administrative Council with M. Charles Grosbois as Chairman, Mr. M. E. Gran as Vice-Chairman, and M. A. S. Jaspar, M. P. Guillemont, Prof. Shishin, the Principal, Mr. Zartsin and Mr. Povarov (both lecturers) as member Classes are held in the evenings. in ihe premises of the Ecole Remi. Fees are only $100 a course, and several students receive stipends. Excursions to factories and buildings in the course of construction are frequently undertaken. Laboratories and workshops have len kindly lent them by ihe Franco-Chinese Technical Institute "Aurora". The Professors of the Institute notice the large percentage of success and diligence among their students, in spite of the fact that most of them must work for their living as well Some students a members of the Russian Regiments, and even with the little spare time at their disposal work with remarkably good results. It seems fairly certain that the young engineers who will receive their diplomas next spring will be able to find work in this profession in a short space of time.
While Shanghai is a magnet that draws Jewish emigration from Austria and Germany, many Russian emigres living here continue to think of leaving the city for Australia, Canada or the countries of South America. Russian newspapers recently published information received a short time ago from Russians who left Shanghai for Chili. Mr. B. Jakovleff, former traffic inspector of the local French Police, is at present living in Sano, while Mr. and Mrs. M. I Sobludaieff, who sailed from Shanghai a year ago, the Katzenelbogen family. Mr. Eliseef and others have also made Last year the Christmas Eve Dinner, which is served on table-cloth liberally padded with hay, was deseribed in detail in these columns. Two traditional dishes are always present—"kutia" and "uzvar," the first made of wheat boiled with nuts and honey, and the second being nothing. but stewed fruit On the first day of Christmas Russians paid visits to their close acquaintances and were met by tables laid principally with cold duck, pork and all sorts of sausage, turkey being saved up for Easter. Congratulations were extended to each other by members of the Russian Club on Avenue Foch, while the "Sokol" Club, the Commercial the Second Russian Club in ide, the Russian Club on Avenue Foch and the Ex-Officers' Club all organized Christmas parties for children. At the Commercial School on Sunday, January 8 presents were given to the children from the Rotary Club, with Mr. L. V. Arnoldov, Mr. T. K. Ho. Mr. F. Berge, Mr. C. Baker and Mr. P. L. Moo officiating. Russian Bishops likewise visited hospitals and prisons Russian inmates, and conducted' religious services for the latter. city their residence. So far there ere few Russians there with their own cottages. Santiago, however, is a great city with a population of three million; and with energy and a knowledge of Spanish it is not too Giffeult to find work. Life for emigres in Chili is inexpensive, yet not a few Russians are in sore straits and live only on the money collected from charity balls. In the ranks of the employed there are some who work in their professions, some who work in offices, and some as farmers (mostly on chicken-farms). The general impression given by all this information is that only for Russians of means is it advisable to leave for Chili.
Prof. Kitchin's Lecture Prof. S. F. Kitchin, one-time Presi dent of the High Court in Vladivostok, recently gave a lecture in the Russian Club on the reforms of the great statesman and former Prime Minister of Russia, Mr. P. A. Stolypin, who in September 1911 was killed in
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.