The American community in Shanghai loses one of its most prominent members on Wednesday when Mr. Fred L. Robbins, who has been Far Eastern representative for Messrs. Parke, Davis & Ca., manufacturing armacists of Detroit, U.S.A, for past 28 years, leaves on the Lloyd Triestino liner Conte Verde for; Java, Bali, Australia and America, where he will make his home after retiring from business.
Mr. Robbins, who is not married, first came to China in 1911 and, during his first few years in the Far East, travelled extensively throughout the country, his journeys taking bim from Shanghai 4o Yunnan, Harbin and as far west as Tibet.
He is a member of all the leading clubs in Shanghai with the exception of the Country Club, having been a member of the Shanghai Club for the past 15 years and of the American Club for about 20 years. Among other clubs he has been connected with for many years are the Shanghai Race Club and the Shanghai Golf Club.
City's Changing Face Recalling the changes in Shanghai, Mr. Robbins said that when he ar-fived in 1911 the place resembled a small town and to-day it was one Of the biggest cities in the world. In the old days there were few cars on the streets, he added, and St. Georges seemed to be in the country. He was very sorry to leave Shanghai, he told a "North-China Daily News" reporter, for many of his old friends, whom he had met when he first arrived, were still living in the city. "I shall make a point of returning here one day" he continued.
"Mr. Robbins added that he had seen some difficult times in Shanghai every three or four years but the city always seemed to recover. At the present time Shanghai was experi-;|encing the worst time she had ever had but, knowing the place, he thought that there was still a. great future for the city when the trouble had blown over.
Born at South Acton, Massachusetts, Mr. Robbins will make his future home there and all old friends from China, he stressed, will be welcome there. "Mr. Robbin's new address will be The Olde House, South Acton, Massachusetts.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.