Without attempting to solve the controversy over the identity of the oldest existing Club in Shanghai it {3 possible to placate all disputants by the statement that the first Club formed was in 1844 and was on truly democratic not Yo say comprehensive lines. The Club in question was the first Cemetery and it was formed by a Company which raised shares to the total value of $500. Ground was bought on the Bund on the site which is now occupied by the Custom House, but before it could be laid out asa cemetery the plot was acquired by other purchasers and the Cemetery Ca, for its Club obtained ground in Shantung Road, which s0 long ago as 1875 was known as the Old Cemetery. The average annual revenue of the Cemetery between 1847 and 1851 was only $90, a tribute to Shang-salubrious qualities.
Between 1844 and 1851 out of 16,680 sailors who visited the: port only 64 died here and they were: buried in the same cemetery in Shantung Road, The rapid increase of the shipping rendered it neces~ sary to obtain the Pootung Cemetery for the special use of sailors.
But perhaps it is rather stretching the point to insist that a cemetery answers the description of what is usually known as a club, and, jumping ahead a little, mention Should be made of the formation of the Literary and Scientifle Society which in 1859 was transformed into the North China Branch of the Royal Asiaule Society, an organization which in spite of extraordinary vicissitudes has managed to survive to this day. perty fell a victim' to land Speculators and a new site had to, be obtained not very far away in 1860. To this enterprise much interest attaches because it is intimately bound up with the: Recreation Ground. The facts were authoritatively presented in the judgment delivered by Sir Edmund Hornby on June 17, 1884 in a case which came before him at that time:
-.:..dn 1860 some gentlemen Subscribed to create a fund to buy Ground, for games. They did buy Ground' and a Cricket ground was made on it This ground was subsequently sold. With a portion of the money realized other ground was purchased in 1883, and. the remainder of the money was lent to other institutions. A portion of this other ground "was let to a Cricket Club, another portion to a Base Ball ground, an inner rim of Jand was allowed to be used, or at any rate was used, as a riding ground and training ground, and another as a Steeplechase Course. In 1800 the old Riding Course was sold, and the proceeds devoted to the purchase and building of a road between the Grand Stand and the Bubbling Well. On this road it was attempted to put a toll bar and collect a tolt for the purpose of keeping the road in repair. The egality of this proceeding was questioned. There being then and thus no available means' of keeping the road in repair, it was. sur rendered to the Municipal Council fon the condition that' that body should maintain it, Tu this way the Riding Course, "its funds and subscribers disappear from history.
In the same year, 1860, a subscription list was staried to build a new Race Course, the old Riding Course having hitherto been used as a Race Course; 0 certain capital was raised and" represented by shares, ground was bought, and Race Course made—and this is the resent Race Course, The holders Of the shares called themselves the Race Course Proprietors, and ing built the Race Course, leased to the Race Club on certain con ditions, The first idea of organizing a general Club came in 1852 when a committee was appointed to draw a scheme which contained lofty ambitions in that it was to include within a club a theatre, a masonic hall, a library, an exchange (wh ever that "may mean) and auctioneers' room, a billiard saloon and a bowling alley with, ay the house agents' advertisements say, the usual offices. The scheme was wonderful, but there were no funds, and 10 years later a scheme reduced to a more modest plan for working a simple club with the usual news, billiard and dining-rooms was tok hand, and hence stands the Shanghai Club manfully trying to prevent the mud of the Whangpoo from swallowing it up.
But simple though this scheme was, according to a lecture delivered by Mr. H. Long in 1875, it ruined three contractors and was furnished only by money borrowed from the Recreation Fund. It was formally opened in 1864 and in 1865 the German members of the community got together and opened the Concordia, which had a very prosperous career and was very popular in 'Shanghai on account of its excellent musical and theatrical tentertainments, So when the German A.D. Yeceives congratulations on its 50th performance, Shanghai is doin honour to a' community which has long contributed to its social entertainment, Of the Masonic Lodges it is not necessary or perhaps discreet to speak, but it may be mentioned that the first Lodge was established in 1849, cee Fives Court and a Senior Bowling Alley were founded on sites purchased in 1848 costing respectively $160 and $195. The first Race-course passed round the Louza District, and in 1855 a committee was formed to secure a new race and riding course to stretch nearly up to what is now Avenue Edward VII and cover a distance of some two miles. Owing the fact that the proposed course ran near to a Fukien temple, disturbances arose and the work was abandoned, In 1853 the ground for the racecourse was secured—the Race Chub has a "card" printed on a silk fan for a meeting held in Shanghai on April 26, of that year—but the pro-
'A Cricket Club had been formed 1860, and the present Baseball Club T think in 1885. Both these clubs leased from the Trustees of the Recreation Fund, as has been said, portions of ' the ground purchased by the latter in 1863, So it will be seen that with the new Race Club a Cricket Club and Baseball Club came into existence.
Into the details of the litigation which produced Sir Edmund Hornby's judgment there is no need to enter. It is sufficient to say that the issue at stake was no less than the preservation of the ground against the intrusion of the builder. Sir Edmund Hornby's judgment Secured to the public the present Recreation Ground, subject of course to the Race Club's right of view over the interior of its course; and when the unsuccessful litigants threatened to appeal against the decision they were met by a protest signed by practically all the promment members of the foreign community of Shanghai, with the result that the judgment was allowed to stand without further question.
Looking down the list of the protestants it is interesting to note the name of Dr. L. S. Little, father of the new ' Commander-in-Chief, who was, incidentally, a famous bowls player, and also' that of Sir Charles' uncle, Mr. R. W. Little, the famous Editor of the "North-China Daily News," who was a great figure in local affairs of all kinds, whether social or political, 'And, of course, the list is positively sprinkled with surnames now familiar to Shanghai, such as Dent, Gubbay, Lowder, Cumine, Bland, Welch,' Palamountain, ' Dallas, Morriss, Lemarchand, Tiefenbacher,' Maitland and hosts of others, The redoubtable Robert Little, whose name is honoured in this office is the 13th name on the list.
'A Chess Club was started in 1850, but it did not last very long, and although chess is still a popular game in Shanghai it was not until the ¥.M.C.A. took the game in hand that a club became again a reality for focussing the talent of the real enthusiasts. It must not be forgotten, however, that those who penetrate the mysteries of the Shanghai Club will agree that the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.