A sign that Shanghai is really returning to normal once again, the first party of American tourists to visit the port since hostilities broke cut in this area, arrived here on Sunday aboard the P. & O, s. Rawalpinch. Their arrival, when news of it spread around town, was greeted i with scarcely concealed jubilance by local shopkeepers, who have not seen so much as a single tourist for over four months. Even this party very nearly missed Shanghai, for they travelled over in the Dollar Line s. President Coolidge as far as Japan, end then had to transfer to the P.
O.: vessel in order to fit Shanghai into their itinerary, as the Dollar Line ships are not yet calling here. They sail again to-day for Hongkong, continuing their round-the-world' trip, but their visit brings more confidence to Shanghai traders, who, no doubt, anticipate further calls from tourist parties in the near future, following on the example of the hardy band of pioneers who went out of their way to drop in at the battle-scarred city which has been figuring in the headlines since last August.
From forty-two, the number originally booking tickets on the round-the-world trip, the party dropped off in twos and threes after "4. the outbreak of hostilities, until it consisted of but twelve strong when it left Los Angeles on December 11 for Japan.- Other factors besides the war.led to a falling off in the number originally booking accommodation, but with American seamen demanding bonuses for entering the "war zone," and the Far Eastern conflict occupying the front pages of all the newspapers, many were discouraged from starting on the trip.
Visit to Japan The "war" did not prevent the party from spending an enjoyable six days in Japan, visiting beauty spots, and making tours to places of interest. They saw no "war fever" among the people, and no warlike preparations, Life seemed to be going On calmly as usual, and there were few signs of the hostilities between Japan and China. Everywhere they went, they were treated with the greatest courtesy and kindness, and found the Japanese people as hospitable as ever. "They seemed a happy. jolly crowd," declared one member of the party.
Arrived in Shanghai, the party spend their first evening here spying out the Shanghai night life, visiting several cabarets and amusement spots, What they were most eager to see, however, was the war zone, and so they were conducted yesterday morning around the deserted streets of Chapei, gazing awestruck from a comfortable coach at the ruin snd devastation, A Japanese guide 1 accompanied the party, Passing i through streets fringed with ruined 7 buildings, blackened and charred, pock-marked with shell holes, they headed for Kiangwan, hoping to see the ruins of the once state-j ly Civic Centre, Japanese son-tries stopped them, however, and they returned to Shanghai, next making a tour of the Settlement and Conces-1 sion, and arriving back at the Cethay 5 Hotel in time for lunch, Sh6pping Tour Yesterday afternoon, members of the party were hotly debating the question of how the evening should be spent, some being in favour of a second visit to the cabarets, and others agitating for seats at one of the local Chinese theatres. All were unanimous in their decision to spend the afternoon wandering around the local sHóps, who were eagerly awaiting their patronage. Unconscious of the heartening influence which their very presence had upon shopkeepers who once boasted of the number of tourists for whom they catered, they went on a shopping tour, and made a goodly number of purchases.
"Wait till I show the folks at home my coloured movie pictures of exclaimed a lady member ai Another lady tourist recalled a previous visit to Shanghai thirty years ago, and commented on the very different circumstances in which the city now found itself placed. All obligingly posed for their photographs, realizing, no doubt, thai P they were of real news value, mending the gap which lasted from the beginning of August until last Sun jo day.
"Most of the party were unable to obtain visas for China, as the American authorities, when issuing new passports, are now stamping them as invalid for travel to China, One or E two, who took out passports before the beginning of hostilities, were able to obtain visas for this country. Some were armed with certificates. signed by the purser of the Rawalpinch, stating that they were passeng-7 ers on the ship, on a brief visit to Shanghai, these replacing the visas Which they were unable to obtain.
Their passports, however, were mo'
examined on arrival here, and they 1 experienced no difficulty in landing.
Casting a last glance around Shanghai, the party will leave this morning for Hongkong, Indo-China, Angkor, Sumatra, Java, Bali, Suez. Ceylon, India, the Red Sea, Egypt, the Mediterranean, and thence back to the United States, Watching them depart this morning, many a Shanghai trader will heave a thankful sigh for their "visit, and look forward to the next party, which, they hope, will not be too long in coming.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.