Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/386

378 was completed in March, 1903. The ground floor is equipped as a thoroughly up-to-date fire station, and the upper floors serve as quarters for members of the brigade. Next to this block are the new Health Offices, containing on the first floor a municipal laboratory replete with the most modern appliances for bacteriological research. At the rear of this group of buildings and fronting the Kiangse Road are the Municipal Offices. The premises were originally used for business purposes, and date from the infancy of the Settlement.

Next to them and standing in the midst of a spacious compound enclosed by the Kiangse, Hankow, Honan, and Kiukiang Roads is Holy Trinity Church, the Cathedral Church of the Anglican bishop of Mid-China. It is the second church of this name to occupy the site—the first, which was opened for divine worship on April 10, 1847, having been razed to the ground in 1862 on account of its dilapidated condition. The present building was erected between the years 1866–69 from designs drawn in the first instance by Sir Gilbert Scott, R.A., and modified locally to meet the climatic conditions. It is of red brick with stone dressings, and follows the early thirteenth century Gothic style, with nave, aisles, transepts, chancel, and two chapels for organ and vestry. It is 152 feet long, 58 feet 6 inches wide, and 54 feet high. Owing to the fact that Shanghai is east of Jerusalem the altar is at the west end. An open arcade is carried round the aisles for granite shafts. The foundation stone of the graceful spire was laid in 1901. Within the cathedral compound are the Deanery and a new Parish Room, in harmony with the style of the church.

Crossing over the Nanking Road and continuing along the Honan Road as far as the Soochow Creek, the starting-place is reached of the Chinese passenger trains to Soochow. These trains consist of a string of boats packed close with humanity from stem to stern, towed behind a launch. Across the bridge is seen the Temple of Heaven. Appropriately enough, the place of honour in the main building is accorded to the