withal was a religious character, repeatedly presided at the meetings of this Society and occasionally gave, as for instance on 1st February, 1869, a powerful address in support of its aims. On the other hand, the Bishop, though in friendly relations with Sir Richard, did not shrink from passing the very next day (February 2, 1869) the strongest public condemnation on the Governor's system of licensing gaming houses and on the provisions of his Contagious Diseases Ordinance. The principal relic of Bishop Alford's work in the Colony is St. Peter's Church. At the suggestion of one of the Trustees of Sailors' Home (Captain Thomsett), weekly services for seamen had been organized at the Home in 1866. Soon after his arrived, Bishop Alford proposed the erection of a church for seamen, and secured from the Trustees the grant of a portion of their ground for the purpose. During a visit to England in 1870, Bishop Alford further secured from some Society a donation of £500 and the promise of an annual contribution towards the salary of a seamen's chaplain. On his return to Hongkong (March, 1871), he appealed to the public for subscriptions. The family of the late Mr. Margesson (lost at sea) donated £300, the Governor made a grant of $2,500, the community subscribed liberally, the Trustees of St. John's Cathedral gave a spare bell, and the building was rapidly pushed on. On 22nd March, 1871, the foundation stone was laid by Bishop Alford and on 14th January, 1872, the new church, dedicated to St. Peter, was opened (in the absence of the Bishop) by the Rev. J. Piper. Bishop Alford was equally successful in his efforts to arouse public interest in the improvement of St. John's Cathedral. The Hon. F. Parry donated a peal of bells which were rung for the first time on the new-year's eve of 31st December, 1869. By a public subscription, yielding $3,000 and forthwith doubled by the Government, Bishop Alford secured also the erection of a new chancel (November 29, 1870), which was enriched by the erection of a memorial window by the executors of the late Douglas Lapraik. But the tower of St. John's Cathedral was left as before waiting for its spire. Sir
