Oct. 31.
On the birthday of the Emperor of Japan we tender to His Majesty and to the Japanese people sincere congratulations in the name of the British community resident in China. From all parts of the British Empire the same expressions will be forthcoming. For the war has brought home to us all in many ways the abiding value of our Alliance and our unity of purpose with the people of Japan. If, in times past, there have been moments of friction, we know that such were due to misunderstandings which have been effectually swept away by. the loyal and instant cooperation of Japan in the war that has been forced upon us. It is, moreover, not only in the battlefield that the two countries) must stand together. Even worse than shells and bullets, are the vile slanders which must be faced with no means of resisting them except by such methods as an honourable nation scorns to use. Only it may be said that we are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Japanese as we believe that they are proud to stand with us: and_ while there can be no public festivities to mark the Emperor's birthday, we can share very deeply in the feelings of loyalty and patriotism which glow in the hearts of His Majesty's subjects to-day.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.