On Monday evening, December 23, at the Imperial Hotel, Mr. Matsuoka, Minister for Agriculture and Commerce, and Viscount Kaneko, Director of the Grand Exhibition Executive, entertained at dinner the foreign ('onsuls of Yokohama and Tokio and the chairman and other representatives of] the Yokuhama Foreign Board of Trade. There were also present a number of Japanese officials, members of the exhibition executive. The] evening was chiefly remarkable for} the speech of Viscount Kaneko who made some highly important observations on the forthcoming exhibition. Outwardly and in name, said Viscount Kaneko, the exhibition would be domestic but in material they expected to make it an international one. Then you might ask me, continued the Viscount, why we do not call it an international exhibition? When we look upon the present condition of Japan, the condition of the people, the condition of tranportation and sanitary matters—in those way we are not in a position to welcome foreign Governments and ple, Neither do. we dare ask foreign Governments and peoples to send all their products, simply because the space at our disposal may not be large enough. For this reason gonds are invited under five heals,—educatinn, science, machinity, and manofactared me say a word. If ign Gaverniment or corporation would like to snd articles not included in the foregoing: category each exhibi-for may build" separate building, governmental or private, where they can exhibit what products they like. OF course, the space allotted them our buildings will be free of charge, and we do not expect to collect a single penny from foreign Governments or individuals in this connexion (Hear, hear). astaTic PRODUCTS.
We have studied the coming exhibition from different points of view. First, we expect to make it a genuine representative display of Asiatic products, As far as we know, no exbibition has ever been held taking in the bole of Asia for the information of the peoples of the West. The gentleman to my left, the Chinese Consul-General, will, we feel sure, assist us all in his power, as well as his people to make the exhibition a success in this respect. (Applause).
Next point, we expect to make the exhibition a special one. The colonies of Europe and America in Asia are rapidly to the front in international commerce. The products of these colonies are coming to Japan, some in the form of raw material, others in a manufactured shape. This colonial trade of Japan is now held in the front rank of our future trade in the Indian Archipelago and Asiatic waters. It extends beyond the equator, to New Zealand and Australia and many other parts of the world. We expect to make Japan the centre of the colonial trade of Western nations in the Far East.
MACHINERY AND ELECTRICITY, With regard to machinery and electricity and manufactured goods, this is most important. Japan has just entered the industrial comity; in other words Japan is just being transformed. But although Japan is changing, we should like yon to bear in mind that we are in very imperfect state, We ask the Western people, with their experience and scientific knowledge, to bring their new machines and new inventions and show us how to change from home industry into the factory industry of which Europe and America are proud. So, with regard to machinery, I hope you will influence your people at home to bring such machines ax will fit in with the present conditions of Japan, Supposing you bring a machine, which is so gigantic that we have no means wherewith to transport'it to the site of the exhibition and which could not possibly be utilized in this country We could wish you' tell your home people just what dimensions, what horsepower and what machines are needed here. For this we would be thankful for your assistance.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.