A dinner in honour of the Commissioners of the Aeronautical Department of the Chinese Government who have been deputed to welcome the Italian aviators on their journey from Rome to Tokio was given in the Astor House on Thursday. The host was Capt. A. Delpiano, general inspector of the Rome-Tokio flight, the guests of honour being L.-Com. T- 8. Chu and Major P. C. Pao. Among the others present were Cav. de Rossi. Cay. V. Chien, Cav. Ros, Cav. L-de Luca. Cav. T. Toledano, Cav. G. D. Musso, General Sun, Lieut. Panfili, Lieut. Bargani, Capt. Cas trucci, Admiral Ho Ping-chang, at-Com. Hsin Pei-hsiang, Com. Wan Shu-ding, Messrs. Yang Tcheng, W. W- Ritchie, Brodie A-Clarke. Y. C. Tong. Y. 8. Day, Shen Liang-fong, 8. K. Chen, D. C. Brunetha, Y' M. Chien, Sun Han-chang, Jabin Hsu, Walter Chen, M. Bentivoglio, L. Patterson, Ceorge Woo, Zih Li-kuei, G. A-Benn, Chu Pao-san, W. H. Donald U. Yih, T. N. Yang, M. Bocker, B, Leicester and T.'C, Chu.
Tun Eacters or Inaty.
Capt the Delpiano proposed toast of his guests in a speed which was translated by Cav. Toledano. He mentioned the difficulties of the light which was being undertaken, but the young fliers of the Italan phalanx Would able to overcome all obstacles. Ho was glad to say that since the war aviation had become an instrument of peace and progress, and the time was not far off when the days of to-day would be the hours of to-morrow. They would see the day when no part of China would be isolated. The great undertaking which Italy had.on hand would unite Europe to the Far East. As one of their ancestors was the first European to travel to this land, so to-day the young eaglets of Italy would reach it by the air. He hoped it would not be many days before they were able to welcome the airmen in Shanghai.
Lt.-Com. Chu replied, and deplored the fact that in the past his people had not shown a full appreciation of aeronautics. The Italian enterprise, however, would stimulate interest among the Chinese people. It would be an inspiration to them.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.