M, Meslin is residing at the house of the French Chief of Police, Captain Fiori, who is out of town at present, On his arrival from" Peking on Tuesday night M. Merlin was escorted to this house, which is in the French Concession, by mounted, Sikh Police, and on Wednesday morning he paid his respects to the Chinese authorities at the Bureau of Foreign Affairs, and was received with every courtesy and manifestation of friendship. In the afternoon he received the Chinese authorities at his tempora ary house. On Wednesday even ing the Governor-General -of Indo-China was the principal guest at a reception given Cons val, at the Consulate, by M. Wilden, the French
znd which was attended by the most tinguished members of Shanghai's French community, President of Municipal Council, Fane, a member of the French Cameil, My Bordelongue, Manager the B: "Industrielle, -M.
wy, Manager of the Banque WIndo-Chine, Commander de Mau-bouge, of the French warship Jules Ferry, Commander D'Arviou, Chief of the Staff to the French Admiral, and many others, As M. Merlin entered the Consvlate Grounds he was met and saluted "by a detachment Annamite Police, and the band from the Jules Ferry struck up the "Marsellaise" as he entered the Consulate itself.
Wilden made a short. speech, welcoming M. Merlin to Shanghai and congratulating him onthe rueees of his mission to Japan, which they all felt convinced was for the good of France generally and Indo-China in particular. Merlin was, added the Consul General, one of France's most dis tinguished colonial governors, and had, in fact, been governor of practically very colony France rad, They appreciated his services their country and were proud to have him in their midst.
M, Merlin, in reply, thanked, M. Wilden for the Kindness of "his remarks, and the French public in Shanghei for the kindness of, their reception of him. He sincerely hoped that the relations "existing between French Indo-China and the rest of China would always be of the best.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.