Tokyo, June 2.
Yesterday proved to be a "red letter" day for once-prostrate Yokobama, for yesterday the city, argotting its terrible wounds of four years ago, paused in the midst of its work of reconstruction, to celebrate the extension of the city, limits, The new Yokohama, which fast is giving promise to be, when completed, a far better city than that which went down before the cataclysm of 1923, has taken in two new towns and seven adjoining villages, has extended its size by nearly four times what it was before the earthquake and has added approximately another 150,000 to its population, The central and most distinguish" ed figure of the day's celebrations was His Imperial Highness Prince Chichibu, who motored all over, seeing for himself the strides Yo-Kohama has made since the earthquake. The Prince paid a high tribute to the indomitable spirit of the foreign community, who were dctezmined to let Yokohama neither perish nor slide back into a city of second or third-rate importance, His Highness signed his name in the nest-book of the Yokohama United Club, which has a history all its own. It was about the only thing saved from the United Club ant amongst those who have signed it fare the Prince of Wales, Prince George and Marshal Joffre.
The reconstruction of Yokohama gradually is progressing and efforts fare being made to turn it into the best city in Japan, Plans have been made and approved to enlarge the port by means of a new and larger breakwater, to reclaim several across of land, to make it og fireproof as possible and to have such added attractions that the releonstiucted and enlarged city. will have a bigger population and great commercial industrial tivity, Like of the Digger cities in China, this port of Japan really owed' its former srandewr to the foreign community, whose 70 years of residence con: verted it from a pristine fishing village on an almost barton bay to one of the premier ports of the arid. When Yokohama suitored in 1923 as few cities in the world Jover have suffered, there were grave doubts as to whether it could be restored, or whether such was at all feasible, That doubting period ong since has passed, and Japanese and foreigners have ce-operated te prove Yokohama's right to a new Jand prosperous existence.
Whether there were any powerful elements in the Government that despaired of Yokohama, follow the 1928 catastrophe, and sought to abandon her, or whether there were not, the fact remains that, to-da Yokohama is a living institution, big city and once again the premise port of Japan. The city has been treated by the Central Government in a step-motherly manner, at despite the discriminations and hand caps to which it has been subjected, it definitely has come back, proving that living institutions cannot be abandoned at the whim of a government. The Bluit, the foreign re-identical quarter, still presents a barren scene, as does the forme Settlement, but, comparing these areas with what they were a year ago, and bearing in mind the determination of Yokohama residents, both foreign and Japanese, to restore all work in' religions, educa tional, hospital and other Hines, the outlook for the future is extremely Yokohama has been sadly handi-leapped for funds. Whatever money there was, Tokyo first received. If crumbs fell from the table, {these were given to Yokohama. In. the nain, the merchants and business men rehabilitated their own shops and businesses, although thave iwas some help forthcoming from the Government. The city, however, a living institution to-day, and the wonderful recovery it already has made may be regarded as the symbol and promise of a yet greated city that will rise on the ruins lof the old.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.