An interesting historical event took place this morning at the Government University when the Honorary degree of Doctor of Science was conferred on M. Painlevé and M. Joubin, the Direc-for of Lyons University, Tsai Yuan-pei, Chancellor of the Peking University, presided over a dis tinguished' gathering which included Fan' Yuan-lin, the new Minister of Education.
The Chancellor, Tsai Yuan-pei, in the course of his opening address, stated that the University had recently decided to confer the above degree on M. Painlevé, M. Joubin, Dr. Reinsch and Dr. Dewey, but that, as the two Americans ' were absent from Peking, another cere-many was being arranged on their behalf.
The Senior Chinese Professor, in the course of a lengthy review of M. Painlevé's brilliant record, referred to his success in establishing a Chinese section of the University of Paris and also to the fact that shortly after the establishment of. the Republic in 1912, M. Painlevé had made a speech in the Chamber of Deputies advocating the recognition of the Chinese Republic. The speaker also paid a glowing tribute to M. Joubin, who, he had advocated the teaching of French sciences Chinese Universities.
M. Painlevé, replying, said that he was confident that the Chinese understood his expectations with regard to themselves, and thanked the University cordially for the honour conferred on M. Joubin and himself. He said that he would take back the degree to France, not looking upon it merely as a personal honour but also as a spiritual tie uniting him and China. a tie that he would not forget or disregard in the future.
The Presidential band played the French and Chinese National Anthems and the proceedings terminated.
It is pointed out that this is the first time that a Chinese University has conferred an honorary degree upon a foreigner.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.