May 26.
There was a brilliant assemblage at the Japan Society's dinner tonight at the Hotel Cecil in honour of the Crown Prince of Japan, including, besides the Duke of York, the Allied Ambassadors, the First Lord of the Admiralty (Lord Lee), and a number of Japanese and European ladies.
Lord Lee, in a speech, dwelt on the marvellous changes in Japan during the past 50 years. The ancient traditions which formed a sympathetic link between Great Britain and Japan were loyalty to the throne and love of the sea.
He referred to what-he described as "the brave and momentous utterance of the Japanese Minister of Marine last month in offering suitably to limit Japan's armaments if the other Powers reached a re- 8°. liable, unanimous agreement to the same effect," and hailed the United States Senate's resolution authorize ing the convoking of a disarmament conference.
The First Lord expressed the opinion that the Japanese Minister of Marine's action showed that Japan, though great in war, was greater still in appreciation of the world's need for peace (Cheers).
He was convinced that Japan would never make the mistake which had inexorably brought all tuilitaristic Powers to ruin, as she would do if she forgot that peace was the world's greatest interest. Japan was rightly conscious of her strength, but she was ready to set the example of moderation which was ultimately the greatest attribute of strength—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.