'Twenty-five years ago yesterday, in response to the sunanimous' vote of the Storthing, Prince Charles of Denmark entered Oslo as King Haakon Vil of Norway. Thus was signalized the peaceful withdrawal of Norway from the Scandinavian Union and the consequent reversal of the cession of 1814 in which the Norwegian peopl? had no direct part, The election by the Legislature had been preceded by a plebiscite which had resulted in 259,568 votes being cast in favour of the Prince as against only 69,264 in the contrary sense. The new King, married to a British Princess, the sister of the then Prince of Wales, now George V. The name which Prince Charles had taken had honourable associations with Norway's ancient history and, ike Queen Maud herself, with the English throne. For it was Haakon, called' the Good, who assumed the Norwegian Crown in 984, after sojourn in the court of the English Athelstane. Yesterday at Nanking the Norwegian Minister marked the occasion of his Sovereign's silver jubilee by presiding over a most representative gathering from all the nations in the World. The ity with which King Haakon has identified himself with the democratic independence of his people is generally recognized. The tribute patd by M. Aubert to the: whole-heartedness with which the King and Queen of Norway have thrown themselves into the life of their adopted country was fully deserved. It is in the gratitude of the Norwegian people that their Majésties surely find their chief reward for twenty five years of simple, untiring devotion.
The celebration of this event will possibly be all the more enthusiastically observed because.this year Norway's national day of Independence, recalling the framing of its constitution on May 17, 1814, was observed under a cloud of mourning for the heroic Nansen whose death had occurred four days earlier. The passing of twenty-five years of a single reign constitutes " great bond between the ruler and the ruled. and his people, those years have been years of steadily-growing confidence of the one with the other the. evert assumes an intimacy of communion which makes of royal emotion a real expression of domestic affection. Politically' Norway has. little cause for anxiety. The recent elections indicated that the innate vigour of the people was in no way likely to be carried to extremes on one side or the other. The Norwegian nation has carried round the globe, by the enterprise of its sons, the rich! esteemed flag of its mercantile marine and has made its name respected everywhere for inter grity and progressiveness in commercial. affairs.
Not the least of King Haakon's achievements has been his cultivation of friendly relations with the neighbouring kingdom of Sweden. In proof of this close friendship Sweden the recent marriage ci the Crown Prince of Norway to Princess Martha was universal ly applauded. Helped by the characteristically sensible outlook of the two nations, once united but now apart, by mutual consent, King Haakon has been able to develop a Norwegian policy without detriment to the solidarity of Scandinavian brother hood which, by reason of its culture, its rich literary traditions and its magnificent history is a great inspiration to the rest of the civilized world. England in particular has reason to be grateful to the country which produced Ibsen and Bjornson, for their influence on vigorous' English schools thought as well as for their own writings. Mention—too should be made of the great lexicographer, Halvorsen, whose contribution "to his—particular branch of literary research will stand for many years to corns, In Shanghai there is a Norw gian Community which Fas found deep satisfaction in this auspicious anniversary. To them their fellow-citizens will present congratulations and the sincere wish that the gracious ing and Queen, who have reigned for 25 years at Osl will continue to reign for many more years to come,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.