Karachi, Apr, 11.
'The French aviators, MIN, Costes and Lebrix, who left' Tokyo ast Sunday, have now arrived here on their fight to Paris—Reuter, Hongkong, Apr, 12.
Thie officers of the visiting Japanese naval squadron and. tnembers of the Japanese community were guests at a dience tendered to-night by representative Britis foreign and Chinese merchants an members of the Chamber of Commerce, A hundred and sixty per-fons were present.
Alter the loyal torists had been honoured, MrT. G- Weall, the j chairman, proposed*the toast of the Iiperial "Japanese Navy.
Tu the course of his speech he said:
"This Chamber. is. representative of the commercial interests of this Colony and we, therefore, regard it special privilege that we have afforded this opportunity, of expressing to you ina pra form the great pleasure it gives us to meet you and extend to you such hospitality. ax is within our power offer. It i particularly gratifying to us that all leading Japanese mercial concerns are members vit Chamber. Tt enables us from 2 to time to act in concert with them in reference to matters in which we are jointly interested and fassiste in cementing that friendship which has existed for so many' years with the Japanese, "Hongkong as % British Colony largely interested in JaDanese affairs and the commercial pros perity of the Japanese nation and consequently it affords us particular pleasure to participate in this Practical demonstration of the solidarity and frien which and has for so many years veen the Japanese and British Nations. It is a propitious omen for the fotur2 and can have these objects and which we are all working.
"Our interests in this Colony are bound ap with trade with your country and with China, What we want most is peace and security coupled with.a general policy which ensures fair and equal treatment to all irrespective of nationality.
"The hospitality which your fleet this Colony during its visit has been much ap-
JAPANESE FOREIGN TRADE, Tokyo, Apr. 5.
The returns for Japan's foreign trade in March show that exports totalled Yen, 169,000,000 and im= ports Yen 218,600,000, For the first three months of the current year exports aggregated Yen 47: 000,000 and imports Yen 611,50(000, whereby the adverse balance amounts to Yen 197,000,000 ax compared with Yen 176,000,000 for the corresponding period last year for the goodwill and hospitality extended to the squadron from all quarters. Admiral Kato said:
"We live in an epoch where trade and commerce mean very much for the life and welfare of nations as well as individuals, "Organized as it is by the General Chamber of Commerce, which stands for the commercial and financial activities of this prosperous port and with which local Japanese trading firms are associated to their great interest, we can see in a way in this meeting the welcome of all Hong kong, a welcome extended not only to ourselves and to the fleet but also primarily to our nation. We were deeply moved by the Chairman's speech, so eloquently and touchingly made, in welcome of us and in praise of our country. In the name of the Japanese fleet and the nation it represents, I thank you all very heartily."
The Admiral recalled a former it to Hongkong, when as. licutenfant-commander he enjoyed the Kindless and hospitality of brother officers of the Royal Navy.
Explaining the more. important mission of the Japanese fleet, Admiral Kato said:
We come and go to our friends 18 bearers of the goodwill of the Japanese nation. We come and to cement further the tie of good neighbourship and solidarity of the nations bordering the Pacific, which, we are happy to see, has become tighter and tighter these late years.
"We shall soon sail for Japan, Inden with the great cargo of your the terms of the Chen-O'Malicy agreement were accepted und the Concession ceased to be.
'The first meeting of the new series' was ably presided over by Dr. L. N. Chang, the Director. Hig Report took nearly an hour to ver and dealt in a frank and was se cepted. The Budzet Printed left open the question of the disposal of Tis, 38,000 excess of income over expenditure if all hopes are realized. An elaborate scheme for re-surfacing all the ronds was shelved by common consent, and on the advice of the satisfactory, and negotiations will open short! expected to yield 40,000 tons of ai a year—Reuter.
Tue Nationalist. Ministry of Finance, says the Chinese press, is preciated. It has afforded us an opportunity of iciency, the dis: and the great strides has made amongst the civilised nations of the world."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.