After the ceremony was over the more distinguished guests were entertained in the main hangar of the aircraft carrier H.M.S, Eagle, moored off the Base.
Col. J. J. Llewellyn, Civil Lerd of the Admiralty, was introduced to the heads of all departments concerned in building the dock, incluđ- ing three Indians and three Chinese who had charge of the 4,500 workmen. No less than 400 people attended the reception on H.M.S. Eagle.
Towards the end of the ceremony the setting sun broke through a mass of thunder clouds and a glorious sunset spread its golden glow over the turrets, masts and funnels of the - warships assembled in the Straits. As twilight fell the illuminations of all the ships in the harbour were lit up, simultaneously on a rocket signal. These included the three American cruisers, Memphis, Milwaukee and Trenton, whose presence at the ceremony was the occasion of widespread satisfaction as marking the close friendship and unity of ideals and purpose binding the two great English-speaking nations.
Australia was represented at the ceremony by the Chief of Staff of the Royal Australian Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Richard Williams. not mention him directly but declares that General Loktionov, "new Chief of the Air Force," was among the pall-bearers at the funeral of the victims of the Soviet dirigible wrecked a few days ago.
Gen. Alksnis was one of the last two of Marshal Voroshiloffs five commissars of defence who survived the recent purge. He apparently enjoyed the Kremlin's favours until just before the elections to the first Soviet Parliament in December, when he was removed from the list of registered candidates and replaced by another man—Reuter.
In spite of the immensity of the throng which crowded the base, were not allowed to wander Although the authorities have relaxed the rules of secrecy since the fortifications have been completed (they have even issued photographs of the big guns), there are still many secrets which are strictly preserved. Precautions were taken to see that nothing of vital importance was viewed by the guests. The smart Punjabi Police Force, together with members of the Navy, Army and Air Force, guided the visitors carefully through selected areas.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.