Lisbon, Dec. 15.
References to the defence of the Portuguese Empire were made today the Prime Minister, Dr. Antonio Oliveira Salazar, in a speech at banquet in honour of the British [Services Mission, which was to leave {for England tomorrow.
'The Mission's visit was a demonstration of friendship on the part of the British Government, which aimed at strengthening existing ties between the two countries, Dr. de' Oliveira Salazar declared, He added that the British and Portuguese Mission had been able "to fod a better formula to guarantee our mutual interests.
"We sincerely love peace," the Pre-/mier continued, "but we cannot forget that we have' considerable interests {in diferent parts of the world. defend them, we have been forced to improve our own means of defence and fo [seek guarantees derived from Portuguese alliance "™e friendships, especially the Angio-
that the work scoomplishea by the In conclusion, he said: "I hoy
Mission may be only the beginning of the close relations between the two allies, and of the joint study of prob Jems of common defence."
The British Services Mission arrived {in Portugal last February—Reuter, Paris, Dec. 1
The belief that Germany and Jabin are attempting to improve their spective economic positions prior to embarking upon joint action against the USSR. is entertained in diplo tie as well og in financial circles here, where more than a coincidence is seen in the simultaneity of (we facts of equally momentous signi. ance, the one being Dr. ifjalmar Schacht's present efforts in London to secure a trade agreement with Britain, and the second being the Present lull in the Japanese operttions on the Asiatic mainland, The pause in Japan's drive into China, well-informed observers Far-Eastern affairs opine, was docided in full accord with Berlin, and is undoubtedly due to financial and eco: nomic diMeulties being experienced by the Island Power for the the being.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.