a Si. iderpretation" of the Anglo-Opinion favouring the adoption. of Tokyo, Feb. 33.
Chinese Maritime Customs in Japane ed territories gained among officials today.
mot here "of reports that sentiment prevailed following
the agreement was "not working Tokyo, Feb. 12.
The almost mythical qualities of the Japanese two-handed broadsword—said to be.a blade purer than the Damascus—have been put to the test of flesh and bone in China and the results catalogued by a famous swordsmith now serving with the army.
"Whenever beheadings occurred" writes Mr. Soichi Yamamoto, master craftsman, "I never failed to witness them, even though they occurred at midnight. I've made an extensive study of our blades in present use. The swords which I had found excellent before beheadings weathered this test with their edges undam-
Mr. Yamamoto adds that blades made in recent years cannot compare with the "ketch," swords made before 1600. The modern products snapped in cold weather, bent badly three or four inches from the tip after each beheading and nicked considerably after each cleavage of Chinese skull Of the 1,000 or more blades which he has seen or repaired in China, Mz. Yamamoto claims that those signed by great swordsmiths of three hundred years ago are the best.
"I was waiting for a fotor truck at Wuhsuehchen in Central China," wrote Mr. Yamamoto, "when a sergeant came and asked me to repair the nicks in his sword. I. looked carefully but could find no damage. Taking off the handle, I found it was a product of Maramasa, one of the greatest swordsmiths of all times. I asked the sergeant why he thought the sword was damaged."
"Well," said the sergeant, "I've killed 34 Chinese with that blade and on the last victim, I wielded it so hard that the blade went right across his body and hit a boulder to the side of me."
Only the masterpieces of the swordsmith's art, says Mr. Yamamoto, can kill 34 men and remain completely fantastic teles are told of the qualities of a Japanese "Katana", the two-handed sword which soldiers call "The Soul of the Warrior."—United The British Government is at present giving it attention to the juridical problems which would arise Gut of some formal recognition of the fact that Genrzal Francisco Franco is, in fact, in control of most of Spain. The British Government, it is stated, would like to see the war end with as little bitterness and bloodshed as beng represented to Nationalist Spain ible and the British attitude is
in that recognition would be facilitated if there could be some guarantee that peace would not begin in a welter of horror and reprisals.
The Government in Madrid, it is thought, will be recognized as long as it maintains its authority over 2 large area of Spain. This should not be interpreted as an encouragement to the Republican Government to hold out regardless of cost—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.