May 30, In' reply to. the telegram despatched to His Majesty the King from the British and Dominion National Socfeties in Shanghai on the occasion of Empire Day, the following telegram has been received:
"The King thanks British and Dominion National So-cities in Shanghai for their loyal message on Empire Day which His" Majesty greatly appreciates. three-quarters of the German battle fee, with the Bismarck, After the depressing news of the sinking of HM'S. Hood, largest warship in the world. which blew up afler receiving an unlucky hit ina battle with German naval forees. cluding the Bismarck. off Greenland on Saturday, the report of the avenge ing of the Hood acted like a tonic on. Shanghailanders. with the excen= tion of Novis. Fascists and their sympathizers. mary of whom rang" Up thie Journal to confirm the. sinking. and thanked members of the might Slat "with painfully forced chee fulness when bulleting on the "Bi marek's doom, fresh from the tele printer. were read out to. them 'The majority of the callers, however, gave vent to their jubilation real British style and many were the {tributes paid' to. the Royal Navy which, once again, had sent British spirits) soaring skyward after Saturday's depressing news.
Where Ignorance is Bliss.
Blissfully unaware of what had happened (o the Bismarck, the news Jannouncer of the Nazi radio station here last night chirped on very cheerfully about the'loss of the Hood fand told' Shanghai, or the few that were listening to him in this city, what, a fine ship the Bismarck and how she had proved herself be "superior (0 the battleships of the British Navy, which now was being challenged by a fleet that was. "numerically inferior but superior in quality."
The consensus of opinion among Britons last night: appeared to be that the end of the Bismarck was expected when it had become known that the British Navy relentlessly. wag pursuing the fleeing Nazi battleship and other units of the German Squadron that had taken part in the battle off Greenland. Despite all Axis propaganda that had made a Mountain out of a molehill, faith in the Royal Navy to put an end to the Nazi's career had never waver~
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.