The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-11-18 00:00:00

THE LORD MAYOR OF LONDON'S
BANQUET.

Seven members of the Cabinet spoke at the Lord
Mayor's banquet at the Grtildhalll on Thursday night in
last week. Lord Beaconsfield's speech, in reply to the
toast of her Majesty's Ministers was entirely devoted
to the Eastern Question. His lordship said that during
the last twelve months of anxiety and agitation the
two great objects which the Government had kept in
view were the maintenance of the general peace of
Europe and the amelioration of the condition of
the inhabitants of the Turkish Christian provinces.
Peace, they believed, would be best maintained by
an observance of the treaties in which all the
Great Powers of Europe had joined. The Treaty of
Paris laid it down as the best security for the peace
of Europe that we should maintain the independence
and territorial integrity of the Turkish Empire. That
had been the first object of the Government. They
gave their assent to the Andrasay Note, although they
had little confidence in its proving effective, but they
felt it their duty to reject the Berlin Memorandum,
because it called upon Turkey to perform tasks
which it was utterly impossible in its then condi-
tion to accomplish, and announced that in the
event of her failing to do these things the
Powers would have recourse to ulterior proceed-
ings—indirectly and unmistakably announcing the
military occupation of the Turkish Provinces,
which would have been a violation of the independence
and territorial integrity of Turkey. Tney also had to
decline to give their assent to a proposition that Aus-
tria should occupy Bosnia and Herzegovina, that Russia
should occupy the great region of Bulgaria, and at the
same time that the united fleets of Europe should pro-
ceed to Constantinople. With regard to the second
object the Government have had in view—the ameliora-
tion of the condition of the people of Turkey—the
Government had obtained a suspension of hostilities,
and had proposed measures by which the scheme pro-
pounded in the Ancirassy Note would have been carried
into effect, when the indignant outburst of feeling in
England, "excited by horrible events," led the Servians
to believe that this country was abandoning its tradi-
tional policy, and they once more engaged in a Pan-
-1.41.c., tu WLIICU eVel y r
must lament. • The time came, however, when it wets
quite clear that they could no longer continue the war,
and her Majesty' Government again used all their
efforts to bring about peace, and an armistice had now
been obtained. With regard to the coming Con-
ference, Lord Beaconsfield said
We have been of opinion that it was desirable it should be
upon a broader basis than would he aff ,rded by the mere
assemblage of the same diplomatic characters who often take
too local and limited a view of matters. and not alwaN s, I
believe, to the cultivation of a too cordial understanding.
Therefore, to bring to this Conference something of the fresh-
ness and largeness of view which we 'latter ourselves the
statesmen of Europe are more likely to import '.nto it, we have
proposed that each of the Powers should be represented on
this occasion by an Ambassador Ex, raorcltnar as well as by
the usual Ambassadors. And with this object her Majesty
has been pleased to appoint my noble friend the Marquis of
Salisbury to be her representative at the Conference, which I
am authorized in raying all the Powers have now agreed to
attend. My noble friend possesses the complete confidence
of his colleagues. They have great confidence in his abilities 4 in
his grasp of the subject, and in the tact and firmness of his
character • and I have no doubt that he will use and exercise
all his abilities to bring about that permanent peace in
Europe which all statesmen agree can best be secured by
adhering to the treaties which exist, knowing well—and
none knows better than my noble friend—that the inde-
pendence and territorial integrity of Turkey are not to be
secured by mere pen-and-Ink work.
Lord Beaconsfield said he was hopeful the Govern.
ment would be able to accomplish their objects without
appeals to war. Peace was especially an English
policy, although at the same time there was no country
so well prepared for war as our own. If she entered
into conflict in a righteous cause—if the contest•was
one which concerned her liberty, her independence, or
her empire—her resources, he felt, were inexhaustible.
She was not a country that, when she entered into a
campaign, had to ask herself whether she could sup-
port a second or a third campaign. She entered into
a campaign which she would not terminate till right
was done.
-

The other Ministers who spoke were Mr. Hardy,
the Lord Chancellor, Lord Derby, the Duke of Rich-
mond and Gordon, the Chancellor of the Exchequer
and Lord Salisbury, but their speeches were brief anf
had no political interest

speech;
Laid