The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-10
Britain Wants to Behave NeighborIy
in Africa, but VIII Not Allow Her
Rights To BE Overridden.
BANQUET AT THE GUILDHALL
FOLLOWING ANNUAL STREET SHOW
OF LONDON'S LORD MAYOR.
Work of the Army in India Praised
by the Marquis of Lansdowne-
Dreyfus's Last Hope Gone.

LONDON. Nov. 9.--The brilliancy of the
gathering at the lord mayors banquet at
the Guildhall this evening was somewhat
marred by the tokens of mourning for the
late Duchess of Teck. A majority of the
ladies present wore gowns of black or dark
gray. The entrance of the Marquis of Sails
bury, prime minister, and Arthur j. Bal
four, first lord of the treasury, was the
signal for loud applause but the reception
rendered to the foreign diplomats was of the
tamest character as compared with the en-
thusiasm which last year greeted the then
ambassador of the United States, Thomas
+. Bayard.
After the usual loyal and formal toasts
the Marquis of Lansdowne, secretary of
state for war, responded for the army In
the course of his speech he eulogized 'the
gallant work done on our Indian frontier
especially by the troops of those native
rulers who have long wished to stand
shoulder to shoulder with U.S." He then pro-
ceeded to point out the necessity of an in
crease of the army to meet the require
ments of imperial expansion.
The Marquis of Salisbury on rising was
greeted with several minutes of continuous
cheering. He began by deploring the en-
gineers dispute, which, he said, involves
the future prosperity or disaster of the
COuHlIys Uul duueQ lDdL ne Was RldQ 10
say there was "a renewed prospect that the
Board of Trades Intervention would prove
successful" His lordship read telegram
from the Queen asking him to express how
deeply her Majesty felt the marvellous dis
play of loyalty to the crowd and to her
person at the diamond jubilee festivities.
After referring to the conduct of the troops
on the Indian frontier in terms similar to
those used by the Marquis of Lansdowne
and warmly praising the conduct of the
Anglo-Egyptian expedition in the S0udan
campaign, the premier came to the leading
passage in his speech, introducing the
tangled question of the Niger and the con-
Meeting claims and interests of Great Britain
and France in that section of West Africa
He said:
1T might not achieve the general con-
ciliatory process desired if l entered frankly
into ali the negotiations between the powers
respecting Africa. We are al aware of the
great extent of territory cast loose during
the last twenty years in Africa and put up
the object of acquisition for several en-
terpriSing governors. The negotiations that
are proceeding will possibly continue long
time. We desire that territory to be gov
erned on strict principles of right and with
a constant regard TO its prosperity and to
the interests of the empire. We do not de-
sire unjust and illegitmate achievements
and do not wish to take territory simply
because it would look well to paint red on
LQS maps. our OBJECTS are business.
We wish to extend commerce, trade, indus
try and civilization; to throw open many
markets possible and to bring together
many consumers and producers as possible,
and to open the great natural highways and
waterways of the continent: We wish trade
to pursue an unchecked course on the Niger,
the Nile and the Zarabesi, and in doing these
things. while we wish to behave In a neigh
bOrly manner and to show due consideration
for the feelings and claims of others. we are
obliged to say that there is a limit to the
exercise of this particular set of feelings
and we cannot allow our plain rights to be
overridden." prolonged cheeringO
His lordship then passed to speak of the
situation in the east. He said the history
of the past year was that the European
concert had failed to prevent Greece from
going to war, but had succeeded in pre-
serving the peace of Europe. 1t was, he
submitted, a great and praiseworthy
achievement for the concert to avert that
calamity. He continued: Had the con-
cert exerted all its force to prevent Greece
from going to war the responsibility might
have rested upon it of erasing Greece from
the map" With reference to the Cretan
question his lordship observed that this was
still unsettled, but added: THE concert of
Europe is like steam roller, with great
power, but little speed
In concluding his speech, Lord Salisbury
said: One hope We have of preventing the
competition of ornaments among European
powers ending in terrible effort for mutual
DESTRUCTION Idtal TO clV1llZatlOn is that the
powers may gradually be- brought to act
together in friendly spirit as to all ques-
tions that may arise, until at last they shall
be welded in some international construc-
ton which will give the world, as the re-
suit of their great strength, a long spell of
unfettered commerce, prosperous trade and
continued peace"
Col. John Hay, the United States ambas-
sador, who was to have responded to the
toast of The Foreign Ambassadors" is
confined to his house by cold, and in con-
sequence the Japanese minister took his
place.