The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-10
Premier Salisbury Outlines
the Policy of the GOV-
ernment.
PEACE PRESERVED
BY POWERS.
Eastern Question Touched
Upon Lightly by the Head
of the Conservative Cab
met.

LONDON, Nov. 9.-The brilliancy OF
the gathering at the lord mayors ban-'
quet at the Guild hall this evening wasi
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 Salisbury
and Arthur ]. Balfour was the signal
for loud applause. but the reception
rendered to the foreign diplomats was
Of the tamest character, as compared
with the enthusiasm which last yeaY
greeted the then ambassador of the
United States. Thomas F. Bayard.
After the usual loyal and formal
toasts the Marquis of Lansdowne. Sec
retary Of state for war, responded for
1.-The Army" In the course of his
speech he eulogized "the gallant work
being done on our Indian frontier, espe-
cially by the troops of those native
rulers who have long wished to stand
shoulder to shoulder with u.s. He then
proceeded to point out the necessity of
an increase of the army to meet the
requirements of imperial expansion"
The Marquis of Salisbury, on rising,
was greeted with several minutes Of
continuous cheering. he began by de-
ploring the engineers dispute, which
he said involves the future prosperity
or disaster of the country" but added
that he was glad to say there was "a
renewed prospect that the board Of
trades Intervention would prove sue
cessful." His lordship read a telegram
from the queen asking him 10 express
how deeply her majesty felt the mar
/ Velous display of loyalty to the crown
! and to her person at the diamond til-
| bilee.
| 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 ex-
pedition in the Soudan campaign, the
premier came to the leading passage in
his speech, introducing the tangled
question of the Niger and the conflict
! ing claims and interests Of Great Brit
ain and France in that section Of West
| Africa. He said:
TT might not achieve the general
| conciliatory process desired, If l enter
ed frankly into all the negotiations be-
| tween the powers respecting Africa.
| We are all aware Of the great extent
of territory cast loose during the last
twenty years in Africa, and put up as
|
| enterprising governors. The negotla-
| tions that are proceeding will possibly
| continue long time. We desire that
| territory to be governed on strict prin-
| ciples of right and with a constant re-
| gard to it's prosperity and to the inter-
| ests Of the empire. We do not desire
| unjust and Hlegitimate achievements.
| and we do not wish to take territory
| simply because it would look well to
| paint red on the maps. Our objects
| are strictly business. We wish TO eX-
| tend commerce. trade, industry and
| civilization; to throw open as many
| markets as possible, and to bring to-
gether as many consumers and produce
| ers as possible, and to open the great
| natural highways and waterways Of
| the continent We wish trade to pur-
sue an unchecked course on the Niger,
the Nile and the Zambesi and. in do
| ing these things, while we wish to be-
| have in a neighborly manner and to
| show due consideration to the feelings
| and claims Of others, we are obliged to
say that there is a limit TO the eXer-
else of this particular set of feelings
and we cannot allow our plain rights
! to be oVerridden" prolonged cheering)
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 preserving the peace
Of Europe. 1t was. he submitted, a
| great and praiseworthy achievement
for the concert to avert that calamity
| He continued: Had the concert exert
ed 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 10 the
| Cretan question, his lOrdship observed
| that this was still unsettled, but add
ed "The concert Of Europe is like a
steam roller, with great power, but
| little speed"
In concluding his speech, Lord Sals-
bury said: "One hope we have Of pre-
| venting the competition Of armaments
among European powers ending in a
| terrible effort for mutual destruction,
fatal to civilization, is that the powers
may gradually be brought to act to-
| gether in friendly spirit as 10 all
! questions that might arise until at last
| they shall be welded into some inter-
national construction which will give
| the world, as the result Of their great
strength, a long spell of unfettered
commerce. prosperous trade and con-
| tinued peace"