Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-17

Queen Sends Customary Speech Out
lining the Exigency.

LONDON, OCTOBER 1I.-ParHament open
ed today in extraordinary session to con-
siCer the South African situation.
In the speech from the throne her majes-
ty said:
My lords and gentlemen: Within very
brief period after the recent prorogation
l am compelled by events deeply affecting
the interests of my empire to recur to your
advice and aid.
The state of affairs in South Africa
has made it expedent that my government
should be enabled to strengthen the mill
| tary forces of this country. by calling out
the reserve. For this purpose the pro-
visions of the law render 1t necessary that
parliament should be called together
Except for the difficulties that have
been caused by the action of the South
African republic the condition of the world
continues to be peaceful
Gentlemen of the house of commons;
Measures will be laid before you for the
purpose of providing the expenditure which
has may be caused by events in South
Africa. Estimates for the ensuing year
will be submitted to you in due course.
My lords and gentlemen: There are
many subjects of domestic interest to
which your attention will be invited at
later period when the ordinary season for
the labors of parliamentary session has
been reached. For the present l have in
vited your attendance in order to ask you
to deal with an exceptional exigency, and
| pray that in performing the duties which
claim your attention you may have the
guidance and blessing Of Almighty Cod
Assembled in House of Peers.
Both houses assembled In the chamber of
peers at 2 o'clock, the queens speech being
read by commission. Immediately after
the reading the speaker of the house of
commons, the Right Hon. William Court
Gully, returned to the chamber of the
commons, the house adjourning at 4
o'clock.
Henry Labouchere liberal member for
Northampton will move an amendment to
the address in reply to the speech from the
throne in favor of arbitration in the Trans
Iaal mbroglio even at this late day
John Z. Redmond, Parnellite, member
for Waterford, will move an amendment
protesting against the war
Henry Seton-Karr, conservative member
for St. Heens, Lancashire, has given no
tice of a question for Thursday concerning
the alleged disloyal utterances of certain
Irish nationalist members of the house,
which, he will contend, are in violation of
the oath of allegiance. He will take es-
pecial exception to an expression by Pat
rick O'Brien, Parnellite, member for Kill
kenny, of a hope that the lrshmen in the
British regiments, instead of firing on the
Beers, would fire on Englishmen. He will
| also refer to similar declarations made by
Michael Davitt, nationalist member for
South Mayo, and William Redmond, Par
nellite, member for East Clare.
Prior to the meeting of parliament the
| Prince of Wales visited the premier, Mar
| quis of Salisbury, at the foreign office
Few Peers Present.
| The opening ceremony occupied quar-
| ter of an hour. Scarcely a score of peers
We're present when the lord high chancel-
| lor, Baron Halsbury, took his seat upon the
| woolsack The black rod was directed to
| desire The immediate attendance of the
| commons, and, after brief interval, the
| speaker and other officials of the house of
| commons, followed by the members, ap-
| Pcared at the bar.
The galleries of both houses We're crowd
| ed with ladies. United States Ambassador
| Choate and Mrs Choate, with the men,
bers OF the embassy, were in the diplomatic
| gallery of the house of lords. Charlemagne
! Tower, United States minister to Russia,
was also present.
United States Senator Nelson of Mime
sofa, and Robert Mccormick of Chicago
| witnessed the proceedings in the house of
commons.
There was less competition than usual for
the honor of being the first to arrive. 1t
serVative, member for North Kilkenny.
| who was closely followed by William F. B.
| Massey -Ma1nWaring, conservative, member
rivals were SLOW =
The regular formality of searching the
vaults vaults VI unaer the house of parliament for
| ried out by the beef f-eaters.
Meeting of Cabinet Also.
| The cabinet met this morning at the
residence of A. j. Balfour, first lord of the
| treasury, and government leader in the
| house of commons instead of at the for
| eign Office it being khe first time during
| this has occurred
More News of Fighting.
! LONDON, October IA. special dispatch
from Pretoria, dated October IA, by way of
| Delagoa Bay, says:
| "A cyclist dispatch was received from
Ottosnoep, near Melmani at 6 o'clock this
| evening, asserting that heavy fighting had
| been in progress all day long north of
| Mafeking. The British troops on board an
armored train acted as a covering force to
| military engineers engaged in repairing the
| tracks. A Maxim on the train kept up
| continuous fire.
Conspicuous bravery was displayed on