Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-03-16
CROATE'S FIRST APPEARANCE
The New American Ambassador to
Great Britain

The New American Ambassador to
| Great Britain
| DELIVERS AN ADDRESS TO THE
LONDON COMMERCIAL PEOPLE
"A BANQUET FOR THE PUR-
POSE OF GETTING BRITISH
LIONS TOGETHER TO MEET
OUR NEW REPRESENTATIVE
A WITTY SPEECH WHICH
SEEMED TO PLEASE HIS AUDI
ENCE.
London, March 15.-Joseph H.
Choate, the U. S. ambassador to the
Court of St. James, made his first pub
| lie appearance in England at the ban
quet of the Association of Chambers
! of Commerce of the United Kingdom,
which was held at the Metropolitan
| Hotel this evening. There was bril-
liant and distinguished gathering, about
$50 persons having been invited to meet
| the ambassador, including the Lord
| Chief Justice of England, Baron Rus
sell, of Killowen; the Hon. Sir Henry
Stafford Northcote, the President Of
the Association; the Prime Minister,
the Marquis of Salisbury; the Earl of
| Jersey, the Earl of Dartmouth, Lord
Reay, Rear Admiral Lord Charles Ber-
esford, the Right Hon. G. t. Richie,
President of the Board Of Trade; James
| R. Carter, second secretary Of the U. S.
! embassy, and many members of Par
| lament.
! Mr.. Choate who, on arriving, was
heartily welcomed by the chair and Off
Gals of the Association, sat in the place
of honor, on the right of the chairman
Rear Admiral Lord Charles Beres-
! ford, who replied to the toast to the
navy, declined to be drawn into dis
cussion of the Chinese situation. He
concluded his speech by saying:
THE company is waiting to hear a
distinguished guest the new ambassa-
| dor of the United States, who every
man of the fore and aft in this country
| is delighted to see, but | cannot be
seated without saying that took every
opportunity to see the fleet of America
in both the Pacific and Atlantic. I saw
| very excellent feet, not only in the
way the ships are built, but in repsect
| of general organization and prepared
mes.
Il need not extol it's officers and men.
| They are of the same blood as our
selves and have proved what they could
do when called upon. l hope the time
will very shortly come when there will
be such an understanding between the
two countries that if anything occurs
| disagreeable to us or affecting our
honor and s.fety these two fleets will
be together. That will make peace"
Vice President Harper then submit
| ted the toast of Our Guests coupled
| with the names of Mr.. Choate and
| Baron Russell, of Killowen.
| The toast was received with loud
| cheers, the company standing and
| shouting the name of Mr. Choate, who
was thrice cheered.
Mr.. Choate, on rising to respond, re-
ceived an ovation.
The United States ambassador began
| jokingly, protesting that he was over
| whelmed with embarrassment at being
! called upon to respond in priority to
| the lord chief justice. He felt that
when the British lion was about to
roar even the American eagle should
hold his peace. He was delighted, he
said, to receive and accept the invita-
ton to the banquet, although he was
not at liberty to discuss British COM
| merce. His general instructions from
| his government were not to discuss
politics, or only at extraordinarily fes-
tai occasions Qaughter). After a few
words on the subject of commerce,
| which he characterized as truly 1.-The
| mainstay of the British empire" he
concluded as follows:
Il have felt, however, that 1 might
properly avail myself of this first public
occasion to express the appreciation of
my countrymen for the forbearance,
good will and friendship manifested to
them so freely by the British people.
1t is true, gentlemen, that peace be-
tween the United States and Great
Britain is the first interest not only Of
these two nations, but of the whole
world" ~ the vn.,ts
In expressing his gratitude for the
cordial greeting he had received from
all sorts and conditions of men, since
his arrival in England, Mr.. Choate
said:
Everywhere 1 have been treated as
d Irleuu, anu as the repreSen tdt1Ve or
your friends and brothers. In fact, |
have actually discovered the open door,
open to such an extent that would sat
isfy even the yearning of the Rear Ad-
miral who has made the circle of the
globe in search of it. l think I may
say, as testimony to the good feeling
sought to be encouraged on our side of
the water that the President gave the
best illustration of it when he said in
my letter of credence, that he relied
with confidence upon my constant en-
deavor during my stay in Great Brit
ian to promote the interest and pros
perity of both nations" CHEERS and
cries of "bravo'o
After another reference to the open
door and enlarged sphere of influence
which cordial brotherhood has open
ed up" the ambassador continued:
Il beg that you will not mistake my
meaning. 1 do not believe, that although
friends. we shall ever cease to be rivals.
In the future as in the past, we on our $ de
and you on yours will still press every
advantage that can fairly be taken but
it shall be generous and loyal rivalry and
all questions, disputes and controversies
arising shall be settled by peaceful means,
nv neeotiafionS nv arbitration hv