The times., 1899-12-01
ANGLo-AMERIcAN AMITY.
Ambassador Choate's Thanksgiving
Address in London.

LONDON, Nov. 30.-The Thanksgiving
banquet of the American Society at the
Hotel Cecil tonight was genuinely home
like family gathering of the Americans in
London, 900 guests being present There
were few English guests The most hon
ored visitors were the surgeons and nurses
of the hospital ship Maine. who are going
to South Africa. Mr. j. W Earle pre-
sided toast 10 President Mckinley was
proposed by Justice Bingham. The prin-
cipal address was delivered by Ambassador
Choate, and il was the most notable one he
has made since ne became an Ambassador.
Its most important feature was a sympa-
thetic allusion 70 the friendship between
Great Britain, Germany. and the United
States. In the course of his speech he said
he thought the keynote Of the occasion was.
Let England and America clasp hands
across the sea, and the peace of the world
would be absolutely secure"
At the outset of the festivities is seemed
to him that they ought to express in be-
coming manner sympathy for the anxiety
and sorrows of the people of Great Britain
in this very trying moment of their his
tory. Fortunately Englishmen had not far
to look for living proofs Of human SYM
pathy Neutral as America must be in
this great struggle, yet her women could
not be neutral To neutralize them would
be to spoil them. Those American women
in London who had fitted out a hospital
ship had, in his judgment, done a deed
which would live for all time as a bless
ing to common humanity. 1t would be re-
membered that in the war between the
United States and Spain, Great Britain,
by her Government did the American peo-
pie a great service in taking care of their
interests throughout the Spanish domin
ions. Following this example, and seeking
to reciprocate the act Of kindness and hu-
manity, the Americans had endeavored,
through their consul at Pretoria, to do
something TO give tidings Of the prisoners
in the hands of the Beers. Unfortunately
the local authorities at Pretoria seemed TO
think it was not quite the proper thing
to allow the American Consul to do this
and for a few days his efforts had been
prohibited. He could not but hope that
the prohibition would by and by be re-
moved so that America might be permit
ted to act on this errand of mere human
ity.
Mr.. Choate, continuing, said that tie su-
preme interest in America was the preser-
vatiOn of peace with all countries on the
face of the earth. None so strongly urged
that upon them as their great generals of
the commercial rivalry, of the vigorous
competition in which the American people
were engaged. 1t might be thought by
some that this rivalry was inconsistent
with desire for the preservation of peace,
! but it was not so. Which were the three
! great nations? Who were the great com
mercial rivals of the world? They were
England. Germany, and the United States.
| They had all in this direction one aim, one
| interest, and a quarrel between any two
would be fatal to the interests of all. He
| had no fear that such a quarrel would
| ever break out with these great kindred
nations, which had lived for three genera
! tions in amity. How could they ever have
any dispute again while that great stream
/ of German blood continued to flow in their
nations veins? While New York and Chi
/ cagO stood among the greatest German
| cities of the world how could they fail tc
| believe that they would be able TO main
| tain absolute amity with that great ma
! ton?
Mr.. Choate concluded with a prayer foi
the constant preservation Of peace on
earth and good will to all mankind.