Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-10
BRITISH POLICY IN AFRICA
Outlined at Guild Hall Banquet BY Lord
Salisbury.
After Conquest All Interests Will Be
Consulted i'm Establishing
n New Rule.

London last night, in which he outlined the
policy of the empire in regard to the Trans
vaal. He said: My duty is TO inform you
that situation in South Africa is the
only part of our relations with other ma
tions to which any term of apprehension
or doubt can be applied.
But perhaps you think 1 am sanguine
in saying that on the continent of Europe
We have no hostility to fear. There is un-
doubtedly certain acerbity of tone among
the writers tor the foreign press. but l do
not believe that the trend of this opinion
affects the peoples of foreign nations. |
am quite certain it does not affect their
governments. and l will say that / have
noted. one of the cheering symptoms of
the present time, the happy relations eX-
listing between the United States and our
selves (cheers). and the sympathy with
which we watch their approach toward the
same great problems that We ourselves have
After abiding to the Samoan agreement
he continued.
The great subject that interests all of
us, undoubtedly, is this war, adorned with
so many splendid feats of herOiSm and
skill but saddened by so many losses.
have great difficulty in dealing with war,
and if | attempt to deal with the future
| should be undertaking a task in prophecy
from which the hardest would shrink. If
| speak at all, it may rather be to depre-
cate criticisms and statements which l
think unfounded than to attempt TO pass
judgment on what still depends upon the
future for its full determination.
English Military Preparations.
Respecting the feeling expressed twice
or thrice that the want, of troops is due
to q want of action on the part of the
home government, / would point out that
il would have been nothing to the purpose
to issue proclamations for reserves some
weeks earlier. Now, what was the cause
OF the war. and what was the cause
of the ultimatum? 1t was not because of
any demand we had made. 1t so happens
that at the moment the ultimatum was is
sued We had withdrawn our demands, and
there were no demands before the Trans
Vaal government. 1t was because we had
taken measures to increase the amount of
our forces i'll South Africa. But, if that
had been done a few months sooner
actly the same result would have taken
place. The moment you had shown signs
OF raising your force to equality with
the force opposed to it, that moment the
ultimatum would have been issued and
would have begun. (Cheers)
1T is not therefore, right to say that
there was not adequate military prepara-
ton. The evil dates further back. 1t
dates to those unfortunate arrangements
In 1881 and 1884 by which we deliberately
permitted community obviously hostile to
enjoy the unbounded, unlimited right of ac-
Cumulating munitions of war against US.
I ear after year an accumulation of NUM-
tions was made which could only be di-
rected against US. Hampered by these ar
rangements. 1t was impossible that we
should avoid the interval of trial and dan
ger necessarily to intervene between the
moment when war was declared and the
moment when our forces could accept CON
test and appear upon the field.
Expected Defeat at First
THAT interval has nearly passed. Our
troops are beginning to arrive. Foreign
nations have cOmplimented US upon the
calmness with which we nave received the
intelligence of occasional checks What
ever strategy there might be, we are well
aware that the beginning of our conflict
WITH the Beers must be marked by a re-
slrement of our troops from nositions they
are not strong enough 10 occupy. 1t is
necessary that we should wait for suffi-
cient reInforcements. | do not attempt to
forecast the future. I only say that my
faith in the British soldier is unboInded
and | am deeply gratifed to feel that he is
in the vigorous and sagacious hands of
Gen. Butler.
Regarding the future, I will only depre-
cate some very strange assertions that |
see occasionally in the continental press
Only the other day | 1t asserted, not
by chance writer. but by a man who has
been a member of a French government
that this war had for its objects the graft
fiCation of the lusts of greedy lords. who
desired partition among themselves of the
gold and diamonds of the Transvaal. Now,
/ beg to assure this gentleman that her
majestys cabinet have not had farthing
from the TTansvaal or from any other gold
fields. There is the Yukon, about which
there is no contest. If there had been any
chance of our gaining advantages, these
Yukon gold fields should have yielded some
thing. but l appeal to my friend, Lord
Hamilton, to know if the cabinet ever had
d farthing from them. 0aughter)
II go further. England as a whole would
have had no advantage from the possession
of the gold mines, except as her govern
ment conferred the blessings of good adj
ministration upon those engaged in the in
dustry. All successful industry breeds
commerce. and all commerce has produced
is to the advantage of England. and all in
dustries and commerce flourish better I'M
der her good government than under any
other regime in the world. But that is the
limit of our interest.
These the Only Considerations.
What we desire is equal rights for all
Il al securitA: fnr fel