The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-11-10

I.
Lord Wolseley were warmly cheered as
they passed from the reception In the H.
braTy into the banquet hall The Lord
Mayor proposed the Ministers" in a
speech in which he vigorously denounced
the ignorant arrogance of the invader"
dwelling on the fact that Sir Alfred Mil
ner' in spite of herculean exertions. was
unable 10 prevail with the overbearing,
corrupt ongarchy, therefore other of our
champions have the business in hand"
During the course of the banquet Lord
Wolseley announced that orders had been
given TO mobilize another division for
South Africa and that the Government
was quite prepared to mobilize q second
army corps.
Replying to the toast THE Army" pro-
posed in warm terms by Alderman Ire
Loar, Lord Wolseley said:
Every day applications are received
IRON volunteers in all parts Of the en-
pre- who wish to be sent to the front
am proud of the sailors, soldiers and vol
unteers, who are among you. We have
hard work before US, for our foe is brave
and 1t is no mimic warfare in which we
are engaged. When one reads of the work
which our local forces in Natal have done
IN the past few weeks one must deem
them worthy Of standing side by side with
the best regulars. We at present have
mobilzed only one army corps, consisting
Of 5000 men, Of whom A 900 are already
on the way to the Cape. To-day orders
have been sent TO mobilize another divi-
sion, and If called upon by the Minister to
mobilize another army corps we are quite
prepared TO do So"
Lord Salisbury, rising al a quarter-past
10 reply to the Lord Mayor, was greeted
with intense enthusiasm, prolonged cheer
Ing and general waving of handker-
chiefs. The Premier said:
~ for
similar. kind receptions in this hall, but
never before under conditions that justi-
fed me in appealing so confidently 10 your
sympathy and support as in the present
grave state of public affairs. Before turn
ing to this serious point, my duty is 10
inform you that our situation in South
Africa is the only part of our relations
with other nations TO which any term Of
apprehension or doubt can be applied
For several years our relations with
and cordial feelings toward our kinsmen
on the other side of the Atlantic have
been constantly growing, and though
neither We interfere in the affairs of their
country, nor they interfere in the affairs
OF ours, We feel We can always look for
sympathy and a fair hearing among those
who share with us so vast mission for
the advancement of mankind.
But perhaps you think l am sanguine
in saying that on the continent of Europe
we have no hostility to fear There is
undoubtedly a certain acerbity of tone
among the writers for the foreign press,
but Ito not believe that the trend of this
opinion affects the peoples of foreign ma
tons. l am quite certain II does not af-
feet their Governments and will say that
l have noticed, as one of the cheering
symptoms OF the present time, the happy
relations existing between the United
States and ourselves (cheers) and the
g I wit yHbi va fob, hot,
proach 10 the same great problems that
We ourselves have had 10 solve. That is
not 10 say that l do not feel the greatest
sympathy with their late antagonist, the
kingdom Of Spain. We entertain the high
est hope that out of that war a blessing
in disguise will grow-and an abundant
Observation-Disclosures and culture in that
ancient and most interesting monarchy.
This morning you had intelligence of
an agreement between ourselves and one
OF the great continental States, with
which Tor many years we have enter
tanned relations Of sympathy and friend
ship beyond others. Samoa is not in it.
self very important matter, but it was
important because it constituted a subject
of difference between ourselves and a
nation whose goodwill we prize very high
~. I do not know entirely the reason why
the German people and Government at
tach so much Importance to Upolu, but
they do and we are very glad TO find the
means whereby, without in the least di-
minishing the rights and advantages of
England, we are able to crafty their
views and sentiments. The agreement is
somewhat complicated, but, roughly, it
may be said that the Germans had great
interests in this island because they have
invested large amounts in its cultivation
and because they have constructed a
great commerce Of which they are proud.
The islands, therefore, are of great value
TO them To us on the other hand, ISL
ands are generally only valuable when
they furnish good harbors. Upolu fur
nishes q very bad harbor. You will re-
member the great hurricane when Brit
ish man-of-war escaped and when Ger
man and American men-ot-war were
driven ashore Well. in these circum-
stances, we were glad to accept a renun-
ciafion Of the treaty claims and rights or
Germany of another island, Tonga, where
there is an admirable harbor we TOOK
the harbor and Germany took the terri
tory in which for many reasons the Ger
mans are interested. / believe we nave
arrived at a remarkable phenomenoh-ah
agreement which is agreeably pleasant
and advantageous to both powers, but
this is interesting particularly because 1t
indicates that at the present moment our
relations with the German people are all
we could desire.
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 the
war and, if 1 attempted to deal with the
future l should be undertaking a task In
prophecy from which the hardest would
shrink. If l speak at all 1t may rather
be TO depreCate criticisms and statements
which l think unfounded than to attempt
10 pass judgment on what still depends
upon the future for it's full determination.
Prospecting the feeling expressed twice
or thrice that the want of troops is due
TO a want of action on the part of the
home government, l would point out that
there have been two or three voices. Two
or three months ago we were told by the
most authoritative voice outside the Gov
eminent that there was no occasion for
military preparations. Since then we have
been blamed because there were no mill
tarv preparations. But neither of these
criticisms is at all relevant to the events
which have been taking place. 1t has
been often said, especially abroad, that
we are a strong nation attacking a weak
one. but so long as the principal part of
our forces is separated by an interval Of