The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-05-18
SAL|SBURY'S
WARNINGS
His Annual Primrose
Address.
r
10 HOPE FOR HOME RULE
~
The Need Of Defensive Preparation
Against Great Britain's Ring
of Enemies.

LONDON, May 9.-The annual grand
habitation of the Primrose League was
held in Albert Hall this afternoon. The
spacious building was gayly decorated
and was we'll filed. The Marquis of Sal
isbury presided and received an ovation.
Nine. Albanl sang a verse of God Save
the Queen" which was then taken up by
the vast audience.
Lord Salisbury in the course of his ad-
dress commented on the remarkable
change which had taken place in the lat
ter half of the century in the views of the
people regarding the empire. They for
merly repelled 1t, he said, as a burden,
and that doctrine was carried to such ex-
tremes by a man of splendid genius,
Gladstone, that it produced a strong re-
action, which started after the disaster
of Majuba Hill and the death of General
Gordon. The death of Gordon, he con-
tinued, had been avenged. Perhaps 1t
was too soon to say the great humilia-
tion of Majuba had been effaced or that
the great wrong had been righted, but
they felt they were on the road to ac-
complish that end. Under the brilliant
guidance of Lord Roberts 100000 soldiers,
a larger army than had ever before been
sent across the same expanse of sea
were now engaged in reducing to the obe-
dienCy to the Queen those territories
which ought never to have been released
and to restoring to South Africa the only
chance II had of peace, development and
tranquility.
1he rremier next referred to the diff
cult ard intricf te Irish problem and said:
f''Hr. Gladsuove, In an evil moment for
the Tpe of the country and for his par
u. attached hlfnself to the idea of the
separation of England and Ireland. No
one can say the home rule cause presents
any element of sanguine anticipation for
the future. / am assured that there is
no hope for the predominant party ever
giving to Ireland practical independence.
We have learned something from the
South African War-how that disloyal
government, in spite of warnings, could
accumulate armamentS against the most
powerful combatant and thus secure a
terrible advantage We now know bet
ter than we did ten years ago what a
risk it would be if we gave disloyal
government in Ireland the power of accu-
mulating forces against this country.
Hereafter external affairs will occupy
considerably larger place among the
problems we have to solve. Not necessar-
lily because in themselves they are more
important, but if we look around we can
see the elements and causes of menace
and peril slowly accommodating, and they
may accumulate to such a point tc
require our earnest and most active eff
forts to repel them.
II am nervous at using language OF
such a kind lest it should be thought
am indicating that something is known
to the Foreign Office by pointing out this
possible danger. But | wish most en-
phatically to say i have no idea of that
kind. That state of affairs, as | know il
and so far as the Government is con-
cerned, is peaceful. 1t is impossible tc
speak too highly of the careful, calm
neutrality which has been observed by
all the governments of the world.
"A certain section of their subjects
not, / hope, a very large, though a noisy
|,la has At he MOI Da1f Gro
prejudice against this country. 1t does
not, however, follow that we have nc
precautions to take. Governments may
come and go and feelings may change
from year to year. That root of bitter
ness against England which l am un.
able to explain, may be mere caprice tC
satisfy the eXigenc1es of journalists to-
day, or it may indicate a deep-seateC
feeling which later We may have to reck-
on with. There can be no security nol
confidence in the feeling sympathy o1
other nations except through the efficien-
cy OF our own defenSeS and the strength
OF our own right arm. Everywhere the
power of defense is increasing. and who
knows but all these things may be united
N one great wave to dash upon our
shores?'
The Premier then urged the necessity
of precaution in time, remarking that the
material for military aggression was
yearly increasing in power and efficiency
in every one of the great nations, add
ing:
In every case in history the great
maritime power has been paralyzed-kill-
ed, not by disasters suffered in it's prov
nces, but by a blow directed at the heart
The British navy, of course. ought to be
sufficient. But are we wise in placing
all our eggs in one basket?
'As to land defense, so far as / can
see. anything in the nature of conscrip-
ton is not a remedy the country is pre-
pared to accept. Therefore we must In
duce the people to voluntarily put them
selves in a position to defend their homes
and country. The Primrose League can
DO much to foster the creation of rifle
aluhs.
If once the feeling could be propagated
that ii is the duty of every able-bodied
Englishman to make himself competent
to meet an invader We would have a de-
fensive force which would make the
chances of an assailant so bad that no
assailant would appear"
The speech was greeted with loud ap-
plause.
After a resolution urging British sub
jeCts to prepare in times of peace so as
to be ready to play their part in time OF
imperial emergency had been carried by
exclamation, the meeting adjourned.
Vesuvius in Eruption.
NAPLES, May 9.-The activity of Yes