The semi-weekly messenger., 1903-10-20

London. October 1.-THE dinner
given by the Pilgrims Society TO the
Alaskan Boundary Commission at
Claridge Hotel tonight, proved the
most notable assemblage of English
men. Americans and Canadians ever
brought together in London. In add
tion to the members of the commission,
the British cabinet ministers. the
American ambassador and the most
prominent representatives of English
public life were present.
Field Marshal Lord Roberts presid-
Choate and on his left. Lord Chef
Justice AIverstone. Lord Lansdowne.
Sir Louis Jett. Stanley Clarke, the
kings equerry, and Secretary Eiihu
Root sat at the same table. while the
other guests were distributed at small
tables around the room. The English
men present wore their decorations
and orders. Lord LansdOWne and Lord
Roberts having the blue ribbon of the
Order of the Garter.
The other guests numbered in all
one hundred and fifty.
Lord Roberts proposed the health of
King Edward and President Roosevelt
In a united toast. which met with a
cordial reception. He then proposed
'-The Alaskan Boundary Commission"
10 which Lord Alberstone replied, say
ing that the meeting OF the commits
EionerS would stand as a monument Of
the feeling evinced in America and
Great Britain. to settle their differ
ences by a common sense method.
Ex-United States Senator Turner
and the Hon. Clifford Sifton, Canadian
interior minister. answered for their
respective countries, the latter saying
that no greater crime could be con-
ceived amidst human nature than
trouble between Great Britain and the
United States.
Proposing the health of the "Anglo-
Saxon race" Foreign Secretary Lord
I.ansdOwne claimed that it had done
more than any other nationality TO
promote the arts and literature and
just and equal government. He said:
'I may prophecy that our contribution
towards the happiness and the good
government of the world will not be
less in the future than it has been in
the past. The two great branches Of
the AnglO-SaXOn race will be found
working shoulder TO shoulder. giving an
example to the world of the mode Of
settling differences. Human natures
are fallable. and we must have our
little differences from time to time,
but an appeal to force is unthinkabla."
Applause greeted this utterance.
Lord Lansdowne continued: We are
apt to cherish differences and leave it
to mischief mOnSers to eXaggera e
them. but surely we AnglO-Saxons
cannot afford to allow this
The British foreign secretary then
paid tribute to the late Sir Mich aei
Herbert and added President RoOse-
velt's tribute to Lord Panceforte. that
he did his business as an honest gen
tleman. Let us follow that motto
concluded the foreign minister lin
public and in private Let US do our
business as honest gentlemen. confident
of the great honor which the Anglo
Saxon race deserves of the world"
Jacob NJ. Dickinson. of the American
counsel in responding. referred to the
AfrO-AmeriCan and other elements
composing the American population.
Mr. Root referred to the endeavOl 10
promote army reforms on both sides of
the Atlantic. The American people. he
said. had inherited from Great Britain
the ingrained dlstrust OF a standing
army which had led the British to
limit their army appropriation to IA
nuaI votes and similarity in the Amer
lean constitution. the appropriation
was limited to two years The p9o-
pie of America had inherited the spirit
of civil control of the military arm.
On both sides of the Atlantic. durI,.g
the past year. the ever recurring prob
lem of recOnCiling civil and military
expert opinion and authority had been
the cause Of difficulty and efficiency.
Mr.. Root said that by the creation Of
general staff he hoped that the
United States had solved the problem
and he trusted that Great Britain
would be similarly fortunate. MI
Root said he was proud to put the
American army side by side with the
British army the characteristic of the
latter being that il did not fight for
tyranny. oppression or conquest. bu,
for progress liberty and construction,
not destruction. which always followed
in the wake of the British arms.
Lord Roberts briefly thanked SeCre-
tary Root and the proceedings then
ended.