The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-10
And His Majesty and Queen Alexan-
dra Please Their Guests by PERSON.
ally Serving the Dessert.
BANQUET BY THE LORD MAYOR
AT WHICH PREMIER BALFOUR DIS
CUsSEs FOREIGN QUESTIONS.
Thinks There Will he No War in the
Far East, and Is Glad the Alaskan
Dispute Is Settled.

LONDON, Nov. 9.-King Edward, who
was born Nov 9. 1871, to-day celebrated his
birthday at Sandringham, where there was
the usual dinner to the tenants of the
estate, at which the King and Queen and
other members of the royal family handed
round the dessert.
Outside the customary salutes fired at the
naval and military stations. accompanied
by the dressing of the ships, there was lit
tie sign of his Majesty's birthday being
observed. The lord mayor and the sheriffs
made their usual state pilgrimage from the
Guild Hall to the law courts. Excepting
the lord mayors chariot, there was nothing
in the nature of a circus about the process
sion. All the tin armour, limitations of his
toric pageantry and allegorical cars, which
had been familiar features of the day for
centuries, were eliminated. The procession
was almost entirely composed of volun-
teers.
The Lord Mayor gave a banquet this
evening at which Premier Balfour and
others spoke. Concerning the situation IN
the far East, Mr. Balfour said there was
every reason to feel sanguine that 1t would
have serious outcome. He based TINS
assurance on the passionate desire OF the
car of Russia to promote the general
peace and on the fact that Japan, as the
ally of Great Britain, would be certain 10
display moderation, discretion and judy
ment In its demands, as we'll as hrmness
In enforcing them. Mr.. Balfour said that
the Macedonian question raised issues more
difficult and more complicated than even
those OF the far East, because II touched
the almost perennial difficulty of the prob
lem of the government of its European sub
jects by the Sublime Porte. This question
had been 1, the cause OF Infinite political political
anxiety to every court in Europe. 1t was
impossible. said the premier. that a disease
of such long, standing could be instanta-
neOuSly cured, but he was convinced that
the question must be ultimately settled by
the concert of Europe, which could not
more effectively carry out its designs than
through the medium or those great powers,
Russia and Austria, which had undertaken
to deal with the situation. Referring to
Alaska, Premier BalfouP said THE dan
ger arising from the uncertain and dis
puted frontiers in the case between the Brit
ish Empire and the United States has been
decided for all time. / regret that the de-
cision has not been favorable to the claims
of this country, but the two small islands,
the loss of which to Canada has aroused
such great feeling, are really valueless
from strategic and military point of view.
We regret the exact tenor OF the decision,
but however the balance of advantage
went, the gain to the United States or the
loss to Canada is nothing compared with
the final removal of this subject of dispute
between the two great countries. The de-
cision must be Loyalty accepted, for the re-
moval of so serious controversy is an
inestimable BOOM"
Ambassador Choate, responding TO the
toast of THE Foreign Ministers" invited
the Lord Mayor TO go TO the United States
to visit the ST. Louis exposition during his
term of office, guaranteeing that should he
be able to do so, to-day's procession would
be repeated with all its pomp and parapher-
MALTA. The Lord Mayor, Mr.. Choate said,
would be greeted in the United States with
a degree of enthusiasm greater than ever
displayed by Americans toward any visitor
from England
After speaking felicitously on the subject
of King Edwards birthday, the ambassador
passed to the Alaskan boundary decision,
which, he said. was g happy ending to the
at any time to create mischief and distrust
between these two great English-speaking
peoples" While he believed that ample
justice had been done, the result Mr.
Choat said, was due more than anything
else to the good sense, justice. courage and
devotion to duty OF Lord Chief Justice
AlverStCne. The speaker paid a tribute to
the magnanimity Of the Canadians, and
SAID the termination of the controversy had
made both countries better friends.
Mr.. Choate then paid a graceful and feel
ing tribute to the memory of the late Brit
ish ambassador at Washington, Sir Michael
Herbert, who, he said, possessed a combi-
any single man to fit him for his great
office and its great duties"
THE Bench and Bar was responded to
by Lord Chief Justice Alverstone who re-
ferred briefly to the Alaskan boundary
question, saying he declined to justify or
TO explain his conduct. because such a
course would be a deathblow to the conf
dence reposed in the British bench.
Enhancement AuDrOyed nv tho kiu~