The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-10
.BR|TAIN'S FOREIGN
 RELATIONS HAPPY Premier BaIfour Makes Nota-
 bIe Speech in London KIND WORDS FOR RUSSIA Ambassador Reid vies With the Pre- mier In Pleasant Words for liar. monious Relations of the a ssreat Powers.
KIND WORDS FOR RUSSIA

London, November 9.-"A century ago Pitt. standing where I now stand, prophe-
 sled war. Now I today prophecy peace. This was the theme on which Premier Balfour based his speech regarding the re-
 lations of Great Britain at the lord
 mayors banquet in the Guild hall tonight
 an occasion when custom makes It almost imperative for either the premier or the foreign secretary to discuss the foreign and domestic policies of the government MT. Balfour and Whiteaw Reid the American ambassador, who replied to the toast of Their Excellencies. the Foreign
 Ministers" proposed by the lord mayor,
 vied with each other in pleasant words for the credit of their respective coun-
 tries as leaders among the advocates of the arbitration of quarrels throughout the civilized world. In fact, the whole tenor of the speeches was optimistic so far as the relations between all the great pow CTS were concerned. The premier's refer
 ence to Russia was particularly happy He said:
 Russia Absorbs Public Interest Our friends in Russia are absorbing public interest by the great movement they are making in the direction, as we believe of self government. The task Of the Emperor and his advisers is indeed not light one, and those who for cen turies have practiced parliamentary gov- crnment know best the difficulties which confront them. There is not a citizen in Great Britain who does not wish them every success. and I express the earnest wish that the movement may not in the future be stained by the unnecessary ef- fusion of blood. We hope that the move ment will bring happiness to countless
 millions unsullied by q repetition of the painful and horrible events which made the initial progress so lamentable." Conducted With Quaitn Ceremonial. The banquet was conducted with all | the quaint ceremonial peculiar to the oc- casion. The guests of Lord Mayor Nor gan included the retiring lord mayor, Sir John Pound, and Premier Balfour, as guests of honor; Foreign Secretary Lans- downe. the Archbishop of Canterbury. Ar mold Forster, secretary of war; William St. John Brodericlk, secretary for India; Lord Cawdor, Baron Ashbourne. lord chancel- Tor of Ireland; Ambassador Reid, the Japanese, the Chinese. Creek Belgian, Mexican and Siamese ministers, and about l 1000 other prominent persons. Prior to the banquet the guests were received by the lord mayor, and the lady mayoress. in the great reception room of the Guild 1 hall.
 Refers to Louis Reception. In proposing the toast of "rhe Imperial Forces" Sheriff Smallman pleasantly re- | ferred to the reception fin the United | States of the British squadron under com | mand of Prince Louis of Battenberg. | Mir Balfour devoted considerable por- | ton of his speech to the question of the | unemployed. expressing his sympathy and | his desire to in every way possible help those out of work and appealing to pri- vate purses for assistance during the stress.
 Passing to the foreign policy of the government. the premier spoke first of Russia and then said that his majesty's government had done everything for many years to ward off the dangers of war, and had done it's best to develop a scheme of l arbitration. He alluded to the difficulties attending boundary questions, and said he hoped that these all might be settled by arbitration
 q am sanguine on this subject" said the premier. 'I think in the future. we shall not see war unless indeed we can l conceive of a nation or a ruler arising who will be unable to carry out scheme of national aggrandizement, except through tramplng on the rights of his neighbors. However. I see no reason of such calamity in Europe"
 l Relations Are Cordial.
 | Ambassador Reid referring to the pre- | mier's expressions concerning the proba- bilities of peace said 1t was the busi-