The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-06
CHOATE TOASTED
BY THE BRITISH
Lord Mayor Of London Gives
Farewell Dinner
WAS REMARKABLE GATHERING
Mr.. choate Praises Whitelaw Reid,
His Successor. and Tells of His
Friendly Feelings Toward
England.

London May 5--"Certainly the crown
ing hour OF my life Il his farewell bene-
fit to the English stage
So Joseph Choate characterised the fare
well dinner al the Mansion house tonight.
at which undoubtedly was the most re-
rnarkable gathering of notables ever as
sembled at the historic residence of the
Lord Mayor of London.
In the words of Sir Henry Campbell-
Bannerman:
1T would be impossible to collect
more representative gathering"
| All parties. classes, professions and
| opinions from the great metropolis rep
resented by the Lord Mayor himself to
| the government represented by Arthur
j. Balfour, and the Marquis of Lansdowne
together with few of the American COM
munity were there. Mr.. Choate sat at the
right hand of the Lord Mayor; next to
him was Mr.. Balfour and then Lord
Landsdown. At the left of the Lord
Mayor were the Archbishop of Canter-
bury and the Duke of Wellington.
The Archbishop of Canterbury pro-
nounced grace, and the benediction. The
aged Lord Mayor, white haired, pic
! turesque figure In his rich costume, rose
and toasted the King and Queen. Sir
Henry Campbell Bannernian proposed
The President eulogizing him as "a
genuine typical character; CHARACTERISTIC
OF America, a firm friend of peace, though
perhaps not of quiescent disposition"
Premier Balfour Toasts.
Premier Balfour, In toasting Mr Choate,
said
| mo greater honor could have been given
me than to have proposed this toast" He
congratulated the Lord Mayor on being
the host % Great Britain ON this memora-
BILE occasion. Mr.. Choate he said. had
been with Britons in days Of mourning.
and of rejoicing, of disaster and of vic4
! tory, not only as the representative OF
great state. but ever ready to take his
i part In any phase of British public life
not connected with politics ana had ever
| played his part with distinction. He
hoped Mr.. Choate would curry away with
him much more than merely diplomatic
ideas.
Mr.. Balfour dllated on the close rela-
tions between the two countries and the
common sentiment af amity which sur
vived always despite the mistakes of Off
cial leaders.
In conclusion Mr.. Balfour said that
their farewell to Mr. Choate was not for
nal and Official, but came from their
hearts
Mr.. choate Applauded.
ON rising Mr. choate was greeted with
| rounds of applause He spoke at con-
| siderable length and with much feeling.
He said that h was homeslck and glad
to be returning to his native land where
old friends We're diminishing fast as
! new ones We're making here. If he re-
mained much longer, he said, he would
have worse disease than homesickness.
namely, Anglomania. An American here
| had once wisely said that he would not
| trust an ambassador in England more
than four years, because the British
| would spoil him. Altogether too much
! credit has been attributed to me" Mr..
! Choate said. for the happy and delight
| full relations now existing between the
! two countries II / have contributed to
! maintain what | found ON taking up my
post the last six years will be the proud
est of my life. But the real reason for
the happy state of affairs betwaeu the
countries does not belong to any =
| sador, but the two men responsible II
! their relations are Lord Lansdowne and
| Mr.. Hay. I have never been called into
! the presence Of the King or his iustrious
consort without finding also full friend
! ship for the country 1 represent The
| Kings instincts for peace are unerring,
and his genius for concation perfect.
as he has shown the world In recent
weeks"
| Before concluding Mr. Choate paid
| tribute to Whitelaw Reid, his successor
as Ambassador at the Court of ST. James,
| and read from his recent speech in New
York as a worthy Introduction of the
| new Ambassador He said the British
! people would find that his successor and
| old friend had been a lifelong advocate
| of friendly relations between Great Bri-
| tain and the United States.