dealing with habitual drunk.. from the Bishop of Winch by amendments introduced House of Lords. They a a somewhat reduced shar prelate, in pursuance of Commission, affecting t certain persons to act on ties and Watch Comp passed the Upper H sideration in the Lov Government, and bot Another social Upper House (whi occupation) by the with the support and the Earl of A into the increase wisely be resort with it. Lord thetically, but v that the Gover with any co1 arrive.

CHAPTER IV.

me of Sir A. Milner-His Visit to the King and Elevation to Mr. Chamberlain's Luncheon to Lord Milner-Bye-Electionstes on South Africa by Sir E. Grey, Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman Horley-Co-operative and International Miners' Congresses-Mr. and Old-Age Pensions-Mr. Carnegie's Gift to Scottish Univerces on the Education Bill by the Duke of Devonshire, the eral Federation, the National Society and Others-Report on Reorganisation-Factory and Workshop Acts Amendment Bill ond Time and Referred to Grand Committee-Legislative Failures Debates-Liberal Divisions-National Reform Union Dinner Debate and Division on Concentration Camps: Liberal Imperialist Queen's Hall Pro-Boer Meeting-Mr. Asquith's Protest: Its ated Debate on War Loan-Liberal Meeting at the Reform Clubery's Letter and Speech-The Asquith Dinner-Debates and DiviFinance Bill-Withdrawal of the Education Bill-The Education Il Carried through without Amendment-Debates and Ministerial ts as to the Mediterranean Fleet and Naval Construction-House of bate on Soldiers' Pay-Mr. Brodrick on War Office Reorganisation portive Royal Declaration Bill-Royal Titles Bill Carried-The Rating e Factories Bill in Grand Committee and on Report-The AbandonThe Laundry Clause-Unionist Irritation-The Blenheim Speechesbe and the Nationalist Members-Ministerial Statements about The Concentration Camps-Concluding Debates on South AfricaImperial Questions-The King's Speech.

day (May 24) on which Parliament rose for the Whitrecess Sir Alfred Milner arrived in England on furlough. at Southampton he was warmly welcomed by a small of personal friends, including Mr. Wyndham and Sir d Grey, and by the Mayor and Corporation and many inhabitants of the seaport. After a brief exchange of itions the High Commissioner proceeded to London, where as met at Waterloo Station by a very distinguished comincluding the Prime Minister, the Lord Chancellor, Mr. ..berlain, Mr. Balfour and other Ministers, and Lord Tweedth of Liberal ex-Ministers. He drove, with Lord Salisbury Mr. Chamberlain, by Westminster Bridge, Whitehall, Cockr Street and Pall Mall, being cordially cheered by large embers of people at various points on the route, to Marlborough ouse. There he was at once received by the King, who gave in and Mr. Chamberlain a long audience. In its course e High Commissioner learned that he had been raised to the peerage. The title which he assumed was that of Lord Milner of St. James's and of Cape Town. On the following day (May 25) the ennobled High Commissioner was entertained at luncheon at Claridge's Hotel by Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain, a company of distinguished personages assembling to meet him, including the Duke of Cambridge, Lord Salisbury, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Roberts, Mr. Balfour and Sir Henry Fowler. The gathering was a private one, but a report was furnished to the newspapers of the speech made by the Colonial Secretary in

cumstances, to any enhancement of the Customs duties which would bring them up beyond 5 per cent. ad valorem. The withdrawal of the European force was actually in progress; 3,300 of our own being already under orders to leave. Referring to the affair of the concession at Tien-tsin, Lord Lansdowne observed that owing to the moderation exhibited on both sides we were extricated from a situation which at one moment had become extremely acute. At the same time he mentioned that quite lately the Government had received reports of assertions of Russian ownership on the part of the troops of that nation, as to which they had felt bound to send a representation, as yet not replied to, to St. Petersburg. Touching the question of punitive expeditions, we had made no secret of our objection to be drawn into any operations remote from Pekin, a feeling which was shared by a majority of the Powers. As to the firing by Germans on a steamer carrying British colours, the German officer responsible had expressed his regret for what had occurred, and promised that steps should be taken to prevent its happening again.

In regard to an incident at the Elliot Islands, where a Russian admiral attempted to warn off a British man-of-war which went there, as we had by treaty a right to go, in pursuit of pirates, Lord Lansdowne gave, though in somewhat curious language, the satisfactory information that the unfortunate Port Arthur precedent had not been followed. "We refused," he said, "to obey the Russian admiral." The Viceroys of the Southern Provinces, for whom the British Government entertained sentiments of very high appreciation, had tendered advice which would be carefully considered, but which it was not expedient to make public. Material support had been offered to the Viceroys, but no steps had been taken in that direction, because assurances had been received that they were in no personal danger.

The one absolutely satisfactory feature in Imperial life through the spring, and indeed almost throughout the year, was the appearance of newspaper despatches describing the tour of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York. The admirable dignity, tact, and sympathy with which they discharged their mission at Melbourne on the occasion of the opening of the first Parliament of the Australian Commonwealth, and at every other colonial centre which they visited, and the enthusiastic loyalty with which they were everywhere received, awakened ever fresh sentiments of legitimate pride and satisfaction among persons of all classes and parties in the mother country.

CHAPTER IV.

Arrival and Welcome of Sir A. Milner-His Visit to the King and Elevation to the Peerage-Mr. Chamberlain's Luncheon to Lord Milner-Bye-ElectionsRecess Speeches on South Africa by Sir E. Grey, Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman and Mr. Morley-Co-operative and International Miners' Congresses-Mr. Chamberlain and Old-Age Pensions-Mr. Carnegie's Gift to Scottish Universities-Utterances on the Education Bill by the Duke of Devonshire, the National Liberal Federation, the National Society and Others-Report on War Office Reorganisation-Factory and Workshop Acts Amendment Bill Read a Second Time and Referred to Grand Committee-Legislative Failures -Gibraltar Debates-Liberal Divisions-National Reform Union Dinner Speeches-Debate and Division on Concentration Camps: Liberal Imperialist Abstentions-Queen's Hall Pro-Boer Meeting-Mr. Asquith's Protest: Its Effect-Heated Debate on War Loan-Liberal Meeting at the Reform ClubLord Rosebery's Letter and Speech-The Asquith Dinner-Debates and Divisions on the Finance Bill-Withdrawal of the Education Bill-The Education (No. 2) Bill Carried through without Amendment-Debates and Ministerial Statements as to the Mediterranean Fleet and Naval Construction-House of Lords' Debate on Soldiers' Pay-Mr. Brodrick on War Office Reorganisation -The Abortive Royal Declaration Bill-Royal Titles Bill Carried-The Rating Bill-The Factories Bill in Grand Committee and on Report-The Abandonment of the Laundry Clause-Unionist Irritation-The Blenheim SpeechesThe Globe and the Nationalist Members-Ministerial Statements about China-The Concentration Camps-Concluding Debates on South AfricaOther Imperial Questions—The King's Speech.

ON the day (May 24) on which Parliament rose for the Whitsuntide recess Sir Alfred Milner arrived in England on furlough. Landing at Southampton he was warmly welcomed by a small party of personal friends, including Mr. Wyndham and Sir Edward Grey, and by the Mayor and Corporation and many other inhabitants of the seaport. After a brief exchange of salutations the High Commissioner proceeded to London, where he was met at Waterloo Station by a very distinguished company, including the Prime Minister, the Lord Chancellor, Mr. Chamberlain, Mr. Balfour and other Ministers, and Lord Tweedmouth of Liberal ex-Ministers. He drove, with Lord Salisbury and Mr. Chamberlain, by Westminster Bridge, Whitehall, Cockspur Street and Pall Mall, being cordially cheered by large numbers of people at various points on the route, to Marlborough House. There he was at once received by the King, who gave him and Mr. Chamberlain a long audience. In its course the High Commissioner learned that he had been raised to the peerage. The title which he assumed was that of Lord Milner of St. James's and of Cape Town. On the following day (May 25) the ennobled High Commissioner was entertained at luncheon at Claridge's Hotel by Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain, a company of distinguished personages assembling to meet him, including the Duke of Cambridge, Lord Salisbury, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Roberts, Mr. Balfour and Sir Henry Fowler. The gathering was a private one, but a report was furnished to the newspapers of the speech made by the Colonial Secretary in

proposing Lord Milner's health and of the latter's reply. Mr. Chamberlain recalled to the brilliant company round his board how, four years before, the choice of Sir Alfred-henceforward to be known as Lord-Milner for the arduous post of High Commissioner in South Africa had been "acclaimed by men of all parties, who were confident that he would bring to this great duty a mind trained to judicial investigation, eminently impartial, and at the same time a courage and a calm resolution which would not fail him in the greatest emergency." These expectations, Mr. Chamberlain went on to say, had been justified. The welcome and the honour which he had received were indications that Lord Milner possessed "the unabated confidence of his Sovereign and of his fellow-countrymen." Still more arduous, but also more congenial, duties lay before him than those which he had so ably and devotedly discharged, and Mr. Chamberlain expressed on behalf of all present the hope that Lord Milner, strengthened by a short respite from the strain of the last few years, and heartened and encouraged by the proof that he still had the support of his fellow-countrymen, would be able to crown the work which he had undertaken, laying broad and deep the foundations of a United South Africa, as free, as prosperous, and as loyal as the sister federations of Canada and Australia."

In his reply Lord Milner, after expressing his very deep sense of the reception which had been given to him, said that it would have been better if he could have arrived at home, taken his hard-begged holiday, and returned in the quietest possible manner. But he recognised that his doing so would have been misconstrued. It was hard that some of the busiest men in the world should be obliged to occupy their time and be put to inconvenience merely in order to prove to persons with an ingrained habit of self-delusion that the Government of this country would not give up its agents in the face of the enemy, and that the people of this country would not allow themselves to be bored into abandoning what they had spent millions of treasure and so many precious lives to attain. Lord Milner proceeded to express his grateful recognition of the support given to him by the Government and to bear testimony to the devotion of the loyalists-not only British, but Dutch-of South Africa. It seemed to him that we were slowly progressing towards the predestined end. What had sustained him personally on the weary road was his absolute, unshakable conviction that it was the only one which we could travel. Peace we could have had by self-effacement, but we could not have held our own by any other methods than those which we had been obliged to adopt. "I do not know," Lord Milner continued, "whether I feel more inclined to laugh or to cry when I have to listen for the hundredth time to these dear delusions, this Utopian dogmatising, that it only required a little more time, a little more patience, a little more tact, a little more meekness, a little more