Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/16

 8] ENGLISH HISTOEY. [jan.

titular leaders of the three political camps. The Duke of Devon- shire on behalf of the Liberal Unionists, speaking at Birmingham (Jan. 23), declared himself completely satisfied with the Govern- ment and its administration of foreign and colonial affairs. He noted with satisfaction that " We alone amongst all the nations of the world " had viewed " with real and active sympathy " the entrance of America into the field of international politics. The recent firm assertion of our rights had brought us into closer relations with Germany and Italy, and " I will not exclude Eussia," and even in the case of France the brief crisis would, he believed, lead to a better state of things. He warmly denied the existence of Jingoism in the Cabinet, and closed his speech with an admirable defence of free trade, which drew from Mr. Chamberlain, who spoke afterwards, a declaration of his com- plete endorsement of the duke's opinions.

Lord Kimberley who, pending the selection of Sir Wm. Harcourt's successor, became titular head of the Liberal Opposi- tion, found an opening for a public speech at the meeting of the Wymondham Liberal Association (Jan. 24). After briefly expressing his regret at the retirement of Sir Wm. Harcourt and Mr. Morley, and expressing his opinion that the differences between Jingoes and little Englanders had been made too pro- minent, he reminded his hearers that while Palmerston's firmness had preserved peace, Lord Aberdeen's conciliatory temper bad involved us m the Crimean war, and he (Lord Kimberley), as Under Secretary, had always believed that war might have been avoided by a firmer tone at the outset. He was glad that the Fashoda question was settled, and hoped the other questions pending with France might end as satisfactorily. The French Foreign Minister had recently said he was prepared to enter on a friendly discussion, but when he himself was Foreign Secretary under Lord Eosebery they both were anxious for a general settlement, and proposed that all the questions should be dis- cussed together, Dut very little progress was made. As to the Soudan generally, all were proud of the management of the campaign, and glad at the release of the Soudan from a cruel tyranny, but they were now face to face with a serious responsi- bility, especially if the Government undertook to reoccupy the whole of the country. No one however had a clearer conception of the dangers of unlimited expansion than Lord Salisbury. As to China, people never quite knew which horse the Government was riding — the open door or the sphere of influence. Our interest was to maintain our trade in China, and as far as possible to maintain the good relations with other Powers engaged there, and especially Eussia. After a passing reference to the crisis in the Church and an incidental statement that personally he had no dread of Disestablishment, Lord Kimberley turned to the Irish question. He thought that the coming into operation of the Irish Local Government Act had strengthened the Nationalist cause in the towns, and would, he fully expected,