MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN'S FAMOUS SPEECH.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 155, 4 July 1898, Page 2

MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN'S FAMOUS SPEECH.

The speech of the Hon. J. Chamberlain, Secretary of, State for the* Colonies, which brought the subject of an Anglo-American Alliance into such prominence a few weeks ago, was delivered before the Liberal-Unionist League at Birmingham, Mr Chamberlain, said:—'The crux of the situation was this. Ever since the Crimean war the policy of this country had been a policy of strict isolation. We had no allies; he was afraid we had no friends. (Laug-hter.) That was not due altogether to the envy which undoubtedly was felt at our success; it was due in part to the suspicion that we were caring only for our selfish interests, and that we were willing that other people should draw the chestnuts out of the fire for us, that we would take no responsibility, while we were glad enough to profit by the work of others. But as we had avoided entangling alliances and escaped certain dangers, we must accept the disadvantages which go with such a policy. We were liable to be confronted at any moment with a combination of Great Powers so powerful that not even the most extreme man the most hotheaded politician would be able to contemplate without certain signs of uneasiness.

. That was the situation which he wanted them to keep in view when considering the foreign policy of any Government in this country.

WE,STOOD ALONE,

and we might be confronted with such a combination as that which he had indicated.

What, then, was'the first duty of the Government under the circum- 1 stances? He said without hesitation that'their first duty was to draw the parts of the Empire closer together. (Cheers.) The Government, had not neglected that primary duty. (Renewed cheers.) Never before in ■the history of the British Empire had the ties which connected us in our great colonies and dependencies been stronger; never before had the sense of common interest in trade, in defence, in peace, and in war been more strongiy felt or more cordially expressed . (Cheers.) What was their next duty? It was to establish and maintain bonds of permanent amity with our kinsmen across the Atlantic. (Loud cheers.) There was a powerful and generous nation. They spoke our language; they were bred of oiir race; their laws, their literature, their standpoint ilpon every question was the same as Ours; their feelings, their interests in the cause of humanity and the peaceful development of the world were identical with ours.

He did not know what the future had in store for us, he did not know what arrangements might be possible with the United States, but this he knew and felt; • that the closer and more cordial, the fuller and more definite, those arrangements were with the consent of both peoples, the better it would be for both, and for the whole world.- (Loud cheers.)

He would even go so far as to say that, terrible as war t might be, even war itself would be cheaply purchased if in a great and noble cause the

STABS AND STEIPES AND THE UNION JACK

Waved together—(prolonged cheers) — over an Anglo-Saxon alliance. (Renewed cheers.)

It was one of the most satisfactoryresults of Lord Salisbury's policy that at the present time these two great nations understood each other better than they had ever done since more than a century ago they were separated by the blundering of the British Government. (Cheers.)