SPEECH BY KAISER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 290, 1 September 1908, Page 7

SPEECH BY KAISER.

THE GERMAN ARMS. HIGH LEVEL TO BE MAINTAINED. FACTORS FOR PEACE. A' TRIBUTE TO FORMER FRENCH SOLDIERS. (BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.) (Rec. August 31, 10.35 p.m.) Berlin, August 31. Tho ICaisor and tho Kaiscrin received an ovation at Strasburg, tho capital of AlsaceLorraine, which,, with that territory, was taken 'from Franco by Germany in tho war of 1870. At a subsequent banquet tho Kaisor mado a speech, in which ho said:

I am rejoiced to be ablo to express the deepest conviction that the peace of Europo is not in danger. It rests on too solid a foundation to bo easily . . upset by incitements and calumnies provoked by envious and ill-disposed individuals. • The firm security of peace exists in the first place in the conscience of the Princes and statesmen of Europo, who know and feel that they are responsible to God for tho lives and prosperity of tho peoples entrusted to their leadership. On tho other hand it is tho will and desire of the peoplo themselves to make themselves useful in tranquilly. developing tho magnificent achievements of progressive civilisation, and to measure their strength in peace- - ful rivalry. Finally, peace is assured and guaranteed by Germany's power on sea and land—by the German peoplo in arms. Proud in tho manly discipline and love of honour of her armed forces, Germany is determined to maintain them at their high level without menaco to others, and to develop them as her own interests demand,- noither favouring nor injur- . ing anyone. Tho Kaiser, in a. previous specch at a dinner at. tho Imperial Palace, alluding to tho army corps' inspection, referred gracefully to tho presonce, besides Gorman veterans, of many old French soldiers, fighters under the French Marshals Bosquet, St. Arnaud, Pelissier, and Foroy, at Solferino, Magenta, Inkorman, and Sebastapol. Tho Kaisor added: .

,"That is how it must be. True soldier hearts are- drawn to one another wherever tha truo soldier spirit lives." ARMAMENTS. ALSACE-LORRAINE AND THE ARMY MANOEUVRES. The Kaiser's speech is first of all a reply to British suggestions for mutual reduction of cost of armaments, such as tho informal cru- , sade which has been headed by the British Chancellor of tho Exchequer, Mr. Lloyd-George. In yesterday's cablegrams surprico was expressed that, after tie fine speeches made by Germans during Mr. Lloyd-George's visit, tho "National Zeitnng" should publish an "outburst" to tho effect that "efforts to hem in Germany" havo failed, otc. Apparently the German editor knew how the wind wns about to blow. Tho Kaiser says categorically that peace rests on German powers on sea and land, and that the German arms shall be maintained at their high level, and developed as Germany's own interests demand. This is tho answer to Mr, Lioyd-Goorge's suggestion to "rope in Germany" into a new understanding so as to reduco tho crushing woight of armaments. .

Tho other part of tho Kaiser's speech was a tributo to tho French veterans of the confiuored provinces of Alsaco and Lorraine, whom tl™ Kaiser felt able to congratulate on tho victories they won and tho marshals who led them in the wars of the last century—excluding the Franco-German War, tut ' including that against Germany's present ally Austria.' Tho Kaiser was speaking at Strnsburg, the fortress won from the French, and the heart of the conquered provinces. There is a mention in the cablegram of army corps inspection, and possibly tho Kaiser is at Strasburg in connection with tho Gorman Army manoeuvres. It was a subject of comment in the English press, a little while ago that the grand Gorman Army manoeuvres (Kaisermanoever) will bo hold this year for tho first limo in Alsace-Lorraine, and it is anticipated that "fighting" will take placO within thirty-one miles of tlio French frontier. Apart from this fact, considerable interest attaches to this year's manoeuvres, inasmuch as special attention is to be paid to the defence of fortified field positions between Saarburg, on the Saar River, near the French frontier in Alsace-Lorraine, and Bendorf, in tho Rhino province, near Coblenz. Pierre Joseph Francois Bosquet was born at Mont-dc-Marsan, Landes, France, on November 8, 1810, and died at Toulouse, France, on February 5, 1861. He was a marshal of Franco, and seived with distinction in Algeria and in tho Crimea at Alma, and Inkerman, 1854, and at the Malakoff, 1855. Jacques Achillo Leroz do Saint-Arnaud was born at Bordeaux on; August 20, 1796, and died on September 29, 1854. He was a French general. Ho subdued the Kabyles in Algeria in 1851, and was appointed Minister for War in October, 1851. Ho participated in the coup d'etat of December 2, 1851. _ In 1852 ho was made marshal,'-, and was appointed commander-in-ohief of tho French Army in tho Crimea in 1854. He co-operated with Lord Raglan in the Battle of tho Alma, September 20, but died shortly after on board ship. Aimablo Jean Jacques Peiissier, Due do Malakoff, was born at Maromnio, France, on November 6, 1784, and died at Algiers May 22, 18G4. Ho was a French marshal, and served in Algeria? where, according to authorities, ho became notorious for suffocating a number of Arabs in a /oavern, 1815. .He became' commander of tho French forces in tho Crimea in May, 1855, and stormed tho Malakoff on September 8, 1855. Ho- was ambassador in London from 1858 to 1859, and was GovernorGeneral of Algeria from ISGO to 186-1. Elie Frederic Foroy was born at Paris on January 10, 1801, and died there June 20, 1872. He was a French marshal, and took part in the coup d'etat ■ December 2, 1851. He was prominent in tho Crimean and Italian wars, and from July, 1862, to October, 1863, commanded the French expedition against Mexico. During this period lie captured Puebla, May 17, 1863, occupied Mexico City, and formed a provisional government. _ . Solferino is a village in the province of Mantua, northern Italy. It is famous for the battlo of June 24, 1859, in which the allied French and Sardinian armies under Napoleon 111. and Victor Emanuel defeated tho Austrians under Francis Joseph. The loss of the allies was about 18,000,' and of the Austrians about 20,000. ' , Magenta is a small place near tho River Ticino in Lombardy, Italy, about 15 miles west of Milan. Here, on June 4, 1859, a notable victory was won by the allied French and Sardinians (55,000?) over tho Austrians (75.000 P) under Gyulai. The Emperor Napoleon 111 was nominally in command of the allies, but tho chief credit belonged to MacMahon, who was afterwards created Duke of Magenta. Tho loss of the victors was 4000; that of the Austrians, 10,000, besides prisoners. The battlo led to tho occupation of Milan..