THE BRITISH RACE
KOl'ttlNd SPEECH BY COMMONWEALTHS COVEItM.K!GEXERAL. Speaking at the Lord flavor's banquet at .Melbourne on Monday night, November 9, Sir H. C. Fcrguson-Mumo said that >t had been discovered that Germany had constructed in friendly cities concrete foundations on which to "mount her big guns in order that she might batter down defenceless towns and tear down the sacred and historic monuments which they contain to-day. '* There is no thought of continued tho Governor-General, •' until these crimes havo been expiated. The British Empire is united in sentiment, purpose, and, indeed, as it never was united before. (Cheers.) The British troops have maintained their renown. The idea of the degeneracy of the race has been dispersed at tho point of the bayonet. Our infantry has surprised its officers, and also the Germans —(laughter)—whose prisoners relate that they did not believe such infantry existed. Our cavalry has revived memories of the Light Biigp.de of tho past in its gallant charge at Balaclava. Such charges have been repeated. The evidence 01 it was at Mons. The retreat from Mons will live for all time as one of the great military achievements m history. The British officers have shown the same undaunted coarage and tho fame power of leadership as, they showed in the days before motors and bridge and golf. (Cheers and laughter.) Kvon more unexpected has been our success in sciemViic effort and the departments where knowledge reigned supreme. We have shovv-n that we are holding our own with our airmen, who, starting from Aldarshot, have flown the Channel and appeared over the enemies' lines. We have demonstrated how to land armycorps from east to west. We have shown how to manage supply trains ami use military and naval guns. We have shown splendid organisation in raising four ncv armies of 1,200,000 men to assist the power of the British arms in tho field. Is that not a triumph of organisation? (Loud cheers.) W2 have lost men; we have ships. But we havo gained prestige. We are a greater nation than wo were when the war began. (Renewed cheers.) Wo no longer liva on past achievements. We are achieving ourselves. There shall l>c no peace until the weight of Germany, tho sole warrant of her success, is broken—until Germany has ceased to be a supreme Power which no treaty, no international law, can bind. There can be no peace until the Ucrma.ll nation re-enters the ranks of ordinary law-abiding nations, Germany's strength hj the strength of tyranny. It will bo crushed. The first contingent from Australia will not be the last, and they will be of our best. Xo effort and no sacrifica will be spared. Would that time and chance wore on tho side of many of,us, that w.> might corns forward in the King's service.'' The Prime Minister (.Mr Fisher), who followed, declared that Australia would give the Kmpire all she had, whether in men or money; while Senator Pearce, Defence Minister, added that Australia was i-i the proud position of being abie to sav that the whole of the 42,000 men who luil been arrang3d for, and the others who would follow, had been equipped from head to heel right throughout without having to buy or borrow from any other country.
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THE BRITISH RACE, Evening Star, Issue 15656, 21 November 1914
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544THE BRITISH RACE Evening Star, Issue 15656, 21 November 1914
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