Death, of the Marquis of Salisbury

Southland Times, Issue 19132, 24 August 1903, Page 2

Death, of the Marquis of Salisbury

.— ■ — , . » ■■■ ■'. .■ ; ■■ Per United Press Association. By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, Aug. 23. Received 23rd, 9.18 a.m. The Sacrament was administered to Lord Salisbury on Thursday: evening". Oxygen, given on Friday, induced a very slight rally, and he took, half a glass of milk. A bulletin issued ;at six o'clock last evening showed that his condition was unchanged; one at 9.30 statad that there was a flight improvement manifested, but the latest message states that the end is very near. Received 23rd, 4r.32 p.m. Obituary — Marquis of Salisbury, aetat 73. Robert Arthur Talbot Cecil, third Marquis of Salisbury, wa9 born in 18tfO. Ho was educated at Bton College and Oxford University, and during a brilliant academic career gave early evidence of the qualities that afterwards made him famous as a debater. After leaving College, Lord Robert Cecil, as he was then known, being only a. younger son, with little prospect of succeeding to the family estates, decided to seek his fortunes in Australia, which at tbat time— about 1851— was attracting tho attention ol the world by the marvellous gold discoveries. After a short experience spent on tho golanelds of Victoria, ho returned to ii>ngland in 1853, having decided to enter on a political career. In that year Lord .Robert Cecil was elected M.P. for 3taratord, and he continued to represent that borough in the Conservative inter* ; est titt the death of his lather in W. His elder brother died in 1865, arid Lord Robert Cecil then assumed the title of Viscount Cranbourne. In 1886, after he had been in the House for 13 years, he received a place in Lord Derby's Ministry as Secretary of State for India, a position which he resigned in 1867, owing to a difference of opinion over tho Reform Bill, then being introduced- On succeeding to the peerage in 1868, Lord Salisbuny took his seat in the House of Lords, and quickly gained the reputation of being tho most powerful debater in the Upper House. When Mr IMsraeli resumed offlco as Premier in 1874, Lord Salisbury again ' became Secretary ol State for India, which position he held until 1878. While in office ho was despatched to Constantinople to take part in the Conference which endeavoured to end the quarrel between Russia and Turkey. Lord Salisbury practically acted as leader at the Conference, which, however, was not destined to attain its object. With Lord Beaconsfleld he attended the Berlin Congress in 1878, having in tho same year been appointed Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and it is his connection with that office which will in future be considered his chief distinction. Immediately after his appointineut he wrote a memorrible despatch, £n which be clearly enunciated the British policy on the Eastern question. Aften . the defeat of his party at Che elections of ; 1880, Lord Salisbury went out of office, but on the death of Lord BeaconsOSW in 1881, he was with one accord accepted by the Conservative party n.a their leader, and when Mr Gladstone wa» defeated on a Budget vote and resigned in 1885, Lord Salisbury became Prime Minister as well as Secretary for Foreign Affairs, The uew Administration did not last long, the principal events of its short tenure of power being the annexation of Biirmah and the ro-openirig of the Eastern question by the revolution in Eastern Koumelia and tho war between Servia and Bulgaria. The elections of 1885 did not result favourably to the Government, and an amendment,, to the' Address being carried against them Lord Salisbury resigned. Mr Gladstone succeeded, but ho, too, hud a short lease or power, being defeated on the second reading of ; his Homo Rule Bill. At the general elections of July, 1886, the people declared against Mr Gladstone's policyVahd Lord Salisbury took, office, and his tenure of of office during tjte Jubilee year, . 1887, wa« made memorable in Jfis - Eortranip's family for the honour her Majesty the late Queen Victoria paid him by going in person to visit at IJ&tfield, The elections of 1892 were not favourable tok the Government, though they did hot -resign ofllce until actually defeated in. the. Coin* mons, when Air Gladstone succeeded to office. The latter resigned hi 1894, ami Lord Salisbury resumed the leadershipIn June, 1895, Lord Rosebery resigned, tind Lord Salisbury then formed bis third Ministry. This was a strong Administration, and it had the difficult task of dealing with the South African problem. The people showed that they approved of its policy by returning Lord Salisbury's 0 ovenunent to power with an overwhelming- majority a* the'elec^ tlons of IJHR). Shortly after,wads he reconstjiucted the Administration, retiring fr6m the post of Foreign Secretary, and coupling with the Premiership the office of Lord Privy Seal. On 14th July, 1902 , the noble Martjuis retired .. from' politics, and was succeeded by his nephew, the Kt. Hon. A. J. Balfour, the present Prime 'Minister.- During his -final term of office Lord Salisbury was occupied by a number of important negotiations, such as the conduct of itpritiah relations with tho "United States in the matter of the Venezuelan boundary dispute, the British '"attitude towards ; Armenian affairs and 'towards Greece and Crete. His conduct of the negotiations that took place over the China question in 18U8 was adversely .criticised, even, by his own party, but m the firm; attitude he took up on the Fashdda question he was heartily suuporte'd by -both political parties. The recent growth of a friendly understanding between Britain and tho United States is mainly due ..to. Lord Salisbury's efforts, 'While the alliance entered iuto by Britain with /Japan was also the result of his anti-Russian poU tcy. He ftlso Bucceeded in the 'difficult "task of avoiding quarrels with Germany;,; In all foreign affairs, indeed. Lord Salisbury directed the policy of Britain -with a firmness and sagacity that are almost unrivalled in the annals of that office* From 1885 to 1902 Lord Salisbury bore the chief burden of the State with only two intervals, that: "together did,; not cover aj years. His tenure of the Premiership, over 13 J years; was a yean arid a-hal! longer ' than Mr Gladstone's, and longer thorn that . of any Prime Minister in British history except Sir Robert Watpole, Mr Pitt, and Lond Liverpool.''. -At': the time of Lord Salisbury's resignation the Colonial Premiers were in -London, and on the 14th July they were entertained by the National Liberal Club. Speaking at that gathering Shv.-H;. Campbeli-Bannennan paid , the following, tribute to Lord Salisbury, roaKing special allusion to thg decision of the Cabinet 4'not to suspend the Constitution; ol Cape Colony, a step which was then coneidered advisable by a large section of the peoplp bpth at-Homejand in South Africa iv view 'of the prevalence of disloy»lty in the South African colonies:— He retires amid the respect and gratitude of his countrymen, -whatever their political views. But wby I aliurt? to it »» this —that one of the last administrative' acts of that great statesman must havfr been " to direct the decision of the Cabinet which prevented any interruption of fvee eeM-goyernment in a Britjsh cplcmy. I"n this we recognise another instance of the sound sense and breadth of vviewiof which he. has often given proof , in oiir international and colonial affairs, and which has 1 earned for him so large a Bhare of con-, fidence and good feeling and the approbation of his fellowrnien. : / .■--.-■'.'.