BOTHA AND "BOBS"

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 19, 17 July 1911, Page 7

BOTHA AND "BOBS"

"LORD ROBERTS, I PRESUME!" PILGRIMS AND PEACE. London, May 2S. When Stanley met Livingston in the heart of Africa his greeting was a simple one—"Dr. Livingstone, I presume?'' This phrase must have %sned through General Botha's mind at the Pilgrim's banquet to, the Dominion Premiers at the Savoy,, when Lord, Roberts rose from the table next to him and paid him a graceful compliment, assuring him that he had good reason to appreciate, his redoubtable qualities as a soldier in the field. .

General Botha acknowledged, the compliment with a courteous smile, and the guests cheered ,the ( incident. . It was the fir&t public invitation accepted ty the visiting Prime Ministers, and there was a brilliant find memorable gathering for the occasion.

Field-Marshall Lord Roberts rose from his place between Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Prime Minister of Canada, and the Hon. Andrew Fisher, Premier of Australia, and expressed hip pleasure at having the privilege of being the first to welcome publicly the representatives of the great dominions oversea. "We welcome you,!'. Lord Roberts said, "as Ministers meeting in conference to consider by what practical measure our common inheritance can be safeguarded against the common danger. 'United wi> stand, divided we , fall'— that is a maxim the general truth of which is readily admitted in all parts of our Umpire."

MESSAGE FROM THE KING. The following telegram was Teceived from the King:—'The King heartily thanks the Pilgrims for their Ifind congratulations in his approaching Corona-, tion. It is hk Majesty's earnest hope that the high idcais that the society have in view may be amply secured." The American Pilgrims cabled: —"Pilgrims make colonies. Britain's colonies are the glory and pride of her Empire. The Pilgrims of the United States send greetings to the British Pilgrims and join them in one grand song of AngloAmerican utility 'and "good-wiH." ■ " This expression was the keynote of the proceedings. It was emphasised by Sir Edward Grey in proposing the toast of "Anglo-American arbitration." He said:

"Anything like war between the United States and the British Empire would be something so intolerable, so opposed to the obvious sentiments ami feelings of the people in both countries, as to lie unthinkable.

"The object of an arbitration treaty is to avoid quarrels and not to multiply arbitrations; unnecessarily. "Once a treaty of the kind is ! concluded between any two. nations there? will bo people to ask whether the time has como when their country might do something of the kind, and if it had not come, why it had not come. That will lend to a searching enquiry into the causes of differences between nations which will progressively have favorable results." Sir Wilfrid Laurier, in the course of his speech, said: "I have no hesitation in saying that I am an admirer of the American Republic and the American people, but much as [ love the United States I love Britain still more. Jf the United States suggested to Canada that we should be annexed, our ruply would be that, of Diogenes to the conqueror Alexander. 'Move awav and let us have our share of the sun."'