THE BRITISH FLAG.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 14133, 12 February 1910, Page 7

THE BRITISH FLAG.

A TALISMAN IN ROME. Sir Albert Spicer, in course of his report on the recent commerce congress in Sydney, said:—“No one could travel rounc: tiie world, as he had done, over a journey ot 30,000 miles, and have only once in that journey stepped oil what wo called foreign territory, and that was at Honolulu, in the Hawaiian Islands, without having a different appreciation of the Liiiou Jack—that Union Jack the defence of which cost this country sixty million pounds a year, and which we had paid without a word of complaint. Ho wished to read ono extract from a speech of Sir Wilfrid Laurior, which ho made the other day in reply to a representative from one of the- French districts; from Jacques Cartier. It was in reply to a member who was, to a certain extent, repudiating the obligation of Canada, to take its share in connection with the defence oi the Empire. Sir V illrul Laurier said: ‘I have to say to my hou, friends that I hold in my hand at the present moment a letter which I received a few days ago from a friend who was a visitor in the city ol Romo, which letter will show my non. Iriead what are our rights and privileges as British subjects. My bon. friend knows that there, is in the city of Rome a Canadian College, built a few years ago by priests of uie Society of St. Sulpice of Montreal, anil maintained by them for the education of young Roman Catholic students in theology. At the date of mv friend's letter, on October 16. the city of Rome, like many other cities in continental Europe, was in the throes of a violent emotion, occasioned by the execution of 1 rofessor Ferrer, in Barcelona. Riots were unminont at different points of the 1 city. The Spanish Embassy at the Quiriiial, the Spanish Embassy at the Vatican, and the Russian Embassy bad to bo guarded by strong detachments of tho Italian army. Streets and public squares were filled by an infuriated mob. sv,-earing vengeance, yelling and hurling threats at convents and . religious communities of all descriptions, jvlv friend asked the re'-ceiid fatiK'r suporior of tho college if ho was apprehensive of danger. Mark the answer. I commend it especially to my ]ion. friend from Jacques Cartier: ‘No,’ said the reverend superior, T. shall hoist the British Hag if wo , are attacked. Tho British flag is our talisman hero.