AUSTRIA AND ENGLAND.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 1480, 19 June 1879, Page 3

AUSTRIA AND ENGLAND.

The seventy- third anniversary festival of the Society of Friends of Foreigners ie Distress was celebrated on April 2nd at the Freemasons' Tavern, under the presidency of Count Karolyi, tbe Austro-Hungarian Ambassador. His Excellency was supported by Count Bylundt, Netherlands Minister ; General J. de Bulow, Danish Minister; Marquis de Casa Lniglesia, Spanish Minister ; Count Piper, Swedish and Norwegian Minister ; M. Gennadiui, Charge d'affaires for Greuce ; Count Mcntgelas, Count Alfred Beu?t, Count Arco Valley, Major Von Veitinghoff, the Chevalier J. W. May, Con-sul-Genoral of tho Netherlands ; Dr. Von Bojanowski, Consml- General of Germany ; the Chevalier O. Richter, Consul-General of Sweden and Norway; the Chevalier Erapf-Liverhof, Aoting Consul-general of Austria and Hungary ; Sir P. Colquhoun, Q. 0., and Sir Julius Benedict. Tho Chairman, who received a cordial welcome, said : It is peculiarly fit, and particularly gratifying to me that the first time I have the privilege of speaking m 'public m this country it should be my duty to propose the health of Her Majesty the Queen. (Cheers.) It is thus fit and it is thus gratifying because I stand here as the representative of— to use Lord Salisbury's appropriate expression —England's friend and ally, Bis Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary; because — I do not hesitate to say so — the very fact of my having been .chosen by my Imperial and Royal master to represent him m this country waa the visible token of a recent historical event ; and because this event itself is as conformable to my ideas of what the policy of England and Austria, should bs as it is m harmony with my pereoual feelings of respect aud veneration for the Queen. (Cheers.) The historical event, the accomplished fact, of which I speak is the strengthening of those ancient ties of amity, firmly knitting together the two countries, and hallowed by their companionship m arms on many a gloriouß battlefield of yore. In these present days, when the destinies of all civilised nations are shaped by BtateatucM responsible to their fellowcountrymen, the union of two countries such as England und Austria must, of necessity be one not to promote, but to avoid war. (Hear.) In the same way, formal treaties of alliance, m bygone times, often based on what must opprobriously'be termed the pasting whim of the hour, seem almost out of dale.T he mutual interests of two countries ■re, m our days, a surer basis for common action than the most elaborate defensive and offensive treaty. Thus the similarity — I mny say m many points the identity — of the legitimate aims followed by England and by Austria will continue and cement that unsigned alliance between them, based upon their two respective interests, established by two great statesmen, and approved by two illustrious Sovereigns. (Cheers.) Those Sovereigns, already united to one another by the strong bond of great mutual esteem, have bath done much to bring about the happy union of their people, a fact which, m spite of their jealousy about strict constitutional form;, is gratefully acknowledged by their loyal subjects. As the representative, therefore, of his Majesty the Emperor and King, not less than chairman of this distinguished assembly, I have the honor to propose the health of the .Emperor's august friend and ally, " Her Majesty the Queen." (Cheers ) His Excellency, m proposing the next toast, said : Presiding over a dinner of friends of foreigners m distress I am forcibly reminded of those who, foreigners to this country, are fellow countrymen of mine, and who certainly are m the greatest distress. I refer to the aafferera by the late inundations m Hungary. (Hear, hear.) Bnt thp name of the august Prince whose health I am about to propose to you also brings home to me as vividly that unrivalled spirit of charity and generosity of which his Royal Higtmeas has set an illustrious example — an example followed by the people of this country m a way which; 1 especially considering the times of depression through which we are passing, I cannot call otherwise than magnificent. (Cheers.) As every evil has its accompanying good, so this unparalleled disaster has rivetted^ more firmly still the bonds of sym-

pathy always bo conspicuous between this country and Hungnry. I can assure his Royal Highness — I can assure the people of this country — that we shall not easily forget the quick and munificent response to my appeal, for which I take this early pablio npi'Ortunity to thank the Prime — to thank the people. (Cheers.) I have the homr to propose " Tho Health of the Prince of Wales and the rest of the Royal Family."