BIRTHDAY BANQUET.

Waikato Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 3493, 13 November 1894, Page 5

BIRTHDAY BANQUET.

(by blkctkto telegraph—copyright). London, November 9. At the Birthday banquet at the Guild Hall, the Premier said the sky was not entirely clear owing to the war in theEast, but the barometer was not fall* ing, and the British Government was prepared to join in any pacific efforts to restore peace.

England.he said, had acted through" out hanrl-in-hand with Russia, and the relations between the two countries' were never more cordial than at present,

Lord Rosebery referred in a feeling 1 manner to the death of the Czar, and trusted his successor would be equal to the enormous responsibilities at* taching to the position. He alluded to the alliance with' France in the Crimea, and declared it was his desire that England and France should always figtit shoulder to shoulder, not in war, but in peace* ful rivalry. The three dangers of peace were, he' thought, the enormous armaments,an unreflecting press, and armed ex> plorations. The last named was a real danger, but he thought it would continue until the Powers interested especially in Africa, reeognis id their' various spheres of influence. He rejoiced to see the Colonial expansion of other Powers, because it would conduce to peace, and also be the means of extending commerce. The Premier said the work in connection with the delimitation of the Russian and British spheres in Central Asia had terminated,