The San Francisco Chronicle of the 14th of February says:—Lord Charles Beresford, whose arrival made more of a stir in San Francisco than that of any personage fora long while, is on his way east. He is going to feel the pulse of Chicago and New York trade, and then hie himself to London to see that Parliament does what he considers the right thing for China. The hours Lord Charles spent in San Francisco wera too short for the honours which its citizens wished to pay him. The public reception given him yesterday afternoon by the Chamber of Commerce meant more, perhaps, than anything else that came to him during his stay here. A throng of men, representing the manufactures, commerce, trade, the Army, and the Navy, assembled to do him honour and the hearty applause that. greete! his entrance, his opening words and the close of his address showed in what esteem the man and his mission are held by San Franciscans. Hundreds of citizens met him during his stay, only to find him a most genial gentleman and also to have it borne in upon them that when an Englishman attains fame. it. usually because he is both worthy and able, which is more than may be said for the ollicially great of all nations.
Gleams of wit, not at all English, enlivened the grave and important message which the distinguished yuest bore to the Chamber of Commerce. To begin with, his secretary, a canny Scot yclept. Robin Grey, was much worried because a thoughtless valet_or an absent-minded tailor had creased his lordship's trousers down the side instead of fore and aft, The secretary's nether garments were oreased in the ordinary way. Bat Lord Charles ix too big a man to mind clothes, He made an admirable speech, clean-cut und crisp, full of great principles and trenchant troths, the whole lit with the Irish humour which plays about everything he says. Once there was an interruption which' serimned important, but it simiwered into nothing. Aman in the background, with a French imperial and the face of a Russian nihilist, interrupted his lordship with " question. Lord Charles had been speaking of the inevitable partition of China if things went on as they were going.
"Who will partition China 2" asked the person with the imperial, "The great nations of Europe," replied the speaker, looking somewhat surprised.
The imperialist wagged his head salemaly, Chairman Newhall got ready to uso his gavel, and the men in the back wore randy to seize an arm if it were uplifted. But there was no demonstration. The visitor smoothed it over by saying that it was a very good question, and the incident closed.
The Celtic humour of the occasion was not confined entirely to the distinguished guest. Mayor Phelan made a break that will delight the clubs, but he recovered himself with a remark almost good enough to go down on the Phelan list of bons mots. The Mayor was talking along happily, offering the keys of the city, or taking them back, or something of that sort, and incidentally discussing America's foreign policy, without committing himself to expansion or against it, when he said: " But I think the Lord will point out—I mean his lordship will point out—" One or tivo quick-witted people saw it, but it was a second or two before the laughter broke out. Even the guest and the serious Robin Grey laughed. The Mayor saw it, too, and laughed with the best of them.
Ah, well, you see," he remarked easily, "we unsophisticated democrats of the West are not accustomed to the use of titles. The men of the Navy have been used to say that the Lord was with us. I
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.