Os the lst of February, Lord Brassey addressed the newly-formed Singapore branch of the Navy Lexgue. At the close of his lecture, Lord Brassey made the following reference tw" South African affairs contr We have not sufficient know-cannot now discuss the merits of the
ledge. 'There is only one course for loyal citizens, It is to stand shoulder to shoulder and be unsparing of themselves in the service of their country. 'The younger mem-hers of my own family, Tam proud to say, not held back.' My son, my only son, hus volunteered to'serve' with the yeomanry. [have a son-in-law in com mand of Colonial troops. Ihave a nephew in the 9th Lancers, who in a recent letter reported that he had been under fire on fourteen consecutive days. We have seen the value of Colonial levies; not for the first time has i¢ been shown tht in every Colony in the occupation of a British population the Colonists themselves ure its best defence. We can send out no troops from England who will beat the Cape forces in warfare against the Boers, From the Boers themselves we have learned to what a pitch of efficiency citizen soldiers can be brought. Compu'sory enlistment is impossible." Tu efficiency the British regular army must be second to none, The promotion of oticers to the highest rank must as far as possible be by selection for skill and conduct, There are hardly. any other points on which fe to speak. One thing more I may say with the assurance of your hearty assent. The acceptance Lord Roberts of the chief command in So h Africa, under circumstances of the most sad_hereavement, was an act of parti tic duty for which the Empire owes him a d: ep debt of gratitude (hear, hear). Inote with satisfaction the proclamation issued by Lord Roberts to the Free State, When we com ance more to negotiations Tam not in
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.