These are of course views expressed on the spur of the moment, in "leaders" written in the small hours when the telegraphed reports of the speech, delayed by the storms which had broken down the telegraph wires all over the country, had just come in. A more careful study of the Speech will, I believe, confirm the view of the "Times" and "Telegraph." They, it must be remembered, are still guided by Whig traditions, and are therefore much more inclined than the ' Standard" to welcome the formation of a new Liberal party purged of anti-Imperialism and Homo Rule. It was of course absurd to suppose that Lord Rosebery was going at once to heal the split in the Liberal party and form a strong united patriotic Opposition as if by the stroke of a magician's wand. But the speech will surely pave the way for Lord Rosebery's return at no distant date to the leadership of the Liberal party, shorn it may be of a few malcontents, but perhaps strengthened by the return of a few Liberal Unionists. It was a strong patriotic Imperialist speech with no paltering on the subject of the war; and vot it embodied the most forcible indictment. of the Government which has yet been delivered. It proved that Lord Rosebery, whatever his failings, stands head and shoulders above any other possible Liberal leader of the near future and as he has clearly expressed his willingness to lead a party which is willing to be led on the lines he has laid down, his return to the leadership of the party seems assured.
The War, News from the front is still very cheering. Major-General Bruce Hamilton has received by telegraph the hearty congra~ gulations of the British Government on his brilliant series of captures, Ho is the youngest officer of his rank in the British army, being a few months the junior of "BP." who, by the way, has just returned to resume the command of the B.S.A. Constabulary. Since then Kritzinger, the organiser and commander of the raid into Cape Colony, has been caught. This morning, captures amounting to just a hundred Boers are reported; and altogether the forces of the enemy in the field fortnight by little short of a thousand must have been reduced during the past men. At this rate surely the war cannot last long. I was assured the other d from a very well-informed source that Mr. Kriiger and his advisers are anxious now to sue for peace, and that it was with a full knowledge of this fact that Lord Rosebery suggested in his speech that the Government ought to welcome any overtures from that source without enquiring too closely into the credentials of those who make them. Lord Rosebery certain-Ly need have no anxiety on that point. The Government and the military authorities are too anxious for peace' to place any obstacles in the way. The uso they made of the services of Mrs. Botha a few months ago is sufficient proof of that.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.