A SECOND .SPEECH.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11494, 29 January 1903, Page 5

A SECOND .SPEECH.

CABLE NEWS.

countrymen in South Africa, and I **>«* you fervour vreiocme. which has beartenea and encour*g€<d me."

REMARKABLE OVATION. Before the pub.ic luncheon, Mr Chamberlain received deputations irom the members of the Birmingham As>oo.i*uon, the Sugar Planters' Association, the merchants who suffered losses during i*lie war, and who were subject to cQinpsiisation, and the Chamber of Commerce. At 1-30, in the new large dinlng-hau of the Marine Hotel, a representative company, presided over by this Mayor, met at luncheon. The striking not© about the procoedings was the -ovation accorded to the S#ere tary of State, and the enthusiasm with uiiLch Mr O'liaroborlain was greeted on his arrival. He was welcomed with "He's a July Good Fellow." The who.c compajiy cranod forward to pcs the statesman, who appeared ti» 1« in cheerful sj»irits. Sir John Robinson proposed rha health of t.h« Governor. His comparison of the Colonial Office under Lord Kimberiey and that un-rUr Mr Chamberlain evoked great cheering. The Governor mi<ls a humorous reply. The Mayor's speech in proposing ,- Our GtK'nt," was frequently applauded. Tt. was evident, however, that the. whole audk-ncs was waiting with intense excitement to hear lrhat Mr Chamberlain had to say. When his health was proposed the whole audk-nee rose ac, one man, and a .scene oi wild enfhii-Masni ensued. Thoee assembled seemed tr» lorn* all control over th<?ni«e!vt*, and dieered uninterruptedly, until somebody started, "For He's a Jolly Good Follow, , ' which irs.s taken up by tijc whole company with the greatest hi-arti-n-jss. At the end somebody proposed cheers for Mrs Chamberlain, and the scene wan n.iKivved, evidently to the satisfaction oi the -guest. The moment Mr Chamberlain advanced to speak profound silence reigned in the room, and throughout the speech intense inteivst, was taken in -every word. It was veiy noticeable that throughout the proceedings wh-enever Lord Miiner's na,me was mentioned, it was received with intense enthusiasm. The remark of the Colonial Secretary about the English and Dutch seemed to come straight from the, heart, and when he reached that- part of his speech in which he alluded to conciliation every remark was followed with the most intense interest. "1 have come," he said, "in a spirit of conciliation, but also in a spirit of firmness," and these words were the Jseynote of the whole, day's proceedings, and as such they appealed to the audience irresistibly. His peroration at the end was exceedingly fine, and stirred his hearers into frantic cheering wuen he resumed his seat.