LORD MAYOR'S BANQUET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 148, 11 November 1912, Page 5

LORD MAYOR'S BANQUET.

THE ARMY AND NAVY. IMPORTANT MINISTERIAL UTTERANCES. BRITAIN AND THE WAR. By Cable —Press Association —Copyright. Received 11, 12.15 a.m. London, November 10. The Lord Mayor's show took the form of a mediaeval military pageant. The Guildhall banquet was the usual brilliant v function. Mr. Winston Churchill, responding to the toast of "The Navy," emphasised that no harm could result from plain speaking. The Germans had robust minds and a high sense of honor and fair play, and liked affairs put plainly and squarely. The relations with Germany had steadily improved in the past year, side by side with every evidence of Britain's determination to maintain her supremacy. The best way to make those relations thoroughly hearty and comfortable was to go right on and terminate the rivalry by proving that we cannot be overtaken'. (Cheers.) He announced that he would propose an improvement in the naval pay before the end of Parliament. This would further stimulant buoyant recruiting, and it would be possible to bring a sixth battle squadron into existence in 1913, fully manned, thus increasing the margin of security. The allotment of a strong British fleet to the Mediterranean demanded special vigilance in Home waters. There was no reason to anticipate trouble, but the home fleet must be quite equal to any task that might be imposed. The year was memorable for the Dominions' participation in the naval defence of the Empire. At the present moment, in a few days the Canadian Parliament would announce a naval policy worthy of the power and loyalty of a great Dominion. The future required renewed exertions, for none could foretell the difficulties and dangers ahead, though nOne could doubt our resolve and ability to come safely through. Mr. Asquith, responding to the toast, "The Ministry," said that we were living in anxious times, and were spectators of great moving events. The Balkan armies were in effective possession of Macedonia, and Thrace, and Salonika,'the gateway through which Christianity first entered Europe, was occupied by the Creeks. "We may," he said, "at any moment hear of the fall of Constantinople. It is satisfactory to be able to assure you that Britain's relations with the other Powers, without a single exception, were never more friendly or cordial. The Great Powers are co-operating with a closeness of touch and a frankness and freedom of communication and discussion which is remarkable, and almost unintelligible to ihose believing that because, for certain i purposes, the Powers are ranged in different groups, they must, therefore, in the time of a European crisis, be arranged in opposite camps. Nothing is further from the fact. The Powers are blamed in some quarters because they have not been successful in averting war; but forces were at work beyond the control of any diplomatic manipulation. The Balkan States having matured their plans, and perfected their equipment, coordinated in a reciprocal action and decided that force was the only effectual remedy. They alone were prepared to use it. They tdok their matter into their own hands. Things can never be again as they were—(Cheers)—and it is the business of statesmen everywhere to accept this accomplished fact. Even the campaign at Austerlitz had not produced changes so sudden and so startlingly overwhelming and complete as had been wrought by the Balkan Confederacy. The map of Eastern Europe will have to be re-cast. Maybe the ideas and preconceptions of policies borne in a bygone era may have to be modified or reconstructed, or even go altogether by the board. (Cheers.) One thing," he concluded, "the general opinion in Europe is unanimous that the victors are not to be robbed of fruits costing them so dear." (Loud cheers.) So far as he was aware, nowhere was there a disposition to belittle the magnitude of the struggle or dispute the decisiveness of the result. "We have no direct interest in the exact form and consequent territorial redistribution that may ultimately take place there. There are other Powers whose special relations—geographical, economic, ethical and historic—with the scene of the conflict are such that they cannot be expected not to claim a hearing when the time come 9 for a permanent settlement. While belligerency continues, the Government deprecates raising isolated questions which, if handled immediately, would be calculated to lead to irreconcilable divergencies. Europe's first and greatest interest at present was to circumscribe the scope of the war. The Great Powers successfully labored to that end as with one will. He hoped and believed that they would so continue.