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" Had the Chamber been sitting at this time, Indian princes would have desired to Send a message to this Conference in view of the important question of Indians overseas, including Indian States' subjects who are affected specially in Kenya. But as the Chamber is not sitting, the princes of India by cablegram convey a cordial message of friendship and good will to His Majesty's Government, the British nation, to the Dominions and colonies and their distinguished representatives at tho Imperial Conference, with whom the princes are united by common ties of loyalty to His Imperial Majesty the King-Emperor." The cable continues as follows :— " We give expression of our hope that thelunited efforts of all concerned atlthelConference will yield some satisfactory result, drawing closely together into bonds of good fellowship the great comity of nations forming the British Empire to which the princes and States are firmly attached, and securing the Indians, including the subjects of Indian States, an honoured position in all parts of the Empire in keeping with India's rightful place in the British Commonwealth, and in conformity with the assiduous and constant efforts of His Excellency the Viceroy and the Government of India." Friends, I convey this message to you coupled with my own hope that its aims and objects may be finally achieved before we leave England at the termination of the Imperial Conference. The subject is undoubtedly large and certainly complicated, but surely with good will we will overcome difficulties, and if, as we believe, we are firmly determined to see that every portion of the British Empire is strengthened, then I by no means despair, but, on the other hand, hope for possibilities of arriving at a settlement which will make you all the more respected and loved in the eyes of those you help, and will leave those grateful to you to whom you extend your hand of assistance. I hope that it will be possible for you to consider also whether it would not be advisable hereafter to altow India to be calleel a Dominion —not a self-governing Dominion until she becomes so, but a Dominion, specially when making reference to her in relation to her sister Dominions. Gentlemen, 1 think 1 have said all that I wished to on the subject of my countrymen overseas on India's day. It has been a great pleasure to me to meet round this table great statesmen who are my colleagues from the Dominions and to have the pleasure of making their personal acquaintance. May I thank them for their kindness and courtesy to myself, which I take as a token of their good will for my country ? If at any time any of my colleagues think of visiting India, I hope they will give us an opportunity of showing and proving that we do not always speak words but act on them, and that we can give you as cordial a welcome to our country as it is possible to do within our capacities. General Smuts welcomed to India. I said one day to my friend General Smuts—and I speak sincerely and in no conventional language, because he who was our enemy a few years ago is to-day one of our best friends and a great statesman of to-elay —I said to him I hoped he would come some day to India, and he replied that he would bo viewed with suspicion. I hope India, with all her political quarrels and difficulties, has not lost her human touch and response to appreciate great statesmen, and to prove to them that beyond our domestic disputes, beyond our domestic quarrels, lie the sentiments of humanity. I believe —and 1 will with this conclude —that India came into the comity of nations within the British Empire with a definite purpose. It is a link that was soldereel by the hand of Divine destiny. It was a means of enabling the West to understand the East, and vice versa ; but it also came in in order that the two civilizations, with their spiritualities, with their material advancement and progress, might by their association together evolve a civilization, a groat humanity of God's children playing their individual parts in the cause of God. When that day comes before us and, figuratively speaking, we stand before the judgment seat of Him who has sent us here, we shall each have our accounts to render. India may differ from you in race ; she differs in religion and in creed ; but she docs not differ in point of humanity. Personally I say this :if you give us your assistance in time of need— for a friend in need is the friend indeed —we shall give you not only our gratitude but also our cordiality and practical assistance. But if it is destined to be otherwise, then I say this : that we shall bo in a still, higher position, for India will be able to say that she sacrificed herself in order that others might live ; she prided herself in her political weakness in order that others may bo strong; we gave our little best for the higher purpose, for the Divine purpose which is our common goal — our common brotherhood and the salvation of humanity. 29th October, 1923. STATEMENT BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES. Tribute to Presentation of Case for India. The Duke of Devonshire : At the outset of the few remarks I have: to offer 1 cannot refrain from saying that India has been exceedingly fortunate in the spokesmen selected to represent her case in this Conference. That case, eloquently stated by Lord Peel and by His Highness the Maharajah of Alwar, was developed by Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru in a speech the closely reasoned argument of which was greatly reinforced by its studied moderation. What India asks. I particularly noticed that tho proposal which he submitted was outlined rather than reduced to the specific terms of a resolution. In this, if I may say so, I think he was very wise, because, while he made the general purport of his proposal perfectly clear, he loft tho precise form to be moulded in the subsequent discussion. Let me state as shortly as I can the gist of that proposal as I understood