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w'lfH  MR.  CHAMBERLAIN 


N  THI:  UNITED  STATES  AND  CAN. 


WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN  THE 

UNITED  STATES  AND  CANADA 

1887-88 


•  •  "o*  » 


^"l 


Photo:  Rice,  Washington 
MR.  BERGNE 


MR.   CHAMBERLAIN 


MR.   MAYCOCK 


Frontispiece 


WITH  MR.  CHAMBERLAIN 
IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 
AND  CANADA,  1887-88.    by 

SIR  WILLOUGHBY  MAYCOCK,  K.C.M.G. 


LONDON 

CHATTO    &    WINDUS 
1914 


WITH   30   ILLUSTRATIONS 


•  «•>»«**• 


•.  •  •  .  • 


AH  rights  reserved 


INTRODUCTION 

I  HAD  always  cherished  a  strong  desire  in  my  younger 
days  to  visit  America,  and  had  more  than  once  con- 
templated a  trip  to  the  "  other  side  "  on  my  own 
account  when  circumstances  permitted.  I  little 
thought,  however,  that  it  would  ultimately  fall  to 
my  lot  to  see  both  the  United  States  and  Canada 
under  such  favourable  auspices  as  befell  me  in  the 
autumn  of  1887.  This  book  claims  to  be  no  more 
than  a  faithful  record  of  a  little  over  four  agreeable 
months  spent  with  Mr.  Joseph  Chamberlain,  to 
whom  I  am  indebted  for  much  kindness,  considera- 
tion, and  hospitality  in  the  past.  I  can  only  hope 
that  some  account  of  a  Mission,  which  afforded  to 
me  such  a  pleasant  break  in  the  daily  routine  of 
official  life,  may  not  be  wholly  devoid  of  interest 
to  **  those  to  whom  these  presents  shall  come." 

WILLOUGHBY   MAYCOCK. 

Mayy  19 14. 

P.5. — The  foregoing  note  was  written,  and  the 
book  practically  settled  for  press,  two  months  ago. 


vi  WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN 

Since  that  date  "  the  Sons  of  England  in  all  parts 
of  the  world  "  as  well  as  **  the  old  folks  at  home  " 
— ^to  quote  from  Mr.  Chamberlain's  memorable 
speech  at  Toronto — have  been  inexpressibly  shocked 
and  grieved  by  the  news  of  his  unexpected  death. 
I  took  my  last  farewell  of  him  at  Victoria  Station 
on  the  morning  of  Sunday,  January  i8th  last,  on  his 
departure  for  Cannes.  Two  days  prior  to  that  I 
visited  him  at  40  Princes  Gardens,  and  told  him  of 
my  projected  work  on  his  Mission  to  the  United 
States.  He  evinced  great  interest  in  it  and  readily 
gave  me  permission  to  dedicate  it  to  him.  The 
title-page  of  my  book  accordingly  bore  such  dedica- 
tion, which  his  untimely  death  has  necessitated 
erasing.  I  hoped  and  believed  that  this  record 
would  have  afforded  him  some  little  interest  and 
amusement,  and  would  have  recalled  some  agreeable 
memories.  Fate  has,  however,  decreed  otherwise. 
May  God  rest  his  soul. 

w.  M. 

July  4,  1914. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

INTRODUCTION  V 

I.    MR.    chamberlain's  APPOINTMENT  I 

II.   THE  VOYAGE  OUT  9 

III.  WASHINGTON  3I 

IV.  WASHINGTON  {continued)  49 
V.  WASHINGTON  (concluded)  67 

VI.    BALTIMORE,   NEW  YORK,   MONTREAL,    OTTAWA  84 

VII.   TORONTO  AND  NIAGARA  98 

VIII.    WASHINGTON   AGAIN  120 

IX.    LAST  WEEKS  AT  WASHINGTON  I45 

X.    "  OFF  TO  PHILADELPHIA  IN  THE  MORNING  "  153 

XI.    BACK  AGAIN  AT  NEW  YORK  AND  HOME  168 

XII.   WHAT  THE  MISSION  ACCOMPLISHED  199 

XIII.  AT  BIRMINGHAM  221 

XIV.  l'envoi  241 

INDEX  271 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

MR.  CHAMBERLAIN,  MR.  BERGNE,  AND   MR. 

MAYCOCK  Frontispiece 

PAGB 

SIR  JAMES  FERGUSSON  6 

THE   LATE  SIR  WILLIAM  LANE  BOOKER  l8 

THE   LATE   HON.   HENRY  EDWARDES  24 

CAPTAIN  F.   H.   HINDE  28 

THE   LATE  CAPTAIN  R.   C.   CLIPPERTON  3O 

MISS  SACKVILLE  WEST   (NOW  LADY  SACKVILLE)  34 

MRS.  GROVER  CLEVELAND  34 

THE  LATE   PRESIDENT  GROVER  CLEVELAND  46 

MEMBERS  OF  THE  FISHERY  CONFERENCE  48 

MISS  ENDICOTT   (MRS.   CHAMBERLAIN)  52 

MISS   AD^LE   GRANT   (NOW  LADY  ESSEX)  58 

THE   HON.   MRS.    HENRY  EDWARDES  58 

MENU  WITH  PORTRAIT  OF  HENRY  CLAY  72 

GROUP  TAKEN  AT  MOUNT  yERNON  76 

EN  ROUTE  TO  MONTREAL  IN  MR.  C.  DEPEW'S  PRIVATE 

CAR  ^% 

THE  ICE  PALACE  AT  MONTREAL  9O 

RIDEAU   HALL   (GOVERNMENT  HOUSE),   OTTAWA  92 

CHAUDIERE  FALLS,    OTTAWA  94 


X  WITH  MR.  CHAMBERLAIN 

PAGB 

SIR  JOHN  MACDONALD  96 
PARLIAMENT  BUILDINGS,  OTTAWA  98 
LORD  AND  LADY  LANSDOWNE  AND  PARTY  AT  GOVERN- 
MENT HOUSE,  OTTAWA  100 
SIR  DAVID  MACPHERSON  102 
SKETCHES  AT  NIAGARA  FALLS  II4 
SKETCH  OF  A  "  JOY  RIDE  "  AT  NIAGARA  II6 
MRS.  JOHN  DAVIS  134 
MISS  GWYNN  134 
APPROACH  TO  HIGHBURY  220 
THE  ENTRANCE-HALL,  HIGHBURY  248 
THE  DRAWING-ROOM,   HIGHBURY  248 


With  Mr.   Chamberlain  in  the 
United   States  and  Canada 

1887-88 


CHAPTER   I 

MR.   chamberlain's  APPOINTMENT 

It  would  serve  no  useful  purpose  after  this  lapse  of 
time,  nor  do  I  propose,  to  do  more  than  refer  quite 
briefly,  for  the  benefit  of  the  uninitiated,  to  the 
circumstances  which  led  the  late  Lord  Salisbury  to 
invite  Mr.  Joseph  Chamberlain,  in  the  autumn  of 
1887,  to  proceed  to  the  United  States  as  the  senior 
of  three  British  Plenipotentiaries  to  negotiate,  if 
possible,  a  settlement  of  the  Canadian  Fishery 
Question  —  which  at  that  time  had  reached  an  acute 
stage — ^with  three  Plenipotentiaries  to  be  named  by 
the  United  States. 

With  the  exception  of  two  comparatively  brief 
interludes,  the  question  of  the  rights  of  the  New 
England  fishermen  to  pursue  their  calling  in  the 
in-shore  waters  of  the  east  coast  of  Canada  had 

A 


2      WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

been  a  constant  bone  of  contention  and  source  of 
controversy  between  the  two  countries  for  some 
seventy  odd  years.  Papers  presented  to  Parliament 
in  1887-88  embrace  all  the  "  pros  "  and  *'  cons  "  of 
the  dispute,  sufficient  indeed  to  satiate  the  most 
voracious  piscatorial  appetite. 

The  brief  interludes  referred  to,  during  which 
there  was  little  or  no  trouble,  were  comprised  in  the 
periods  from  1854  to  1866,  and  again  from  1871  to 
1885.  Fishing  rights  during  those  periods  were 
regulated  by  articles  in  what  are  known  as  the 
Reciprocity  Treaty  of  1854  ^^^  the  Treaty  of 
Washington  of  1871  respectively,  between  this 
country  and  the  United  States.  Both  these  Treaties 
were,  however,  denounced  by  the  United  States  for 
reasons  which  there  is  no  need  to  discuss. 

The  latter  of  these  Treaties  expired  in  July  1885, 
but  the  Dominion  Government,  as  an  act  of  grace, 
and  being  reluctant  to  enforce  measures  which 
would  cause  inconvenience  and  loss  in  the  middle 
of  the  fishing  season,  allowed  the  New  England 
fishermen  to  use  the  Canadian  in-shore  waters  freely 
and  without  let  or  hindrance  down  to  the  end  of 
that  year. 

The  two  Treaties  referred  to  having  thus  ceased 
and  determined,  the  provisions  of  the  Treaty  be- 


UNITED  STATES  AND  CANADA   3 

tween  this  country  and  America  of  18 18  were  again 
brought  to  Ufe,  and  under  the  terms  of  that  Treaty, 
as  interpreted  by  Her  late  Majesty's  Government, 
American  fishermen  were  only  warranted  in  using 
the  bays  and  harbours  of  Canada  for  wood,  water, 
shelter  and  repairs,  and  for  no  other  purpose  what- 
soever. America  did  not,  however,  interpret  this 
Treaty  eye  to  eye  with  us,  and  thought  we  took  it 
too  much  au  pied  de  la  lettre.  Sir  Charles  Tupper, 
in  the  course  of  an  exhaustive  resume  of  the  question 
in  the  Dominion  Parliament  in  April  1888,  made  the 
pertinent  observation  that  **  fishermen,  perhaps,  are 
the  most  intractable  and  uncontrollable  people  in 
the  world,  and  when  a  fisherman  gets  on  board  his 
little  smack  he  thinks  he  is  monarch  of  all  he  sur- 
veys and  he  can  go  where  he  pleases  and  do  what  he 
pleases."  So,  regardless  of  the  restrictions  of  the 
Treaty  of  18 18,  the  Massachusetts  fishermen  still 
plied  their  calling  in  1886  and  after,  with  the  result 
that  one  after  another  of  their  vessels  were  captured 
and  confiscated  by  the  Canadians  under  the  pro- 
visions of  their  Customs  and  Municipal  laws. 
These  incidents  provoked  no  little  indignation  in 
America,  especially  in  the  New  England  States. 
With  each  seizure  and  confiscation  the  tension  be- 
came more  and  more  acute  between  the  two  coun- 


4      WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

tries,  and  any  untoward  incident,  such  as  the  loss  of 
a  life  where  resistance  was  offered,  would  have 
ignited  a  spark  that  might  have  led  to  a  conflagra- 
tion. Both  countries  recognised  that  a  situation  had 
been  reached  when  no  effort  should  be  spared  to 
effect  a  friendly  settlement.  So  it  came  about, 
after  some  further  diplomatic  correspondence,  that 
on  October  24,  1887,  Mr.  Joseph  Chamberlain,  Sir 
Lionel  Sackville  West  (then  British  Minister  at 
Washington),  and  Sir  Charles  Tupper  (Canadian 
Minister  of  Finance),  were  jointly  and  severally 
empowered  by  Queen  Victoria  to  consider  and 
adjust  **  in  a  friendly  spirit  with  Plenipotentiaries 
to  be  appointed  on  the  part  of  our  good  friends  the 
United  States  of  America  all  or  any  questions  re- 
lating to  the  rights  of  fishery  in  the  seas  adjacent  to 
British  North  America  and  Newfoundland  which 
are  in  dispute  between  our  Government  and  that  of 
our  good  friends,  and  any  other  questions  which 
may  arise  which  the  respective  Plenipotentiaries  may 
be  authorised  by  their  Governments  to  consider 
and  adjust." 

Mr.  Chamberlain's  appointment  having  been 
settled,  the  next  question  for  consideration  was  who 
should  be  attached  to  his  Mission.  It  was  obvious 
that  the  late  Sir  Henry  Bergne  was  the  man  of  all 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       5 

others  most  eminently  qualified  to  act  as  secretary, 
for  not  only  was  he  a  most  capable  and  efficient 
official,  but, having  been  attached  to  the  Halifax  Com- 
mission in  1875,  and  Secretary  and  Protocolist  to  it 
again  in  1877,  he  was  especially  familiar  with  all  the 
intricacies  of  the  Fishery  question.  What  he  didn't 
know  about  it  from  every  point  of  view  was  not 
worth  knowing.  At  this  time  he  was  Superinten- 
dent of  the  Treaty  Department  of  the  Foreign  Office, 
a  post  his  father  had  for  many  years  held  before  him, 
and  which  in  after  years  fell  to  my  lot.  He  was 
always  a  staunch  and  valued  friend  of  mine,  and  had 
frequently  promised  to  do  his  best  to  have  me  asso- 
ciated with  him  when  it  seemed  probable  that  a 
special  Mission  would  go  to  the  **  States  "  in  con- 
nection with  this  vexed  question — a  promise  which 
he  faithfully  and  loyally  fulfilled.  He  was  at  that 
time  a  C.M.G.  In  1888,  on  Mr.  Chamberlain's 
recommendation,  he  was  made  a  K.C.M.G.,  a  dis- 
tinction he  greatly  coveted.  In  1902  he  was  made 
a  C.B.,  and  in  1903  a  K.C.B.  He  had  rendered 
invaluable  services  to  His  Majesty's  Government, 
notably  in  connection  with  Copyright  and  the  Sugar 
questions,  and  his  all  too  early  death  in  November 
1908  at  Berlin,  the  result  of  a  chill,  just  as  he  had, 
as  the  British  Delegate,  attached  his  signature  to  the 


6      WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

International  Copyright  Convention,  was  deeply  de- 
plored by  a  large  circle  of  friends,  and  by  none  more 
than  myself.  He  was  laid  in  his  last  resting-place 
at  Brookwood  Cemetery,  where  his  son,who  had  been 
killed  at  Saas  Fee  on  January  i ,  1908,  was  also  buried. 
He  had  felt  the  death  of  this  poor  lad  most  acutely. 

So  Bergne  was  of  course  selected  by  Lord  Salis- 
bury to  accompany  Mr.  Chamberlain  as  Secretary  to 
the  British  Mission.  Mr.  Chamberlain  expressed 
a  strong  wish  that  his  staff  should  be  restricted  to  as 
few  persons  as  possible,  but  one  assistant  secretary 
at  least  was  essential. 

At  that  time  I  was  acting  as  Private  Secretary  to 
the  late  Sir  James  Fergusson,  the  Parliamentary 
Under  Secretary  of  State  in  Lord  Salisbury's  Ad- 
ministration. Of  the  many  distinguished  men  with 
whom,  in  the  course  of  a  long  career  of  over  forty- 
one  years  in  the  Foreign  Office, I  have  been  associated, 
there  are  few  for  whom  I  have  entertained  a  warmer 
regard  than  Sir  James  Fergusson.  He  certainly 
had  a  temper,  and  in  some  ways  and  to  some  people 
he  was  rather  exacting.  But  to  me  he  was  always 
the  staunchest  and  kindest  of  friends  down  to  the 
time  of  his  tragic  death  in  the  earthquake  in  Jamaica 
in  1907.  So  as  soon  as  Bergne's  appointment  had 
been  settled  I  said  to  Sir  James,  *'  I  should  very 


)  3        >  '^•i     *   1 


Photo:  Marshall  b'  Allan,  Ayr 

SIR   JAMES  FERGUSSON 


UNITED  STATES  AND  CANADA   7 

much  like  to  go  to  America  with  Mr.  Chamberlain. 
Will  you  support  my  candidature  ?  "  "  With  all 
the  pleasure  in  life,  my  dear  Maycock,"  was  his 
generous  reply.  "  I'm  going  down  to  the  House 
now,  and  shall  see  Mr.  Chamberlain,  and  will  suggest 
his  taking  you."  I  thanked  him  warmly.  He  came 
back  and  told  me  he  had  seen  Mr.  Chamberlain. 
There  were,  however,  needless  to  say,  many  other 
formidable  candidates  in  the  field,  notably  George 
Murray,  then  a  clerk  in  the  Treasury  and  a  man  of 
exceptional  ability.  Murray  had  been  in  the  Foreign 
Office  from  1873  to  1880,  when  he  was  transferred 
to  the  Treasury,  of  which  important  department  he 
subsequently  became  the  head,  till  his  retirement, 
and  a  more  capable  official  never  served  the  Crown. 
When  I  heard  he  wanted  the  job  my  spirits  sank  to 
zero.  It  was  at  this  juncture  that  dear  Bergne's 
loyalty  came  to  my  aid  and  stood  me  in  such  good 
stead.  He  had  been  to  see  Mr.  Chamberlain,  who 
told  him  that  of  the  many  applicants  the  claims  of 
Murray  and  Maycock  seemed  to  be  the  strongest, 
and  he  left  the  choice  to  Bergne.  Bergne,  ever 
loyal  to  his  promises,  expressed  a  preference  for 
me,  and  that  is  how,  to  my  intense  joy,  I  came 
to  be  appointed  Assistant  Secretary  to  the  special 
Mission. 


8  WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN 

Prior  to  our  departure,  I  went  with  my  wife  for  a 
short  hoHday  with  our  old  and  valued  friend,  now  Sir 
William  Dalrymple  Hay — at  that  time  a  clerk  in  the 
Treasury — to  Clovelly,  where  we  amused  ourselves 
by  sea  fishing  in  the  waters  of  the  ocean  on  which  I 
was  so  soon  to  embark.  We  lodged  with  a  retired 
merchant  captain,  who  regaled  us  with  comforting 
anecdotes  of  the  horrors  of  the  Atlantic,  especially 
when  the  equinoctial  gales  were  in  full  blast.  One 
particular  aphorism  he  was  especially  fond  of  citing  : 

**  Of  one  thing  you  may  be  certain 
On  an  Atlantic  trip, 
You're  sure  to  ship  a  sea 
Though  you  never  see  a  ship  : " 

a  theory  the  truth  of  which  was  destined  to  be  very 
shortly  realised  to  its  fullest  extent. 


CHAPTER   II 

THE    VOYAGE    OUT 

On  Saturday  morning,  October  29,  1887,  Mr. 
Chamberlain  started  from  Birmingham  by  the  1 1 .20 
train  en  route  for  Liverpool.  A  large  number  of 
local  Unionists  assembled  to  see  him  off,  and  when 
he  arrived  at  the  station  accompanied  by  Mr.  Jesse 
Collings,  M.P.,  Mr.  R.  Chamberlain,  M.P.,  and  Mr. 
Powell  Williams,  M.P.,  he  was  greeted  with  hearty 
cheering,  his  enthusiastic  admirers  shouting  **  God 
bless  you  !  "  "  Good  luck  !  "  and  so  forth.  As  soon 
as  he  boarded  the  train  there  were,  of  course,  loud 
cries  for  a  speech,  and  the  right  honourable  gentle- 
man, putting  his  head  out  of  the  window,  addressed 
the  crowd  as  follows  : 

*'  Gentlemen, — I  am  very  much  touched  by 
your  kindness  in  coming  down  here  this  morning  to 
wish  me  *  Good-bye  '  and  *  God-speed  '  (cheers). 
I  know  that  all  in  Birmingham,  in  common  with 
every  patriotic  Englishman,  have  deep  interest  in 
the  success  of  my  Mission  (hear,  hear)  and  an  earnest 
desire  that  the  good  feelings  between  the  two  coun- 


lo    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

tries  should  be  continually  preserved  (cheers). 
But  with  you,  gentlemen,  there  is  something  more 
than  an  interest  in  the  Mission — there  is,  I  know, 
some  little  interest  in  the  man  who  has  undertaken 
it  (hear,  hear).  I  am  grateful  to  you  for  the 
kindness  you  have  always  shown  me  (cheers,  and 
cries  of '  God  bless  you '),  and  I  reciprocate  the  feeling 
which  you  have  now  expressed.  I  have  spent  thirty 
years  of  my  life  amongst  you  in  Birmingham  (cheers), 
and  Birmingham  is  the  home  of  my  adoption  and  of 
my  affection  (cheers).  I  hope  that  I  may  see  you  all 
once  more  in  the  course  of  a  few  months  (cheers)  ; 
and  be  sure  of  this,  that  I  shall  take  with  me  to 
America  the  pleasantest  recollection  of  your  good- 
ness to  me  (cheers).  And,  gentlemen,  if  these 
should  be  the  last  words  I  should  ever  speak  to 
you  (cries  of  '  No  '  and  *  Never ')  I  say  to  you — 
*  Stick  firm  to  the  Union  '  (cheers).  I  say  to  you, 
spare  no  effort  to  maintain  the  magnificent  inheri- 
tance which  has  descended  to  you  from  your  fore- 
fathers (hear,  hear),  and,  believe  me,  those  are  the 
greatest  enemies  to  the  Commonwealth,  whether 
they  are  known  as  Separatists  or  by  any  other  name, 
who  would  do  anything  to  weaken  or  impair  the 
integrity  of  the  United  Kingdom.  Good-bye  (loud 
cheers).'' 

During  this  brief  address  one  or  two  interruptions 
and  cries  of  *'  Coercionist  "  came  from  a  small 
faction  of  the  Gladstonians,  but  the  dissentients 
were  speedily,  overwhelmed  by  Mr.  Chamberlain's 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA      ii 

enthusiastic  supporters,  and  the  cheering  was  re- 
newed with  redoubled  vigour  as  the  train  steamed 
out  of  the  station.  On  arriving  at  Liverpool  Mr. 
Chamberlain  was  met  by  the  Mayor,  Sir  James 
Poole,  who  had  invited  a  select  party  to  meet  him  at 
lunch  at  the  Town  Hall. 

On  the  morning  of  the  same  day  Bergne  and  I, 
having  taken  farewell  of  our  respective  belongings, 
foregathered  at  Euston  at  lo  o'clock  and  reached 
Liverpool  at  2.40.  We  had  to  charter  a  cart  there 
to  convey  our  impedimenta  to  the  landing-stage. 
Nelthorpe  Beauclerk  had  also  accompanied  us  from 
London.  He  too  was  on  his  way  to  Washington  to 
take  up  his  duties  as  Second  Secretary  at  the  Lega- 
tion. He  was  one  of  the  very  best — quiet,  unas- 
suming, but  a  most  capable  diplomatist.  He  served 
in  many  countries  after  his  brief  stay  in  Washington ; 
his  young  wife  having  died  in  England,  shortly  after 
our  arrival.  His  last  post  was  that  of  Minister  to 
the  Republics  of  Peru,  Bolivia,  and  Ecuador.  He 
died  all  too  soon  in  1908.  There  were  vast  crowds 
both  outside  the  Town  Hall  and  at  the  landing-stage 
waiting  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  Mr.  Chamberlain,  but 
those  at  the  latter  place  were  doomed  to  disappoint- 
ment. We  ourselves  were  wondering  what  had  be- 
come of  him  when  the  tender  put  off  about  3.30  for 


12    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

the  Cunarder  Etrurta  ywhichwas  lying  inmid-channel. 
He  duly  arrived,  however,  in  a  private  tender  about 
5  o'clock,  and  we  steamed  out  of  the  Mersey  at  6.30. 
The  Etruria  carried  360  saloon  passengers,  and 
about    100   others,   many   of  them  Americans   in 
buoyant  spirits  at  the  prospect  of  returning  to  the 
country  of  their  birth.     Captain  Cook,  who  had 
crossed  the  Atlantic  goodness  knows  how  many 
times,  and  was  at  that  time  Commodore  of  the 
Cunard  fleet,  was  in  command  of  the  vessel.     He 
was  a  great  character,  and  though  we  naturally  had 
seats  at  his  table,  we  saw  but  little  of  him  at  meals 
during  the  voyage,  the  weather  being  so  stormy  as 
to  necessitate  his  being  nearly  always  on  the  bridge. 
He  could  be  very  cynical  at  times,  and  had  no  love 
for  the  Americans,  who  I  believe  had  once  locked 
him  up  for  some  breach  of  the  port  regulations  at 
New  York.     Lots  of  good  stories,  true  or  otherwise, 
were  recounted  about  him.     Once  a  nervous  female 
asked  him  if  the  vessel  was  far  from  land.     **  About 
three    and   a   half   miles.   Madam,   straight    down 
there  "  was  the  reply,  pointing  to  the  bed  of  the 
ocean.     On  another  occasion   in  a  terrific  gale  a 
bishop  on  board  ventured  to  inquire  if  there  was 
any  danger. 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA      13 

"  Well,  my  lord/'  rejoined  the  ancient  mariner, 
*'  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  we  were  all  in  heaven  in 
less  than  half  an  hour." 

**  God  forbid ! "  exclaimed  the  bishop,  momen- 
tarily forgetting  that  such  a  consummation,  accord- 
ing to  the  tenets  of  his  faith,  was  one  devoutly  to 
be  desired. 

We  reached  Queenstown  safely  on  the  following 
Sunday  morning  about  eleven,  and  took  the  mails  on 
board.  Sundry  pressmen  came  aboard  and  inter- 
viewed Mr.  Chamberlain,  who  was  seated  in  his 
deck  chair  behind  a  large  cigar. 

We  left  Queenstown  on  the  evening  of  Sunday, 
October  30,  with  the  sky  looking  very  black  and  a 
fresh  breeze  springing  up.  The  prospect  looked 
anything  but  bright  ahead,  the  barometer  was  falling 
rapidly,  and  Cook,  on  the  bridge,  was  enveloped  in 
yellow  tarpaulin,  evidently  prepared  for  ''  dirty 
weather."  I  shall  never  forget  the  horrors  of  that 
voyage  to  my  dying  day,  especially  the  nights.  The 
noise  overhead,  the  clanking  of  chains,  the  shouts  of 
the  sailors,  the  screw  racing  out  of  the  water  half 
of  the  time,  which  seemed  to  make  the  great  vessel 
palpitate  from  end  to  end,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
bangs  of  the  monster  waves  against  the  ship's  sides, 


14    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

made  sleep  a  matter  of  impossibility.  I  often  used 
to  think  of  Mrs.  Willard's  lines  : 

"  Rocked  in  the  cradle  of  the  deep, 
I  lay  me  down  in  peace  to  sleep," 

and  thought  she  would  have  piped  a  very  different 
tune  had  she  been  on  board  the  Etruria,  We  were 
battened  down  half  the  time,  and  unable  to  go  on 
deck.  A  lifeboat  was  swept  away  and  a  huge  venti- 
lator bent  double.  Some  of  the  seamen,  too,  were 
badly  hurt  and  swept  off  their  legs.  Cook  admitted 
that  it  was  the  worst  passage  he  ever  remembered, 
and  the  boatswain  said  the  same  thing,  and  they  had 
both  done  the  trip  times  without  number.  Was 
there  ever  penned  such  a  magnificent  and  realistic 
description  of  the  horrors  of  an  Atlantic  passage  in 
winter  as  Charles  Dickens  compiled  in  his  American 
Notes? — **  But  what  the  agitation  of  a  steam  vessel 
is  on  a  bad  winter's  night  in  the  wild  Atlantic,  it  is 
impossible  for  the  most  vivid  imagination  to  con- 
ceive. To  say  that  she  is  flung  down  on  her  side  in 
the  waves  with  her  masts  dipping  into  them,  and 
that,  springing  up  again,  she  rolls  over  on  the  other 
side,  until  a  heavy  sea  strikes  her  with  the  noise  of  a 
hundred  great  guns,  and  hurls  her  back — that  she 
stops  and  staggers,  and  shivers  as  though  stunned, 
and  then,  with  a  violent  throbbing  at  her  heart,  darts 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       15 

onward  like  a  monster  goaded  into  madness,  to  be 
beaten  down,  and  battered,  and  crushed,  and  leaped 
on  by  the  angry  sea — that  thunder,  lightning,  hail, 
and  rain,  and  wind,  are  all  in  fierce  contention  for  the 
mastery — that  every  plank  has  its  groan,  every  nail 
its  shriek,  and  every  drop  of  water  in  the  great  ocean 
its  howling  voice — is  nothing.  To  say  that  all  is 
grand,  and  all  appalling  and  horrible  in  the  last 
degree,  is  nothing.  Words  cannot  express  it. 
Thoughts  cannot  convey  it.  Only  a  dream  can 
call  it  up  again  in  all  its  fury,  rage,  and  passion." 
That  describes  to  the  letter  our  experience  on 
the  Etruria  forty-five  years  after  those  lines  were 
written. 

Mr.  Chamberlain  was  a  good  sailor,  and  hardly 
ever  missed  a  meal,  nor  did  I  miss  one.  Poor  little 
Bergne,  on  the  other  hand,  suffered  the  tortures 
of  the  damned  throughout  the  voyage,  and  some 
female  in  a  cabin  adjacent  to  mine  screamed  half 
the  night,  and  was  perpetually  anointing  herself 
with  essence  of  peppermint  as  a  remedy  for  sea 
sickness,  and  its  pungent  odour  was  the  reverse  of 
comforting.  A  very  small  percentage  of  the  pas- 
sengers turned  up  at  meals,  and  the  saving  under 
the  subheads  "  bacon,  ham,  and  pork  "  must  have 
been  quite  considerable.    Of  course  every  one  in  the 


i6    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

smoking  saloon  wanted  to  talk  to  Mr.  Chamberlain, 
and  edged  up  to  him  whenever  a  chance  offered. 
These  well-meant  attentions  bored  him  to  distrac- 
tion, so  much  so  that  he  eventually  sought  refuge  in 
the  chief  officer^s  cabin,  where  we  had  many  a 
smoke  and  chat  together  in  peace,  or  comparative 
peace  leastways,  as  perfect  peace  on  the  Atlantic  in 
November  is  an  unknown  quantity.  Bar  the  weather, 
the  voyage  was  as  uneventful  as  most  sea  voyages 
are.  On  November  4  the  hurricane  abated  a  bit, 
and  we  got  on  deck,  and  the  sight  of  a  whale  was 
reported.  Every  one  rushed  up  on  deck  to  see  what 
was  to  be  seen,  which  was  not  much  beyond  the 
crest  of  a  dark  object  about  100  yards  from  the  vessel 
throwing  up  occasional  jets  of  water.  To  the  best 
of  my  recollection  we  only  met  one  vessel  during 
the  whole  voyage,  homeward  bound,  thus  exempli- 
fying the  truth  of  what  my  old  mariner  at  Clovelly 
had  said. 

On  Saturday,  November  5,  we  were  700  miles 
from  Sandy  Hook,  rather  better  weather,  and  steam- 
ing about  454  knots  a  day.  We  had  a  concert  that 
night,  with  Mr.  Chamberlain  in  the  chair,  and 
realised  £22  for  the  Sailors'  Orphanage.  Poor 
Barton  M^Guckin,  since  deceased,  who  was  going 
out  to  fulfil  a  professional  engagement  at  New  York, 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       17 

was,  of  course,  the  lion  of  the  evening.  I  contri- 
buted a  few  comic  songs  which  were  favourably 
received,  notably  Corney  Grain's  ''  He  did  and 
he  didn't  know  why  " — always  a  sure  hit — and 
**  Jarge's  Jubilee,"  also  one  of  his.  The  next  day 
we  took  a  pilot  on  board — Boat  No.  4. 

On  Monday,  November  7,  we  passed  the  Statue 
of  Liberty  and  reached  New  York.  The  statue  is 
a  remarkable  erection,  representing  "  Liberty  en- 
lightening the  World,"  and  stands  on  Bedloe's 
Island,  about  two  miles  from  the  Battery.  It  is  a 
draped  figure  of  a  female,  made  of  repousse  copper  by 
Bartholdi,  and  is  over  150  feet  in  height.  The  god- 
dess is  crowned  by  a  diadem,  holding  a  tablet  close 
to  the  body  in  the  left  hand  and  a  torch  in  the  up- 
lifted right  hand,  which  at  night  is  lighted  by  elec- 
tricity. Her  forefinger  alone  is  7  feet  long  and  over 
4  feet  in  circumference,  and  her  nose  is  a  yard 
long.  The  statue  weighs  25  tons,  and  cost  over  a 
million  francs,  raised  by  public  subscription  in 
France.  It  stands  on  a  granite  pedestal  155  feet 
high.  It  took  Bartholdi  four  years  to  construct, 
and  was  erected  the  year  before  we  went  out.  The 
pedestal  cost  about  3^50,000,  subscribed  in  America. 
It  was  unveiled  by  the  President  in  October  1886. 

The  number  of  females,  wearing  what  they  called 

B 


i8    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

their  "  store  clothes,"  who  turned  up  on  deck,  and 
who  had  never  been  seen  before  on  the  voyage,  was 
quite  surprising.  In  accordance  with  usage  in  the 
case  of  diplomatic  Missions,  we  had  been  accorded 
the  usual  exemption  from  Customs  examination. 
The  revenue  cutter  Manhattan  came  out  to  meet 
us  at  the  quarantine  station,  and  we  said  adieu  to 
the  good  ship  Etruria  and  trans-shipped  on  to  the 
cutter.  On  board  of  it  to  meet  us  were  poor  Henry 
Edwardes,  who  had  come  up  from  Washington, 
where  he  was  then  Secretary  of  Legation ;  William 
Lane  Booker,  our  Consul-General  at  New  York — 
both  now,  alas !  long  since  called  to  their  last  rest ; 
Mr.  William  Smith,  an  ex-Canadian  Minister  of 
Marine  and  an  old  ally  of  Bergne's  ;  and  a  quartette 
of  pressmen,  with  their  books  and  pencils,  anxious 
to  learn  our  impressions  of  their  country,  regardless 
of  our  not  yet  having  had  time  to  formulate  any. 
We  disembarked  at  what  is  known  as  the  Barge 
Landing,  and  proceeded  thence  to  the  Brevoort 
House  Hotel  in  5th  Avenue,  where  apartments  had 
been  reserved  for  us.  It  was  a  fine  building,  much 
affected  by  the  best  class  of  Europeans,  and  the 
cuisine  was  excellent.  There  Mr.  Chamberlain 
accorded  an  interview  to  a  shoal  of  reporters  which 
supplied  material  for  many  columns  in  the  Herald 


3        )      > 

Si       ' 


Photo :  Morse,  San  Francisco 

THE   LATE   SIR  WILLIAM   LANE  BOOKER 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       19 

Tribune,  and  other  leading  organs  of  the  New  York 
press  of  the  next  day.  It  will  suffice  to  quote  an 
extract  from  the  first-named  only,  as  affording  some 
idea  of  the  bombardment  of  problems  to  which  our 
right  honourable  Chief  was  subjected. 

At  six  o'clock  the  reporter  was  received  very 
courteously  at  the  Brevoort  by  Mr.  Chamberlain. 
Two  detectives  were  on  guard  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
rooms.  Mr.  Chamberlain's  accent  is  decidedly 
English,  and  his  voice  a  quiet,  pleasant-sounding 
one.  He  laughed  when  told  the  interview  was  the 
custom  of  the  country,  and  said  he  was  quite  willing 
to  submit. 

Diplomacy  an  Evasion 

The  first  questions  were  about  the  Liberal  party, 
Mr.  Gladstone,  Lord  Randolph  Churchill,  Republi- 
canism in  England,  the  House  of  Lords,  and  Home 
Rule — in  fact,  all  those  questions  which  are  now  very 
much  agitating  England,  and  with  which  Americans 
are  more  or  less  familiar  from  the  special  foreign 
correspondence  of  the  Herald,  Mr.  Chamberlain 
smilingly  shook  his  head. 

**  I  am  unable,"  he  said,  **  to  answer  questions  on 
the  controversial  politics  of  England.  I  have  come 
here  to  assume  the  duties  of  a  diplomatist,  and  there- 
fore I  cannot  speak  on  matters  of  controversy  at 
home." 

**  It  has  been  insinuated,"  said  the  reporter,  **  that 


20    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

your  appointment  by  the  Tory  Government  was 
made  in  the  hope  of  compHcating  still  further  the 
Irish  difficulty." 

*'  I  have  not  seen  anything  of  the  kind,"  v^as  the 
reply.  "  That  cannot  be,  and  I  would  not  pay  any 
attention  to  such  an  insinuation." 


Commercial   Union 

The  reporter  then  drew  his  attention  to  the  action 
on  last  Thursday  of  the  New  York  Chamber  of 
Commerce  advocating  free  trade  with  Canada,  and 
to  the  fact  that  a  committee  had  been  appointed  to 
see  what  could  be  done  about  commercial  union, 
also  to  the  following  extracts  from  his  English 
speeches  read  at  that  meeting  : 

Commercial  union  with  the  United  States  meant 
that  Canada  was  to  give  preference  to  every 
article  of  manufacture  from  the  United 
States  over  the  manufactures  from  Great 
Britain.  If  the  people  of  Canada  desired 
an  arrangement  of  that  kind  he  did  not  doubt 
that  they  would  be  able  to  secure  it.  He  did 
not  think  anybody  in  England  would  pre- 
vent such  an  arrangement  by  force  ;  but  he 
remarked  that  in  that  case  all  the  advantages 
of  the  slender  tie  that  bound  Canada  to 
England  would  disappear,  so  far  as  England 
was  concerned  ;  and  it  was  not  likely  that 
the  people  of  Great  Britain  would  continue 
much  longer  to  sustain  the  obligations  and 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       21 

responsibilities  of  a  relationship  all  the  re- 
ciprocal benefits  of  which  had  been  with- 
drawn. .  .  .  To  investigate  the  possibility 
of  a  material  expansion  of  our  commerce  in 
this  direction  by  inviting  arguments  for  and 
against  commercial  union  with  Canada,  and 
documentary  evidence  as  to  the  extent  and 
prospects  of  the  trade  between  the  two 
countries,  and  to  report  to  this  Chamber 
such  recommendations  for  its  action  as  will 
enable  it  to  contribute  its  influence,  not  only 
to  the  early  adjustment  of  the  Fishery  ques- 
tion, but  to  aid  in  procuring  such  legislation 
as  will  promote  the  interests  of  the  commerce 
of  this  country,  should  such  action  be 
deemed  desirable. 

"  I  don't  think  I  can  add  anything  to  what  I  have 
said,"  was  the  response.  "  That  was  from  a  speech 
I  made  a  few  days  before  leaving  England." 

Canadian  Independence 

"  But  if  commercial  union  were  brought  about, 
would  it  lead  to  the  absolute  independence  of  Canada 
from  Great  Britain  ?  " 

"  I  said,"  replied  Mr.  Chamberlain,  **  if  com- 
mercial union  meant  free  trade  between  the  United 
States  and  Canada,  and  at  the  same  time  the  continu- 
ance of  protective  duties  on  the  part  of  Canada 
against  the  mother  country,  that  undoubtedly  an 
arrangement  of  that  kind  would  lead  the  English 


22    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

people  to  reflect  upon  the  advantage  or  disadvan- 
tage of  undertaking  the  responsibiUty  of  the  existing 
relations." 


The  Fisheries 

**  Do  you  expect  to  settle  all  questions  at  issue 
between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  or 
to  confine  your  attention  to  the  North  Atlantic 
Fisheries  ?  " 

**  I  think  the  differences  with  regard  to  the  Fisheries 
are  the  chief  object  of  the  Commission,  but  I  do  not 
think  they  preclude  the  introduction  of  other  ques- 
tions." 

"  As  the  best  solution  of  the  problem,  has  not  Lord 
Salisbury  in  his  published  despatches  proposed  a 
return  to  the  Treaty  of  Washington  (without  com- 
pensation for  the  inshore  fisheries)  ?  '' 

'*  It  was  proposed  in  those  despatches  as  a  tem- 
porary solution  pending  further  and  fuller  dis- 
cussion." 

**  In  your  opinion,  Mr.  Chamberlain,  would  it  be 
wiser  to  work  back  towards  the  last  method  of 
settlement  (the  Treaty  of  Washington)  or  to  take  up 
the  Treaty  of  1818  and  attempt  to  revise  it  ?  " 

*'  It  is  not  open  to  anticipate  what  the  result  of 
the  discussion  will  be." 


The  Behring  Sea  Seal  Fisheries 

"  Have  you  determined  to  include  the  Behring 
Sea  Seal  fisheries  in  the  proposed  settlement  ?  " 


UNITED    STATES  AND    CANADA        23 

**  It  depends  on  the  course  of  discussion  whether 
the  Commission  will  touch  that  matter  or  not." 

"  But  should  commercial  union  be  excluded  from 
the  final  settlement,  do  you  think  that  a  settlement 
could  be  reached  satisfactory  to  Canada  ?  " 

''  Well,"  said  Mr.  Chamberlain  slowly,  "  the 
Canadians  have  a  responsible  Commissioner  in  Sir 
Charles  Tupper.  No  one  can  be  more  competent 
than  he,  and  if  he  is  satisfied  the  people  of 
Canada  will  be  satisfied.  Sir  Charles  Tupper  is 
specially  competent  to  speak  on  behalf  of  the 
Canadians." 

Mr.  Chamberlain  added  that  he  regarded  England 
alone  as  his  client. 

''  Is  the  Irish  question  likely  to  be  settled  very 
soon  ?  " 

"  I    don't    think    it    will    be    settled    in    our 


time." 


*'  You  are  on  record  as  to  the  House  of  Lords, 
Mr.  Chamberlain,  are  you  not  ?  " 

'*  No,  I  don't  think  I  can  point  to  any  definite 
expression  of  opinion  on  that  subject." 

The  reporter  ventured  again  to  bring  up  Home 
Rule,  and  Mr.  Chamberlain  said  : 

"  I  have  always  said  I  was  prepared — ^to  use  Mr. 
Gladstone's  own  words — ^to  give  the  largest  possible 
extension  of  local  government  in  Ireland  consistent 
with  the  integrity  of  the  Empire,  the  supremacy  of 
the  Imperial  Parliament,  protection  of  the  minority, 
and  so  on." 


24    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

Irish  Americans 

"  And  what  do  you  think  of  the  Irish  question  in 
America  ?  '* 

"  I  have  said  on  some  occasions  that  in  the  last 
thirty  years  they  have  not  hesitated  to  co-operate, 
while  having  regard  for  the  best  interests  of  their 
adopted  country,  in  pursuit  of  their  objects." 

"  And  now,  Mr.  Chamberlain,  is  it  true  that  de- 
tectives have  come  with  you  from  England  ?  " 

The  answer  was  given  boldly  and  manly  : 

*'  No,  but  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  United  States 
Government  will  take  good  care  of  its  guests.  I  have 
no  fear  on  that  subject." 

Finally  he  said  he  would  make  no  public  speeches 
anjrwhere,  at  least  on  politics.  He  had  not  come  as 
a  private  Englishman,  but  as  a  diplomatist.  He 
would  endeavour  to  see  as  much  of  the  country  as 
possible  and  would  visit  Canada.  He  would  go  in 
a  few  days — he  could  not  say  exactly  when — to 
Washington,  and  on  his  return  would  stay  some 
time  in  New  York. 

Mr.  Chamberlain  has  already  received  several 
private  invitations  to  partake  of  hospitalities. 

That  night  we  dined  at  the  hotel,  and  afterwards 
went,  at  the  invitation  of  the  late  Mr.  Whitelaw  Reid, 
to  his  box  at  the  opera,  and  heard  Tannhduser^  and 
''  so  to  bed,"  as  Pepys  would  say.  It  was  a  pleasant 
change  to  be  once  more  in  a  steady  couch  on  terra 


>  3         >    .        >','-.       > 


Photo:  John  Edzvards 

THE    LATE   HON.    HENRY   EDWARDES 


•       •    • 


UNITED    STATES   AND   CANADA       25 

firma  after  the  eight  nights'  terrific  bucketing  we 
had  had  on  the  Atlantic. 

We  spent  ten  days  in  New  York  altogether,  full  of 
interest  to  us,  but  uneventful  from  a  public  point  of 
view.  On  the  morning  of  the  8th  we  had  to  send 
some  official  despatches  to  the  Foreign  Office,  and 
Bergne  and  I  went  for  a  walk  in  the  afternoon,  but 
owing  to  the  municipal  elections  being  in  full  swing 
all  the  shops  were  shut.  He  and  I  dined  at  the 
Manhattan  Club  that  night,  where  we  met  Dudley 
Field  and  other  prominent  citizens,  all  full  of  the 
elections.  Mr.  Chamberlain  dined  that  night  at 
Delmonico's  with  Henry  Edwardes.  On  the  9th 
we  all  paid  a  visit  to  Booker,  and  looked  over  the 
Consulate  General,  one  of  the  busiest  and  most 
important  of  all  the  British  consular  posts. 

On  the  loth  the  Chief  and  I  went  for  a  walk  in  the 
afternoon,  and  left  cards  on  Henry  Irving  at  the 
Brunswick.  Bergne  and  I  dined  with  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Booker  that  evening  at  the  private  hotel  where  they 
lived,  and  Mr.  Chamberlain  dined  with  Mrs.  Paran 
Stevens  to  meet  the  late  Duke  of  Marlborough.  His 
Grace  had  called  on  him  at  our  hotel  shortly  after 
our  arrival,  and  threw  out  a  hint  that  he  would  like 
to  be  attached  to  our  Mission.  Mr.  Chamberlain 
could  not,  however,  give  him  any  encouragement  in 


26    WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

that  direction,  as  our  number  was  limited  and  we 
were  already  "  full  up."  So  they  fell  back  on 
"  orchids,"  a  congenial  topic  to  both.  The  Duke 
was  at  that  time  paying  his  court  to  the  opulent  Mrs. 
Hammersley,  who  was  then  residing  in  New  York, 
and  who  in  the  following  year  became  his  Duchess, 
and,  three  years  after  his  death  in  1892,  married  the 
late  Lord  William  Beresford. 

On  the  nth  Bergne,  Henry  Edwardes,  and  I  dined 
at  Delmonico's,  where  I  made  my  first  acquaint- 
ance with  Maryland  terrapin  and  canvas-back  duck, 
of  both  of  which  I  had  heard  much,  but  thought  them 
rather  overrated  luxuries,  the  latter  especially — not 
a  patch  on  a  good  English  wild  duck.  After  dinner 
we  went  to  a  reception  at  Gilder's,  the  editor  of  the 
Century^  and  met  a  lot  of  distinguished  litterateurs. 
Gilder  was  quite  charming,  and  a  profound  admirer 
of  my  old  friend  Austin  Dobson  of  the  Board  of 
Trade.  Altogether  it  was  a  most  interesting  and 
illuminating  reunion. 

On  the  1 2th  Bergne  and  I  went  down  to  the  North 
River  Dock  in  Clarkson  Street,  where  the  Etruria 
was  berthed,  to  have  a  final  handshake  with  old  Cook, 
who  was  sailing  that  day  for  home,  and  looking  for- 
ward to  rejoining  his  young  wife  at  Ealing.  He  too 
had  been  putting  up  at  the  Brevoort  House,  where 


UNITED    STATES  AND   CANADA       27 

we  saw  a  good  deal  of  him.  We  wished  him  bon 
voyage^  and  that  was  the  last  time  I  ever  saw  that 
gallant  old  mariner,  now  no  longer  in  the  land  of 
the  living. 

On  the  13th  we  lunched  at  Delmonico's  and  took 
the  Elevated  Railroad  from  6th  Avenue  to  Riverside 
Park  on  the  Hudson  to  see  President  Grant's  tomb, 
the  Bookers  accompanying  us.  The  gallant  general 
was  buried  there  on  August  8,  1885,  with  full  mili- 
tary honours  ;  the  concourse  of  people  along  the  line 
of  march  was  the  greatest  ever  seen  in  New  York. 
The  tomb  itself  is  an  unpretentious  stone  edifice, 
surrounded  by  iron  railings  if  I  remember  aright. 

Nothing  particular  occurred  on  the  14th,  excepting 
that  we  went  in  the  evening  to  the  opera  Siegfried,  to  cj/^  ,^^*<^\ 
Mr.  Witridge's  box.  Mrs.  Witridge  was  a  daughter 
of  Matthew  Arnold,  and,  like  her  illustrious  father, 
devoted  to  dachshunds.  She  was  much  interested 
in  the  adventures  of  a  **  dachs  "  of  my  own,  who  had 
found  his  way  from  Blackheath  to  Whitehall  un- 
accompanied. His  portrait,  and  an  account  of  his 
marvellous  performance,  appeared  in  the  Illustrated 
London  News  of  November  3,  1883,  which  I  subse- 
quently sent  to  her. 

On  the  15th,  in  the  evening,  Henry  Edwardes  and 
I  went  to  Niblo's  Theatre  to  hear  some  minstrels. 


28    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

We  thought  it  rather  a  poor  show.  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain was  entertained  that  evening  at  a  banquet  given 
by  the  New  York  Chamber  of  Commerce,  at  which 
some  two  hundred  of  the  leading  merchants  of  the 
city  were  present.  Bergne  went  with  him.  At  this 
dinner  Mr.  Chamberlain  gave  a  striking  example  of 
his  marvellous  memory.  Mr.  Lamar,  ex-Secretary 
of  the  Interior,  over  whose  appointment  to  a 
Supreme  Court  judgeship  there  had  recently  been  a 
good  deal  of  commotion  in  the  Senate,  wound  up  his 
opening  speech  by  remarking  that  it  had  been  said 
by  an  English  poet  that  ''  Commerce  is  the  golden 
girdle  of  the  globe."  Probably  few  men  could  say 
offhand  who  the  poet  referred  to  was,  and  still  fewer 
give  the  exact  context.  Mr.  Chamberlain  was,  how- 
ever, equal  to  both,  and,  on  rising  to  reply,  said  he 
could  not  refrain  from  completing  the  quotation,  as 
it  seemed  to  him  so  especially  apposite  to  the  views 
he  was  anxious  to  impress  on  his  audience.  The 
lines,  he  said,  were  Cowper's,  and  were  as  follows  : 

"  Again — the  band  of  commerce  was  designed 
To  associate  all  the  branches  of  mankind, 
And  if  a  boundless  plenty  be  the  robe, 
Trade  is  the  golden  girdle  of  the  globe." 

They  occur  in  the  poem  *'  Charity,"  and  you  may 
search  in  vain  in  Bartlett's  and  other  Dictionaries 


Photo:  Rice,  Washington 


CAPTAIN   F.    H.    HINDE 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       29 

of  Quotations  for  any  reference  to  them,  so  it  really 
was  rather  a  remarkable  feat. 

The  1 6th  was  our  last  day  in  New  York  on  this 
occasion.  We  should  have  started  for  Washington 
sooner  but  for  the  fact  that  Sir  Charles  Tupper  was 
detained  in  Canada  by  his  election  in  New  Bruns- 
wick, and  no  meetings  of  the  joint  Commission  could 
take  place  till  his  arrival  at  Washington. 

I  should  have  mentioned  earlier  that  the  United 
States  Government  deemed  it  advisable,  as  a  matter 
of  precaution,  to  detail  four  detectives  to  ''  shadow  " 
Mr.  Chamberlain  during  his  visit.  They  were 
picked  men  from  Pinkerton's  agency,  in  command  of 
Captain  F.  H.  Hinde,  a  very  smart,  handsome  fellow, 
who  regaled  me  with  many  interesting  narratives  of 
his  experiences  in  detective  work.  He  was  with  us 
from  the  time  we  left  the  Etruria  till  we  started  on 
the  return  journey.  He  used  to  say, "  If  any  crank 
tries  to  get  at  Mr.  Chamberlain,  I  guess  Fll  get 
there  first."  And  I  guess  he  would  have,  too.  The 
Chief,  who  was  absolutely  fearless  in  such  matters, 
loathed  being  "  shadowed,"  and  nothing  pleased  him 
more  than  to  think  he  had  evaded  their  watchful 
eye,  but  I  don't  think  he  ever  succeeded  in  doing 
so.  The  **  tecs  "  were  never  obtrusive,  but  always 
**  on  the  premises."     Hinde  brought  me  one  day  a 


30  WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN 

quantity  of  books  presented  to  me  by  Robert  Pink- 
erton,  written  by  his  distinguished  father  Allan 
Pinkerton,  which  formed  valuable  addenda  to  my 
already  extensive  collection  of  works  on  Crimino- 
logy. But  the  Clan  na  Gael,  despite  all  sorts  of 
alarming  reports,  gave  us  no  trouble.  An  Irish  cab- 
driver  one  day  recognised  Mr.  Chamberlain  coming 
out  of  Delmonico's  and  called  out  to  him,  **  Don't 
forget  ould  Ireland,  yer  honour."  The  Chief  pro- 
mised him  that  he  wouldn't,  with  which  assurance 
the  man  seemed  perfectly  satisfied.  The  last  night 
in  New  York,  Henry  Edwardes  and  I  went  to  Daly's 
Theatre  to  see  Ada  Rehan  in  the  Railroad  of  Love, 
a  play  which  afforded  us  but  little  amusement  or 
enjoyment^ 


Photo  :  Bassano,  Bond  Street 

THE   LATE   CAPTAIN    R.    C.    CLIPPERTON 


CHAPTER   III 

WASHINGTON 

We  left  New  York  on  the  morning  of  November  17, 
and  took  the  ferry  to  Jersey  City.  Thence  we 
journeyed  by  rail  to  Washington,  which  we  reached 
safely  at  4.30.  The  heat  of  the  car  was  rather 
oppressive.  At  Philadelphia  Captain  Clipperton, 
Her  late  Majesty's  Consul,  boarded  the  train  and 
had  a  few  minutes'  interview  with  Mr.  Chamberlain 
and  ourselves.  He  and  I  had  worked  together  in 
the  Foreign  Office  some  years  previously,  and  were 
always  great  friends.  He  was  a  very  popular, 
cheery  personage,  and  the  best  possible  company, 
as  well  as  an  admirable  consular  officer.  I  shall 
have  more  to  say  about  him  during  our  halt  at 
Philadelphia  on  the  return  journey.  He  retired  on 
a  pension  in  1898,  and  died  last  year.  He  was  uni- 
versally respected  and  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him, 
and  by  none  more  than  myself.  At  the  depot  at 
Washington  we  were  met  by  Sir  Lionel  Sackville 
West,  the  British  Minister,  Beauclerk,  and  Cecil 

Spring  Rice,  who  was  then  a  third  Secretary  in  the 

31 


32    WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

Legation,  a  young  man  of  brilliant  attainments,  who 
is  now  our  Ambassador  at  Washington.  In  the  hall 
of  the  depot  my  attention  was  drawn  to  the  spot 
where  President  Garfield  was  shot  by  the  assassin 
Guiteau  in  July  1881,  from  the  effects  of  which  he 
never  recovered,  and  died  in  the  following  Sep- 
tember. The  spot  where  he  fell  is  marked  by  a 
small  brass  plate  on  the  floor.  Some  weeks  later  I 
went  over  the  jail  at  Washington,  and  inspected  the 
cell  in  which  Guiteau  was  confined  prior  to  his 
execution.  It  will  be  remembered  that  an  over- 
zealous  sentry  had  discharged  the  contents  of  his 
rifle  through  the  window  into  the  cell,  with  a  view 
to  settling  Guiteau,  who,  however,  lying  on  his  plank 
bedstead,  escaped  unscathed,  though  one  could  see 
the  marks  where  the  bullet  had  whizzed  round  the 
walls  of  the  cell.  The  jailer  was  very  anxious  I 
should  purchase  a  hank  of  the  rope  with  which  the 
assassin  was  hanged,  and  of  which  he  said  he  had  only 
a  small  piece  left.  I  was  warned,  however,  not  to 
close  with  this  offer,  as  he  was  said  already  to  have 
sold  enough  to  souvenir-seekers  to  reach  from 
Washington  to  Baltimore,  so  I  declined  his  offer 
with  thanks. 

From  the  depot  we  proceeded  to  the  Arlington 
Hotel,  which  was  our  headquarters  till  the  end  of  the 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA        33 

following  February.     I  remember  how  struck  I  was 
with  the  study  in  ''  black  and  white  "  that  the  large 
dining-hall  of  this  hotel  afforded.     The  black  faces 
of  the  shoals  of  waiters,  all  clad  in  white  twill,  stood 
out  in  striking  contrast  to  the  white  walls  and  ceiling ; 
and  the  number  of  plates  piled  up  one  on  the  top 
of  the  other  that  those  coloured  '*  pussuns  "  could 
support  on  one  hand,  while  walking  at  a  brisk  pace, 
without  ever  a  mishap,  was  a  marvellous  feat  of 
balancing.     That    night    Mr.  Chamberlain    enter- 
tained at  dinner  the  Canadian  contingent,  who  had 
come  with  us  from  New  York  and  were  also  putting 
up  at  the  Arlington.     They  consisted  of  Sir  Charles 
Tupper,  G.C.M.G.,  C.B.,  one  of  the  three  British 
Plenipotentiaries    and    at    that    time    Minister    of 
Finance  in  Canada.     His  distinguished  career  is  too 
well  known  to  need  recapitulation  in  detail  here. 
His  knowledge  of  all  the  ramifications  of  the  Fishery 
question  was  profound,  and  being  an  able  debater 
as  well,  it  goes  without  saying  that  no  more  valuable 
or  efficient  colleague  could  have  been  chosen  to  co- 
operate with  Mr.  Chamberlain  in  his  difficult  task. 
Sir  Charles  was  accompanied  by  the  Hon.  J.  S.  D. 
Thompson,  the  Dominion  Minister  of  Justice ;  by 
Major-General  D.  R.  Cameron,  his  Official  Secre- 
tary ;    and   Mr.   Chipman,   his  Private    Secretary. 


34    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

Mr.  Wallace  Graham,  Q.C.,  and  Mr.  George  John- 
son completed  the  Canadian  Delegation. 

The  Hon.  Sir  Lionel  Sackville  West,  K.C.M.G., 
then  British  Minister  at  Washington,  was,  as  already 
stated,  the  third  British  Plenipotentiary.  He  suc- 
ceeded to  the  title  of  second  Baron  Sackville  on  the 
death  of  his  brother  in  1888  and  died  in  1908.  His 
domestic  and  family  affairs  have  been  so  fully 
exploited  of  late  years  in  the  Law  Courts  of  this 
country  that  it  is  unnecessary  to  refer  to  them 
here.  He  was  a  man  of  an  extremely  reticent  nature, 
who  seldom  spoke  unless  some  one  spoke  to  him. 
So  retiring,  indeed,  was  he  that  if  I  remember  aright 
his  only  oral  contribution  to  the  thirty  meetings  of 
the  Conference  was  the  expression  of  a  wish  that  a 
certain  window  might  be  closed.  I  acted  as  Private 
Secretary  to  Mr.  Chamberlain  during  our  stay  at 
Washington,  which  involved  a  tremendous  amount 
of  correspondence  with  all  sorts  and  conditions  of 
people  on  every  conceivable  topic,  ranging  from  the 
provisions  of  Acts  of  Parliament  affecting  landlords 
and  tenants  in  Ireland  down  to  the  paving  of  the 
streets  of  Birmingham.  I  used  to  go  through  these 
letters  with  Mr.  Chamberlain  after  breakfast,  and 
he  would  tell  me  viva  voce  what  he  wished  said  in 
reply  to  the  more  important  ones.     Sometimes  I 


S    2 


V  >!»•# 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       35 

would  ask  Sir  Lionel  when  he  was  sitting  in  our 
working  room  what  answer  he  would  suggest  to  such 
and  such  a  question.  He  invariably  replied  with  a 
chuckle  :  **  My  dear  Maycock,  I  never  express  an 
opinion."  And  so  far  as  I  know  the  only  occa- 
sion on  which  he  departed  from  this  excellent 
maxim  resulted  in  the  termination  of  his  diplomatic 
career  in  the  autumn  of  1888.  He  never  mixed 
much  in  Washington  society,  and  his  reclusive 
habits  were  rather  incompatible  with  that  popu- 
larity which  is  so  essential  to  success  in  a  diplomatic 
career.  His  three  daughters  were  very  nice  girls — 
the  eldest,  Victoria,  now  Lady  Sackville,  not  only 
being  highly  accomplished  and  endowed  with 
exceptional  beauty  and  charm  of  ,  manner,  but 
invaluable  to  her  father  on  the  rare  occasions  when 
social  entertainments  took  place  at  the  Legation. 

The  three  Plenipotentiaries  selected  by  the  United 
States  Government  to  represent  them  at  the  Con- 
ference were  Mr.  T.  F.  Bayard,  Mr.  William  L. 
Putnam,  and  Mr.  James  B.  Angell,  some  particulars 
with  regard  to  whom  may  be  of  interest.  The  Hon. 
Thomas  Francis  Bayard  held  the  important  post  of 
Secretary  of  State  in  Mr.  Cleveland's  administration, 
a  position  which  more  or  less  corresponds  to  that 
of  Prime  Minister  in  this  country,  inasmuch  as  the 


36    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

occupant  is  the  senior  member  of  the  Cabinet.  Mr. 
Bayard  was  born  at  Wilmington,  Delaware,  in  1828, 
so  that  when  we  were  at  Washington  he  was  in  his 
sixtieth  year.  Originally  trained  for  a  mercantile 
career,  he  subsequently,  like  most  prominent  Ameri- 
can statesmen,  adopted  the  legal  profession.  He 
was  called  to  the  bar  in  1 851,  and  practised  for  many 
years  in  his  native  city.  Later  in  life  he  was  elected 
Senator  for  Delaware,  and  continued  to  be  so  with 
sundry  breaks  till  he  became  Secretary  of  State  in 
1885,  when  Mr.  Cleveland  was  elected  to  the  Presi- 
dency by  the  Democrats.  He  then  resigned  his  seat 
in  the  Senate.  Descended  from  a  long  line  of 
ancestors,  numbered  among  the  gallant  knights  and 
courtiers  conspicuous  in  the  wars  of  France  during 
the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries,  Mr.  Bayard 
was  a  tall  and  statesmanlike-looking  gentleman,  who 
bore  a  strong  facial  resemblance  to  Professor  Faw- 
cett.  His  manner  was  dignified,  courteous,  and  pre- 
possessing. Both  at  Washington  and  in  later  years 
in  this  country  he  always  addressed  me  as  "  Mr. 
Willoughby."  He  was  in  every  way  what  the 
Americans  term  a  **  lovable  man."  When  Mr. 
Grover  Cleveland  was  elected  as  President  for  the 
second  time  in  1893,  he  nominated  Mr.  Bayard  to 
proceed  to  this  country  as  Ambassador.     He  was 


UNITED    STATES    AND    CANADA       37 

the  first  diplomatic  agent  on  whom  the  United  States 
had  conferred  that  exalted  rank,  and  by  way  of 
reciprocity  the  British  Minister  at  Washington,  then 
Sir  Julian  Pauncefote,  was  given  a  corresponding 
status.  While  accredited  to  our  Court  Mr.  Bayard 
made  innumerable  friends,  and  did  much  to  cement 
the  cordial  relations  between  the  two  countries.  He 
entertained  on  a  liberal  scale,  and  was  in  addition  a 
good  sportsman,  a  keen  deer-stalker  in  the  High- 
lands, while  his  face  was  not  unfamiliar  at  Epsom, 
Ascot,  and  Newmarket  Heath.  His  one  infirmity 
was  a  slight  deafness.  His  death  in  September 
1898  at  Dedham,  Massachusetts,  deprived  the 
United  States  of  one  of  their  most  high-minded, 
cultivated,  and  refined  citizens,  and  a  warm  admirer 
of  this  country.  The  year  before  we  went  to 
Washington  Mr.  Bayard  had  sustained  two  severe 
domestic  bereavements  by  the  death  of  his  wife 
and  daughter  within  a  fortnight  of  one  another. 

Mr.  William  L.  Putnam  was  a  tall,  clean-shaven 
gentleman  of  about  fifty-six  years  of  age,  and  a 
Democrat.  A  lawyer  by  profession,  he  had  acted  as 
Counsel  for  the  United  States  for  some  two  years  in 
numerous  cases  involving  questions  of  Treaties  and 
laws  arising  out  of  the  Fishery  disputes,  and  he  was 
also  Counsel  for  the  Boston  and  Maine  Railway 


38    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

Company.  Mr.  James  Burrell  Angell  was  born  in 
Rhode  Island  in  1829.  ^^  ^^e  early  age  of  twenty- 
four  he  was  Professor  of  Modern  Languages  and 
Literature  at  the  Brown  University.  In  politics  he 
was  a  Republican,  and  for  some  years  he  was  United 
States  Minister  in  China.  He  was  widely  recog- 
nised as  a  man  of  high  character,  largely  endowed 
with  intellectual  gifts,  and  especially  well  qualified 
by  nature  and  experience  for  diplomatic  work  ; 
moreover,  he  was  a  very  genial  personage.  Both 
Messrs.  Putnam  and  Angell  were  staying  at  the 
Arlington,  so  we  naturally  saw  a  good  deal  of 
them,  and  spent  many  hours  in  their  congenial 
society. 

The  Hon.  J.  S.  Winter,  Attorney-General  of 
Newfoundland,  had  also  arrived  at  the  Arlington  as 
Agent  of  that  colony. 

On  the  day  after  our  arrival  Mr.  Chamberlain  re- 
ceived a  large  number  of  representatives  of  the  press, 
and  a  full  report  of  the  meeting  appeared  the  next 
day  in  the  Washington  Post.  It  is  a  good  example 
of  the  facetiae  of  the  American  reporter,  in  addition 
to  being  a  fairly  accurate  summary  of  what  passed 
on  that  occasion,  so  I  give  it  verbatim : 


UNITED    STATES   AND   CANADA       39 

MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   TALKS 
HE  SEES   THE  NEWSPAPER  MEN   AT  THE  ARLINGTON 

Commercial  Union  not  likely  to  be  discussed  at  the  Con- 
ference— A  Peaceable  Solution  of  the  Fisheries 
Dispute  looked  forward  to. 

At  five  o'clock  yesterday  evening  Mr. Chamberlain, 
one  of  the  English  Commissioners  for  the  settlement 
of  the  questions  in  dispute  between  the  English  Gov- 
ernment and  the  Government  of  the  United  States, 
especially  the  question  in  regard  to  the  rights  of 
United  States  fishermen  in  Canadian  waters,  gave 
a  reception  to  the  newspaper  reporters  of  Washington 
and  the  Washington  correspondents  of  the  principal 
newspapers  in  the  country.  About  forty  represen- 
tatives of  the  press  accepted  the  invitation,  and  were 
punctually  in  attendance  at  the  Arlington.  Mr. 
Bergne,  of  the  British  Foreign  Office,  who  arranged 
for  the  interview,  received  the  reporters  in  the  large 
parlour  on  the  second  floor  of  the  Johnson  annexe  of 
the  Arlington.  There  were  sofas  and  chairs  enough 
for  all,  and  in  the  middle  of  the  room  stood  a  large 
table  well  supplied  with  boxes  of  cigars,  bottles  of 
various  kinds  with  favourite  labels  on  them,  and 
several  syphons  of  seltzer  water  for  those  who 
preferred  to  take  it  mild.  When  all  had  been 
welcomed  by  Mr.  Bergne,  and  seated  around  the 
hospitable  table,  Mr.  Chamberlain  entered  by  a  side 
door,  dressed  in  a  closely  buttoned  black  Prince 
Albert  coat  and  light  grey  trousers,  after  the  most 


40     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

approved  English  fashion,  with  the  inevitable  eyeglass 
in  his  right  ocular.  His  black  hair  was  polished  like 
a  mirror,  and  he  smiled  and  smiled,  and  bowed  while 
he  smiled,  at  the  same  time  making  his  way  across 
to  the  far  side  of  the  room,  where  a  chair  had  been 
reserved  for  him.  The  reporters  rose  to  receive 
him,  and  as  he  invited  them,  by  example,  to  resume 
their  seats  he  said,  "  Gentlemen,  I  am  very  glad  to 
meet  you.  I  hope  you  are  all  quite  well.''  After 
a  short  pause  and  a  glance  at  the  table  he  added, 
"  Perhaps  some  of  you  will  smoke  a  cigar,"  pointing 
to  where  they  lay,  and  taking  another  puff  at  one  he 
had  already  lit.  The  visitors  did  not  yet  feel  quite 
at  home,  but  in  order  to  induce  a  more  comfortable 
feeling  most  of  them  took  cigars.  That  done,  Mr. 
Chamberlain,  smiling  still,  with  his  eyeglass  in  his 
ocular,  looked  on  one  side  of  the  company,  then  on 
the  other,  and  seeing  no  recognised  leader  whom  he 
could  particularly  address,  he  took  another  puff  at 
the  cigar,  and  looking  at  the  upward  column  of 
smoke,  as  he  lengthened  it  out,  he  said  to  the  smoke  : 
"  Well,  gentlemen,  what  can  I  do  to  serve  you  ?  " 

Then  it  was  that  the  reporters  felt  most  uneasy. 
They  didn't  all  want  to  speak  at  once.  No  spokes- 
man for  the  party  had  been  appointed,  and  as  they 
were  all  very  modest,  every  man  holding  that  his 
neighbour  had  the  best  right  to  speak  first,  there  was 
quite  a  pause  before  Mr.  Chamberlain  was  informed 
how  he  could  best  make  the  company  happy. 
One  questioned  him,  and  then  another  questioned 
him,  and  then  another,  until  nearly  every  man 
in   the    company    had   questioned   him,    some    of 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       41 

them  several  times,  but  he  didn't  object.  Mr. 
Bergne  and  two  other  attaches  of  the  Commission 
were  present  and  followed  the  exchanges  of  question 
and  answer  closely,  ready,  if  necessary^  to  give  Mr. 
Chamberlain  information  for  which  he  might  be 
called  upon  without  possessing.  Mr.  Chamberlain 
had  never  been  questioned  so  before,  even  at  ques- 
tion time  in  the  House  of  Commons,  when  he  was  a 
prominent  member  of  the  Government,  and  putting 
questions  to  Ministers  was  a  regular  and  organised 
species  of  disturbance  and  opposition.  All  ques- 
tions put  by  the  reporters  he  answered  just  as  he  has 
been  in  the  habit  of  answering  the  endless  questions 
of  troublesome  members  of  the  House  of  Commons. 
The  answer  was  always  ready  and  willing.  If  one 
asked  a  question  which  had  been  asked  and  answered 
before,  he  had  an  effective  way  of  saying  so,  with  a 
smile  and  focussing  of  the  eyeglass  that  made  the 
unfortunate  questioner  weary,  while  everybody  else 
was  made  merry.  A  stupid  question  was  sure  to  be 
met  with  a  light  sarcastic  reply  that  would  make  the 
gentleman  think  twice  before  questioning  again. 
He  didn't  snub  anybody,  but  when  anyone  required 
to  be  stamped  out  he  crushed  him  with  the  same  de- 
light that  he  used  to  experience  in  crushing  a  Tory. 
The  distinguished  gentleman  seemed  to  be  in  the 
best  of  health  and  spirits.  He  was  clean  shaven, 
and  without  the  side  whiskers  which  used  to  be  an 
important  element  in  his  facial  make-up.  He  said 
that  he  and  the  other  British  Commissioners,  Sir 
Lionel  Sackville  West  and  Sir  Charles  Tupper,  had 
called  at  the  State  Department  at  noon  and  met  the 


42    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

American  negotiators,  Secretary  Bayard  and  Messrs. 
Angell  and  Putnam  ;  that  they  had  arranged  to  meet 
the  President  at  twelve  o'clock  to-day,  and  that  on 
Monday  the  first  conference  between  the  negotiators 
would  be  held  at  the  State  Department.  How  long 
a  time  would  be  required  to  reach  a  conclusion  he 
could  not  say,  could  not  even  guess,  nor  could  he 
say  that  the  negotiators  would  meet  from  day  to  day 
without  any  intervals.  He  believed  that  all  parties 
were  ready  to  begin  work,  and  that  nobody  had  any 
desire  to  delay  the  progress  of  the  work.  As  to  the  con- 
ferences, he  believed  they  would  be  strictly  private  ; 
that  none  would  be  present  but  the  six  Commis- 
sioners, three  on  each  side  ;  that  none  of  those 
numerous  secretaries  and  legal  advisers  who  accom- 
panied himself  from  London  and  came  with  Sir 
Charles  Tupper  from  Canada  would  be  admitted  to 
the  conferences ;  and  that  the  only  report  or  record 
made  of  the  proceeding  would  be  a  brief  protocol 
drawn  up  at  the  end  of  each  conference  by  the  Com- 
missioners themselves,  the  protocol  being  simply 
the  minutes  in  brief  of  the  conference.  As  for  a 
stenographic  report  of  what  is  to  be  said,  or  of  any 
part  of  what  is  to  be  said  by  the  Commissioners,  he 
had  not  thought  of  such  a  thing,  and  did  not  suppose 
it  would  be  thought  of. 

"  Our  business,"  he  said,  *'  is  to  settle  all  ques- 
tions in  dispute  between  the  two  Governments.*' 
He  said  that  the  scope  of  the  negotiations  might 
widen  out  so  as  to  take  in  many  other  questions, 
besides  those  in  dispute  about  the  rights  of  United 
States  fishermen  in  Canadian  waters.     Regarding 


UNITED    STATES   AND   CANADA       43 

the  scheme  of  a  commercial  union  between  Canada 
and  the  United  States,  he  said  he  had  no  idea  that  it 
would  be  even  mentioned  in  the  negotiations.  *'  I 
do  not  think  Canada  wants  it,"  said  he,  **  and  I  do 
not  think  the  United  States  wants  it.  Sir  Charles 
Tupper,  the  Canadian  member  of  the  Commission, 
is  not  likely  to  propose  it,  and  certainly  I  shall  not, 
and  I  have  no  expectation  that  the  question  will  be 
raised  by  the  representatives  of  the  United  States." 

He  spoke  as  if  he  repudiated  the  idea  of  such  a 
commercial  union  as  chimerical.  He  said  he  did 
not  believe  the  United  States  Government  was  yet 
prepared  for  open  free  trade  with  all  the  world,  and 
that's  what  such  a  union  with  Canada  would  mean 
for  the  United  States,  because,  as  soon  as  the  United 
States  would  begin  to  admit  Canadian  goods  free  of 
duty,  the  trade  of  all  the  world  might  reach  the 
United  States  through  Canada  free.  It  would  be 
impossible  in  practice  to  say  that  articles  made  in 
England  or  in  Germany  had  not  been  made  in 
Canada.  Besides,  Canada  could  not  make  any 
commercial  treaty  with  the  United  States  without 
the  sanction  of  the  British  Government.  Some- 
body suggested  that,  according  to  Mr.  Butterworth 
and  Mr.  Wiman,  no  treaty  was  required  ;  that  the 
commercial  union  could  be  effected  by  legislation 
alone.  Mr.  Chamberlain,  being  prompted  by  Mr. 
Bergne,  answered  that  point  by  saying  that  the 
Imperial  Government  could  veto  any  such  legisla- 
tion on  the  part  of  Canada.  He  said  that  if  there 
was  a  universal  demand  for  such  a  commercial  union 
in  Canada  and  the  United  States,  he  did  not  believe 


44    WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

the  English  Government  would  oppose  it.  But  that 
state  of  things  had  not  been  realised,  and  if  it  ever 
came  it  would  involve  a  review  of  the  relations  be- 
tween Canada  and  the  mother  country,  so  that  the 
proposition  of  a  commercial  union  between  Canada 
and  the  United  States  will  not  come  within  the  scope 
of  these  negotiations. 

About  the  powers  of  the  English  Commissioners, 
Mr.  Chamberlain  explained  that  they  were  pleni- 
potentiary in  the  full  sense  of  the  term  ;  that  they 
might  conclude  and  consummate  a  Treaty  without 
referring  it  to  either  House  of  Parliament.  He  re- 
marked, however,  that  it  was  customary  to  make 
some  communication  to  Parliament  in  relation  to  any 
Treaty,  and  if  it  appeared  that  Parliament  was 
opposed  to  it  the  Ministry,  though  in  that  matter 
independent  of  Parliament,  would  not  be  likely  to 
insist  upon  it.  The  theory  is  that  the  Queen  has 
absolute  power  to  make  Treaties,  but,  as  happens 
now  in  regard  to  a  great  many  other  such  theories, 
the  Queen  or  her  Ministers  would  hardly  ever  think 
of  acting  in  opposition  to  Parliament  or  without 
consulting  Parliament  about  it.  Mr.  Chamberlain, 
however,  has  no  doubt  whatever  about  the  accept- 
ance by  the  English  and  Canadian  Governments  of 
any  agreement  which  the  Commission  may  succeed 
in  making.  *'  And  surely,"  said  he,  referring  to  the 
alleged  threats  of  some  Republican  Senators — 
''  Surely  no  member  of  the  United  States  Congress 
would  be  so  unreasonable  as  to  say  that  he  would  not 
ratify  a  Treaty  before  he  knows  what  kind  of  a  Treaty 
is  going  to  be  submitted  for  his  consideration.'* 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       45 

Being  informed  that  at  one  time  there  was  a  feeling 
in  this  country  that  something  Hke  a  war  between 
Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  might  result  from 
the  Fishery  troubles,  and  being  asked  if  there  was  any 
similar  apprehension  in  England,  Mr.  Chamberlain 
said,  with  great  earnestness,  that  he  was  sure  that 
the  possibility  of  a  war  between  the  United  States 
and  Great  Britain  never  entered  the  head  of  any 
sensible  man  in  England.  He  added  that  he  be- 
lieved if  nothing  at  all  were  done  regarding  the  dis- 
puted interpretations  of  the  Treaty  of  18 18,  out  of 
which  all  the  Fisheries  troubles  have  arisen,  the  local 
irritation  might  continue,  but  no  war  would  ensue. 
The  trouble  would  be  mostly  confined  to  the  agencies 
employed  in  administering  the  law  under  that  Treaty. 

Being  asked  again  if  he  thought  that  the  only  effect 
of  a  failure  to  agree  upon  a  new  Treaty  now  would 
be  a  continuation  of  the  local  troubles  between  the 
Canadians  and  the  American  fishermen,  and  a 
continuation  of  diplomatic  correspondence,  Mr. 
Chamberlain  was  not  willing  to  contemplate  such  a 
contingency.  But  he  admitted  the  ultimate  possi- 
bility of  the  patriotic  pride  of  the  Americans  or  the 
patriotic  pride  of  the  English  getting  up,  and  when 
that  was  excited  he  admitted  there  would  be  danger, 
but  such  a  state  of  affairs  he  regarded  as  very  remote. 
He  expressed  the  opinion  that  in  this  country  and  in 
England  the  newspapers  were  probably  a  little  more 
bloodthirsty  than  the  people.  Some  one  having 
asked  him  if  it  was  not  true  that  the  Canadian  news- 
papers had  expressed  a  decided  apprehension  of  a 
war  with  the  United  States,  Mr.  Chamberlain  said 


46    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

he  didn't  know  anything  about  the  Canadian  news- 
papers, and  he  presumed  that  they  were  not  any 
better  informed  than  other  sources  of  information. 

The  distinguished  gentleman  concluded  by  telling 
the  reporters,  in  reply  to  a  question,  that  he  had  no 
idea  whatever  of  the  chances  that  the  Liberal- 
Unionists  in  England  and  the  Gladstone  Liberals 
would  ever  again  be  united.  "  One  thing  is  cer- 
tain," said  he,  "  Gladstone's  scheme  of  Home 
Rule  for  Ireland  will  never  pass  the  British  Parlia- 
ment. It  is  dead.  Mr.  Gladstone  himself  has  said 
it  is  dead.  If  he  should  come  round  to  my  idea 
of  local  self-government  for  Ireland,  or  if  he  should 
frame  a  scheme  of  Home  Rule  for  Ireland  that  I 
could  approve,  I  should  co-operate  with  him  to- 
morrow. My  idea  of  Home  Rule  for  Ireland  is 
something  like  the  Home  Rule  that  the  different 
provinces  of  Canada  enjoy.  It  differs  at  some 
points  with  the  relations  between  the  United  States 
Government  and  the  individual  States  of  the 
Union." 

The  reporters  formed  the  impression  that  Mr. 
Chamberlain  was  a  very  affable,  obliging,  pleasant 
gentleman,  one  who  knew  enough  not  to  say  too 
much,  yet  much  more  communicative  than  the 
average  English  official,  and  much  less  reserved  than 
the  average  English  gentleman.  He  submitted  to 
all  the  questioning  of  the  reporters  with  the  utmost 
grace  and  good  humour,  and  answered  with  perfect 
candour.  When  he  could  not  answer  he  said  so. 
When  asked  if  the  English  Government  had  imposed 
a  definite  limit  to  the  concessions  which  he  might 


3  3  J   5 


.    .  ->,',  r'^,'  2  /= 


Photo:  Geo.  C.  Gwynne,   Washington 

THE   LATE    PRESIDENT   GROVER   CLEVELAND 


-  *    > 
•       •    • 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       47 

make  he  answered  straightforwardly  that  his  instruc- 
tions were  confidential.  He  never  for  an  instant 
manifested  any  impatience  or  showed  any  disposi- 
tion to  make  people  *'  mind  their  own  business," 
which  is  a  prominent  characteristic  in  the  average 
English  official." 

On  the  morning  of  Saturday,  November  19,  Sir 
Lionel  West  called  and  took  us  all  over  to  the 
State  Department,  when  we  were  introduced  to 
Mr.  Bayard,  who  made  himself  very  agreeable.  He 
subsequently  escorted  us  all  to  the  White  House  just 
opposite,  to  be  presented  to  the  President,  who  re- 
ceived us  in  his  office.  Seated  in  a  revolving  chair, 
he  chatted  principally  with  Mr.  Chamberlain  on 
commonplace  topics,  but  made  no  allusion  to  the 
object  of  our  Mission. 

Grover  Cleveland  was  born  at  Caldwell,  New 
Jersey,  in  1837,  so  was  just  fifty  at  this  time.  In  his 
early  days  he  had  seen  a  good  many  ups  and  downs, 
when  "  dollars  "  had  been  none  too  plentiful ;  but 
he  was  a  man  of  determination  and  a  hard  worker. 
He  was  called  to  the  bar  in  1859,  and  for  some  time 
practised  law  at  Buffalo,  where  he  rose  to  be  District 
Attorney.  In  1881  he  became  Mayor  of  Buffalo, 
in  1883  Governor  of  New  York,  and  in  1884  he  was 
elected  President  of  the  United  States  in  the  Demo- 


48  WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN 

cratic  interests.  He  was  a  stout  man,  rather  like 
Edmund  Yates  in  appearance,  with  a  dark  brown 
moustache,  but  no  other  hirsute  appendages.  In 
1886  he  married  his  ward,  a  sweetly  pretty  girl  of 
twenty-two,  daughter  of  his  whilom  friend  and 
business  associate,  Oscar  Folsom  of  Buffalo.  After 
a  honeymoon  in  the  Alleghanies,  the  President 
brought  his  young  bride  to  the  White  House,  and, 
though  she  was  the  youngest  woman  that  had  ever 
occupied  that  proud  position,  it  was  generally  con- 
ceded that  as  "  The  first  Lady  in  the  Land  "  she 
maintained  her  position  with  dignity,  and  a  charm 
of  manner  that  made  her  universally  popular,  though 
she  mixed  but  little  in  the  whirl  of  fashionable 
society.  Some  weeks  later  Mr.  Willie  Endicott, 
son  of  the  Secretary  of  War  and  brother  to  the 
present  Mrs.  Chamberlain,  took  me  to  tea  with  her, 
and  I  found  her  most  charming  and  affable.  She 
was  greatly  amused  at  my  being  announced  as  **  Mr. 
Haycock."  It  fairly  "  tickled  her  to  death,"  as  they 
say  across  the  pond.  Mrs.  Cleveland  was  always  a 
very  devoted  wife  to  her  old  husband,  who  died  in 
New  Jersey  in  1908.  She  married  a  second  time, 
a  year  or  two  ago.  Professor  Thomas  Jex  Preston  of 
Princetown  University. 


< 

H 

Oh 

a 
o 

1^     C/2 


••    •••••• 

•  "  •  •  J  •"  • 


CHAPTER   IV 

WASHINGTON  {continued) 

As  Monday,  November  21,  was  the  date  of  the  first 
meeting  of  the  Plenipotentiaries  in  conference  at  the 
State  Department,  it  marks  a  stage  at  which  it  is 
fitting  to  open  a  fresh  chapter.  The  photograph 
opposite,  taken  by  Mr.  Rice  of  Pennsylvania  Avenue, 
gives  excellent  likenesses  of  the  six  Commissioners 
and  their  two  Protocolists,  the  gentlemen  on  whom 
the  duty  devolved  of  taking  down  a  record  of  the 
proceedings.  Bergne  ofiiciated  in  this  capacity  for 
our  people,  and  Mr.  John  B.  Moore,  third  Assistant 
Secretary  of  State  in  the  State  Department,  per- 
formed a  like  office  for  the  Americans.  Mr.  Moore 
was  a  very  efficient  and  agreeable  gentleman,  and  is 
well  known  as  the  compiler  of  many  useful  official 
publications,  especially  a  very  exhaustive  and  valu- 
able work  on  Extradition.  That  evening  Mr. 
Chamberlain,  Sir  Charles  Tupper,  Henry  Edwardes, 
Bergne,  Beauclerk,  and  I  went  to  Albaugh's  Theatre 

to  see    Richard  Mansfield  in   Dr.  Jekyll  and  Mr, 

49  D 


50    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

Hyde.  It  was  Mansfield's  great  part,  and  he  played 
it  remarkably  well.  There  was  a  packed  house,  the 
President  and  his  wife  occupying  the  box  opposite 
to  ours. 

One  of  the  earliest  social  functions  we  attended 
was  an  afternoon  reception — 5  to  7 — in  Mr.  Cham- 
berlain's honour  given  by  Doctor  and  Mrs.  N.  S. 
Lincoln.  Of  the  many  ladies  who  were  present  on 
this  occasion  some  wore  morning  dress,  and  others 
low-necked  evening  attire,  which  struck  me  as  odd. 
I  recollect  meeting  there  two  pretty  Miss  Tiffanys 
who  hailed  from  Baltimore.  They  asked  me  to 
indicate  which  was  Mr.  Chamberlain.  When  I 
pointed  him  out,  one  of  them  exclaimed,  "  Why  !  I 
guess  he's  just  lovely  !  "  They  paid  no  such  com- 
pliment to  me,  alas  !  My  old  friend  Edmund  Yates 
had  cabled  to  me  at  New  York  to  send  him  a  few 
notes  of  our  doings  for  The  World,  and  I  couldn't 
resist  telling  him  this  little  story,  which  the  Pall 
Mall  reproduced  with  an  illustration.  I'm  not  sure 
that  the  Chief  quite  appreciated  it  when  he  saw  it. 
The  artist,  Mr.  (now  Sir)  F.  C.  Gould,  hardly  did 
him  justice  on  that  occasion.  The  Westminster 
Gazette  had  not  been  born  then. 

We  were  having  abnormally  hot  weather  for  the 
time  of  year  in  Washington,  which  enabled  me  to 


UNITED  STATES   AND    CANADA        51 

get  some  lawn-tennis  on  a  gravel  court  affected  by 
the  Legation.  On  November  26,  I  have  a  note  in 
my  diary  that  it  was  80°  in  our  working  room  without 
a  fire.  That  evening  the  Wests  gave  a  big  reception 
in  the  Chief's  honour  at  the  Legation,  of  which  the 
following  account  appeared  next  day  in  the  Post  : 

MINISTER   WEST'S   RECEPTION 

A  BRILLIANT   THRONG   ASSEMBLES   TO   MEET 
MR.    CHAMBERLAIN 

The  reception  last  night  at  the  British  Legation  to 
Mr.  Chamberlain  and  the  members  of  the  Fisheries 
Commission  was  the  most  brilliant  social  event  of  the 
season.  The  Legation  was  aglow  with  light  and 
extremely  elegant  in  its  new  adornments,  and  com- 
fortably crowded  from  10  o'clock  to  midnight  with 
a  gathering  of  the  representative  people  in  society. 
Sir  Lionel  West  and  Miss  West  stood  at  the  right  of 
the  entrance  to  the  drawing-room  to  receive  their 
guests,  presenting  each  to  Mr.  Chamberlain  and  the 
other  gentlemen.  The  younger  Miss  West  soon  led 
the  dancers  to  the  ballroom,  where  excellent  music, 
a  well-waxed  floor,  plenty  of  partners,  and  every  other 
incentive  to  enjoyment  awaited  all.  Miss  West  wore 
a  dainty  costume  of  pink  satin  veiled  in  tulle.  Miss 
Flora  West  was  in  black  tulle  garlanded  with  flowers, 
and  Miss  Amalie  West  in  pink  tulle  sprayed  with 
white  blossoms.  Light  refreshments,  with  cool 
punches  and  wines,  were  served  during  the  evening. 


52    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

The  supper  table  had  a  centre  of  maiden-hair  fern, 
tied  crosswise  with  pink  ribbons. 

Among  the  guests  were  : 

Mrs.  Whitney,  in  steel  embroidered  tulle  and 
corded  silk,  Mrs.  Forbes  in  cream-tinted  faille, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Chew,  Mr.  and  Miss  Endicott, 
Miss  Maccomb,Mrs.  J.  V.  L.Pruyn  and  daughter. 
Justice  and  Mrs.  Matthews,  Miss  Matthews  and 
Miss  Rhinelander,  Justice  and  Mrs.  Blatchford, 
Justice  and  Miss  Bradley,  Admiral  and  Mrs.  Frank- 
lin, Miss  Sands,  the  Misses  Page,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  N.  S. 
Lincoln,  the  Italian  Minister,  Sefior  and  Mme. 
Guzman,  Senor  and  Mme.  Romero,  Senator  and 
Mrs.  Dolph,  Mr  and  Mrs.  Nixon,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Frank  Riggs,  Miss  Janie  Riggs,  Madame  and  Miss 
Carter,  Gen.  and  Mrs.  Sheridan,  Senator  and  Mrs. 
Butler,  Senator  Call,  Gen.  Beale,  the  Misses  Hunt, 
Mr.  John  McLean,  Col.  and  Mme.  Bonaparte,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Bugher,  Mr.  George  Eustis  and  wife,  Mrs. 
Stratford  Dugdale  from  England,  Mr.  and  Miss 
Berry,  Col.  and  Mrs.  John  Hay,  Mr.  Ferguson,  M.P., 
and  Miss  Ferguson,  Mr.  Roustan,  Mr.  Spring  Rice, 
Mr.  Beauclerk,  the  Swedish  Minister  and  Mme.  de 
Reuterskiold,  Sefior  Murnaga,  Baron  von  Zedwitz, 
Count  Sala,  Admiral  and  Mrs.  Almy,  ex-Minister 
Foster  and  wife.  Representative  and  Mrs.  Hitt,  and 
the  Danish  Minister. 

Miss  West  was,  as  always,  the  gentle  and  thought- 
ful hostess.  Many  of  the  recently  added  adornments 
of  the  Legation  Rooms  are  the  product  of  either  her 
taste  in  selection  or  arrangement,  and  the  spacious 


'*',%  *''  ''  '  >    '^ 


MISS  ENDICOTT  (MRS.    CHAMBERLAIN) 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       53 

rooms  have  assumed  quite  a  homelike  air  in  con- 
sequence. 

I  have  often  heard  irresponsible  people  in  society 
say  that  Mr.  Joseph  Chamberlain  met  his  present 
wife  long  before  his  first  visit  to  America.  This, 
however,  is  not  a  fact.  He  was  first  introduced  to 
Miss  Endicott  by  Miss  West  at  this  reception  at  the 
Legation,  and,  with  that  quickness  of  perception 
which  is  one  of  his  strongest  characteristics,  he  was 
at  once  most  favourably  impressed  with  her.  I  well 
remember  his  telling  me  so  one  evening  when  we 
were  walking  home  together  from  some  party. 
There  is  no  necessity  for  me  to  embark  on  a  eulogy 
of  Mrs.  Chamberlain,  whom  I  regard  as  the  ''  very 
salt  of  the  earth,"  firstly  because  my  pen  would  be 
wholly  inadequate  to  do  her  justice,  and  secondly 
because  her  many  charms  and  estimable  qualities 
are  already  so  well  known  and  appreciated  by  those 
who  are  fortunate  enough  to  enjoy  her  acquaintance. 
But  it  may  be  permissible  to  quote  what  was  said  of 
her  and  her  mother  in  a  brochure  entitled  Society 
in  Washington y  published  just  prior  to  our  arrival : 

'*  Miss  Ellen  Peabody,  daughter  of  George  Pea- 
body  of  Salem,  the  same  stock  as  the  great  philan- 
thropist of  Danvers,  became  Mrs.  Endicott  in  1859. 


54    WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

She  is  a  tall,  stately  lady,  and  a  little  younger  than 
the  Secretary.  She  reminds  one  of  the  highborn 
ladies  of  the  olden  days.  Her  daughter,  Mary  E. 
Endicott,  assists  in  the  social  entertainments  of  the 
War  Secretary's  home.  She  s  the  embodiment  of 
New  England  feminine  culture.  Her  figure  is  of  a 
distinguished  mould,  and  her  manners  the  same. 
Her  face  is  an  index  to  an  intelligent  and  well-stored 
mind." 

Mrs.  Chamberlain's  father  is  thus  referred  to  in 
the  same  book  : 

"  The  Secretary  of  War,  William  Crowninshield 
Endicott,  represents  the  old  Puritan  stock  of  Gover- 
nor John  Endicott,  who  was  sent  out  in  1628  by  the 
Massachusetts  Company  to  take  charge  of  their 
affairs  at  Salem.  This  son  of  that  blue-blooded 
ancestry  was  born  one  hundred  and  ninety-eight 
years  after,  on  the  same  spot.  From  1873  ^^  ^^^^ 
he  was  Associate  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
Massachusetts,  and  in  1884  President  Cleveland 
chose  him  as  the  representative  of  that  better  type  of 
Northern  Democracy  which  regards  statesmanship 
as  something  more  than  office  farming.  The  Secre- 
tary is  a  man  of  middle  stature  and  somewhat  grey. 
In  conversation,  while  reserved,  possibly  the  result 
of  the  judicial  habit,  he  is  still  affable  and  satisfying." 

Mr.  Endicott  was  called  to  his  rest  in  the  spring 
of  1900,  but  his  widow  is  still  alive  and  well  and  re- 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       55 

sides  in  Massachusetts,  though  she  frequently  comes 
to  Europe  to  visit  her  daughter,  to  whom  she  is 
devotedly  attached,  and  whom  she  nursed  with  such 
untiring  care  and  attention  at  the  time  of  her  critical 
illness  at  Cannes  two  years  ago.  I  may  add  that, 
when  he  gave  up  his  judicial  duties  in  1882,  Mrs. 
Chamberlain's  late  father  came  to  this  country  for 
some  months,  and  was  often  the  guest  of  the  late  Lord 
Herschell,  who  was  then  Solicitor-General  in  Mr. 
Gladstone's  Administration ;  and,  although  his 
daughter  accompanied  him  on  that  occasion,  she  did 
not,  as  already  stated,  make  Mr.  Chamberlain's 
acquaintance  until  five  years  later. 

To  revert  for  a  moment  to  this  reception  at  the 
Legation.  One  of  the  most  prominent  men  to 
whom  we  were  introduced  on  that  occasion  was 
Lt.-General  Philip  H.  Sheridan,  whose  distinguished 
cavalry  exploits  in  the  war  between  the  North  and 
South  won  him  immortal  fame.  Short  in  stature, 
rather  stout,  with  a  florid  countenance,  and  a  rather 
bashful  and  retiring  manner,  *'  Little  Phil,"  as  his 
soldiers  called  him,  looked  every  inch  the  soldier. 
Sheridan,  Grant,  and  Sherman,  as  every  reader  of 
history  knows,  were  the  three  most  distinguished 
Federal  leaders  in  that  great  struggle.  General 
Sherman  lived  in  practical  retirement  in  New  York 


S6    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

at  this  time,  until  his  death  in  1891 ,  so  that,  as  far  as 
mixing  in  society  went,  Sheridan  was  the  sole  sur- 
vivor of  that  illustrious  trio.  General  Sherman's 
daughter  caused  some  sensation  in  New  York 
in  1889  or  thereabouts  by  interviewing  herself  for 
one  of  the  newspapers.  His  brother,  John  Sherman, 
of  whom  we  saw  a  good  deal  at  Washington  during 
our  Mission,  was  a  Senator  from  Ohio.  The  two 
brothers  bore  a  strong  facial  resemblance  to  one 
another,  though  the  Senator  had  a  genial  expression 
wholly  absent  in  his  brother's  stern  countenance, 
which  was  hard,  resolute,  and  thoroughly  character- 
istic of  his  brilliant  but  somewhat  relentless  record. 

It  was  at  this  party  that  I  first  met  Colonel  John 
Hay  and  his  opulent  wife  ;  also  Mrs.  Whitney,  the 
wife  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  the  recognised 
leader  of  Washington  society,  who  both  in  manner 
and  appearance  reminded  me  greatly  of  the  late 
Lady  Salisbury. 

On  Sunday,  the  27th,  the  Chief,  Bergne,  Beau- 
clerk,  and  I  chartered  a  landau  and  pair  with  a  black 
man  as  charioteer,  and  drove  out  some  fourteen 
miles  to  see  the  great  Falls  of  the  Potomac.  The 
water  was  low  owing  to  the  drought,  and  the  falls 
were  not  impressive  in  consequence ;  but  the 
scenery  and  rugged  rocks  were  picturesque,  and  as 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       57 

it  was  a  sunny  day  the  picnic — for  we  took  some 
lunch  with  us — ^was  a  pleasant  one. 

On  Monday,  the  28th,  we  all  dined  at  the  Legation, 
and  met,  among  others.  Senator  Donald  Cameron 
and  his  pretty  young  wife  ;  Mrs.  Stratford  Dugdale 
from  Warwickshire  ;  Mr.  Munro  Ferguson,  M.P., 
and  his  sister,  who  were  on  a  pleasure  tour  in  the 
States  ;  and  Mr.  Dudley  Rider,  also  from  England. 
Mrs.  Cameron  was  a  niece  of  the  two  Shermans 
already  referred  to,  and  was  the  Senator's  second 
wife.  She  was  quite  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and 
attractive  women  in  Washington  at  that  time,  and 
extremely  popular  in  society.  I  much  regret  being 
unable  to  include  her  portrait  in  this  book,  but  in  a 
letter  I  had  from  her  the  other  day  from  Paris  she 
assures  me  she  does  not  possess  one  herself.  She 
had  a  dear  little  precocious  baby  girl  who  was  just 
beginning  to  find  the  use  of  her  tongue,  calling 
Spring  Rice  "  Ping  Mice,"  and  is  now  the  wife  of 
my  friend  the  Hon.  Roland  Charles  Lindsay,  M.V.O., 
of  our  Diplomatic  service,  but  at  present  seconded 
for  service  as  Under  Secretary  in  the  Ministry  of 
Finance  at  Cairo. 

The  next  day  Mr.  Chamberlain,  Bergne,  and  I  met 
a  large  party  of  Senators  and  high  officials  at  Mr. 
Wharton's  house.     Mr.  Wharton  held  the  office  of 


S8    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

Examiner  of  Claims  in  the  State  Department,  and 
is  well  known  as  the  author  of  the  standard  Ameri- 
can work  on  International  Law.  In  the  evening 
Messrs.  Putnam  and  Angell  entertained  the  Chief  at 
dinner  at  the  Arlington,  a  report  of  which,  as  given 
in  the  New  York  Herald  of  the  following  day,  is 
appended  : 

MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   DINED 

AN    ORCHID    DINNER    GIVEN    TO    THE    FISHERIES    COM- 
MISSIONERS AT  THE   CAPITAL 

{From  our  regular  correspondent) 

Washington,  November  29,  1887. — The  dinner 
given  by  Messrs  Putnam  and  Angell,  the  American 
negotiators  for  the  settlement  of  the  fisheries  ques- 
tions, to  the  British  Commissioners  at  the  Arlington 
Hotel  this  evening  was  the  most  expensive  as  to 
floral  decorations  ever  given  there,  the  table  being 
adorned  solely  with  orchids  and  ferns. 

As  a  special  compliment  to  Mr.  Joseph  Chamber- 
lain, who  is  believed  to  have  the  finest  collection  of 
orchids  in  England,  Mr.  Putnam  desired  to  give 
him  an  '*  orchid  dinner,"  and  it  was  done.  The 
florists  employed  to  furnish  the  flowers  and  plants 
say  they  had  to  telegraph  to  one  hundred  different 
places,  east,  north,  and  west,  to  secure  enough  orchids 
for  this  dinner. 

The  guests  of  Messrs.  Putnam  and  Angell  besides 
Mr.  Chamberlain  were   Sir  Charles  Tupper,   Sir 


^    o 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       59 

Lionel  S.  Sackville  West,  the  British  Minister, 
Secretary  Bayard,  Chief  Justice  Waite,  Justices 
Miller,  Field,  and  Gray,  of  the  United  States  Su- 
preme Court ;  Judge  Cooley,  of  the  Interstate 
Commerce  Commission ;  Senators  Hale,  Palmer, 
Allison,  and  Butler ;  Admiral  Rodgers  ;  Commodore 
Harmony ;  Mr.  Thompson,  Minister  of  Justice  of 
Canada  ;  Judge  Bancroft  Davis,  and  Mr.  Sigourney 
Butler. 

I  dined  the  same  evening  with  the  late  Judge  John 
Davis,  and  met  a  very  cheery  party  of  tv^elve  in  all, 
and  a  galaxy  of  pretty  women,  including  Miss  Grant, 
— now  Lady  Essex, — Miss  Gwynne,  a  very  charming 
**  bachelor  lady,"  Miss  Maccomb,  and  sundry  others. 
Spring  Rice  was  also  there.  The  Judge  was  a  capital 
fellow,  full  of  amusing  anecdotes,  and  the  best  pos- 
sible company.  He  had  held  several  important 
posts  in  the  State  Department,  had  been  called  to 
the  bar  in  1875,  and  ten  years  later  President  Cleve- 
land made  him  Associate  Justice  of  the  United  States 
Court  of  Claims.  When  I  left  England  my  dear  old 
friend  Arthur  Guest,  now,  alas !  no  longer  with  us, 
gave  me  a  letter  of  introduction  to  the  Judge,  whom 
he  knew  intimately  and  liked  much.  Mrs.  Davis 
was  a  daughter  of  Mr.  Frederick  T.  Frelinghuysen, 
Secretary  of  State  in  President  Arthur's  Adminis- 
tration.    She  was  one  of  the  handsomest  and  most 


6o    WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

entertaining  women  I  ever  met  on  either  side  of  the 
Atlantic,  and  we  became  great  friends.  She  was 
deservedly  popular,  and  greatly  admired  in  Washing- 
ton in  those  days.  I  suppose  it  was  my  asking 
more  than  once  for  a  light  for  my  cigarettes  that 
prompted  her  to  present  me  with  a  pretty  little  silver 
light-box,  inside  of  which  was  written  on  a  slip  of 
paper,  ''  For  my  matchless  friend."  Quite  a  pretty 
compliment,  was  it  not  ?  I  still  retain  that  little  box, 
and  value  it  as  a  souvenir  of  a  very  agreeable  friend- 
ship. But  I  once  nearly  lost  it.  About  two  years 
after  our  return  the  Judge  and  Mrs.  Davis  came  over 
to  England,  and  were  staying  at  Maidenhead  in  rooms 
close  to  the  Guards'  Club.  I  was  staying  at  Bray  at 
the  time,  and  went  up  in  a  launch  belonging  to  some 
friends  to  Maidenhead  to  pay  my  respects  to  them. 
Disembarking  from  the  launch  opposite  Skindles,  I 
thought  I  heard  something  drop  into  the  water,  and 
felt  for  my  watch,  but  that  was  there  all  right.  Later 
on  I  felt  for  my  matchbox,  but  in  vain.  It  was  that 
which  had  fallen  out  of  my  flannel  jacket.  I  asked  a 
boatman  to  try  and  recover  it,  promising  him  a  fairly 
liberal  reward,  but  I  heard  no  more,  and  looked  upon 
it  as  lost.  A  month  or  six  weeks  later,  I  was  down  at 
Maidenhead  again,  and  saw  my  friend  the  boatman. 
He  told  me  he  had  tried  in  vain  to  find  my  lost  match- 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       6i 

box,  and  pointed  out  where  he  had  trawled  for  it.  I 
said,  **  Will  you  have  one  more  try,  a  little  more  to  the 
right  ?  "  He  promised  he  would,  and  sure  enough  he 
was  successful,  and  to  my  great  joy  my  little  silver  box 
arrived  in  London  by  registered  post.  I  tell  this 
story,  for  to  say  the  least  it  is  a  remarkable  coincidence 
that  I  should  let  fall  into  the  Thames,within  lOO yards 
of  where  the  donor  was  then  residing,  a  present  given 
to  me  by  her  over  2000  miles  from  home,  and  that 
I  should  have  got  it  back  after  all,  when  it  had 
lain  for  some  weeks  in  the  bed  of  the  river. 
Funny  things  do  happen  in  this  best  of  all  possible 
worlds ! 

The  Judge  died  some  years  ago,  and  his  widow 
subsequently  became  Mrs.  M^Cauley,  her  husband 
being  a  naval  attache.  My  latest  advices  from 
Washington  are  to  the  effect  that  she  is  still  as 
popular  as  ever,  and  the  life  and  soul  of  the  society 
of  the  Capital. 

There  is  nothing  of  moment  to  record  for  the  next 
few  days.  The  Plenipotentiaries  met  two  or  three 
times  a  week  at  the  State  Department,  and  of  course 
the  reports  that  we  sent  home  of  the  proceedings  kept 
Bergne  and  me  busy  with  our  pens.  The  following 
description  of  the  meetings,  and  the  room  in  which 
they  were  held,  appeared  in  the  Washington  Post : 


62    WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

"The  diplomatic  receptionroom,inwhichthe  Com- 
missioners meet,  is  the  most  sumptuous  apartment 
Uncle  Sam  has  yet  furnished.  It  is  on  the  second 
floor  of  the  huge  State  War  and  Navy  Building, 
adjoining  Secretary  Bayard's  office  chamber  to  the 
west.  It  is  twenty-five  feet  wide  by  forty  in  length. 
Its  huge  windows  look  out  to  the  south  over  the 
tawny  Potomac  and  the  great  white  shaft  of  the 
Washington  Monument.  The  Commissioners  sit 
at  a  magnificent  ebony  table  drawn  up  near  the  mas- 
sive old-fashioned  fireplace  at  the  west  end  of  the 
room.  Here  and  there,  in  careless  arrangement, 
over  the  highly  polished  oak  floor  are  scattered 
Bokhara  rugs  of  the  most  exquisite  pattern  and 
colour.  In  the  centre  of  the  room  is  a  large  circular 
divan.  The  walls  are  painted  a  yellow  green,  and 
the  groined  iron  ceilings  are  done  in  a  light 
modern  Pompeian  shade,  and  stencilled  in  colours 
that  suggest  very  strongly  the  interior  of  a  Pullman 
Palace  car.  All  the  furniture  of  the  room — the 
heavy,  sumptuous  chairs  and  sofas — is  made  of 
highly  polished  ebony  and  upholstered  in  sage- 
green  brocades. 

"  The  English  Commissioners  sit  on  the  right  hand 
side  of  the  table  near  the  window,  with  the  American 
Commissioners  facing  them.  Mr.  Chamberlain 
lounges  easily  in  his  chair,  his  big  gold-rimmed  eye- 
glass seldom  being  out  of  his  eye.  Adjoining  him  on 
his  left  is  the  heavy  leonine  figure  of  Sir  Charles 
Tupper,  who  is  a  genuine  Englishman  in  every  word 
and  move.     Sir  Lionel  Sackville  West,  a  slight,  red- 


UNITED    STATES    AND    CANADA       63 

bearded,^  tow-haired  man,  whose  looks  greatly  belie 
his  ability  and  good  nature,  sits  on  the  eastern  end 
of  the  table,  facing  President  Angell,  a  man  with  a 
saturnine,  heavily-bearded  face,  a  pattern  of  the  old- 
fashioned  New  England  deacon.  Mr.  Putnam,  his 
co-Commissioner,  sits  on  his  right,  a  soft-faced 
gentleman  of  very  modest  and  unassuming  manners. 
On  his  right,  and  facing  Mr.  Chamberlain,  sits  Secre- 
tary Bayard.  Hung  about  the  rooms  are  the  por- 
traits of  the  various  statesmen  who  have  reached 
the  high  honour  of  being  Secretary  of  State.  Ex- 
actly over  the  head  of  Mr.  Chamberlain,  with  his 
black  tropical  eyes  bent  down  penetratingly  upon 
Mr.  Bayard's  face,  is  the  portrait  of  James  G.  Blaine. 
On  the  wall  facing  the  English  Commissioners  is  the 
sallow,  massive  countenance  of  Daniel  Webster, 
painted  by  Healey  in  1843,  and  across  the  room, 
nearly  over  the  British  Minister's  head,  hangs 
Healey's  magnificent  portrait  of  Lord  Ashburton, 
which  he  painted  in  1848,  and  which  Congress 
bought  of  Fletcher  Webster's  widow  for  $3000. 
These  two  portraits  commemorate  the  famous 
treaty  of  1842,  which  settled  the  northern  boundary 
question." 

On  December  6,  Mr.  Chamberlain,  Bergne,  and  I 
dined  with  Colonel  John  Hay,  who  with  his  wife 
occupied  one  of  the  finest  houses  in  Washington,  in 
I  Street  I  think  it  was.    We  met  a  large  party  there, 

*  Sir  Lionel  had  no  red  in  his  beard,  which  was  dark  brown,  inter- 
mingled with  some  grey  streaks. — W.  M. 


64    WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

chiefly  composed  of  Republican  Senators,  Evarts, 
Sherman,  Hawley,  Allison,  Hale,  Hoar,  and  Ed- 
munds. The  last  named  was  the  oldest  member  of 
the  Senate,  and  he  did  me  the  honour  of  taking  my 
arm  in  to  dinner.  The  conversation  was  principally 
on  the  subject  of  the  President's  free-trade  message 
issued  that  day.  Colonel  Hay  was  at  that  time 
engaged,  in  conjunction  with  his  old  colleague  John 
G.  Nicolay,  in  writing  the  life  of  Abraham  Lincoln, 
which  came  out  in  the  Century  Magazine  from  1886 
to  1890,  and  which,  with  sundry  additions,  was  pub- 
lished in  ten  volumes  in  1890.  After  dinner  the 
Colonel  showed  us  a  lot  of  interesting  old  MSS. 
which  he  kept  in  a  portfolio,  including  inter  alia  the 
original  draft  Proclamation  abolishing  slavery,  in 
Old  Abe's  own  handwriting. 

Colonel  Hay  was  born  at  Salem,  Indiana,  in  1838, 
and  was  therefore  in  his  fiftieth  year  at  this  time. 
He  was  of  Scottish  descent.  He  was  educated  at 
Brown  University,  and  after  being  called  to  the  bar 
he  was,  in  1861,  admitted  to  practice  in  the  Supreme 
Court  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  where  he  became 
associated  with  Abraham  Lincoln,  who  was  also  a 
barrister  in  that  city.  When  Lincoln  became  Presi- 
dent he  took  Hay  with  him  to  Washington  as  his 
Private    Secretary,    and    the    latter    remained    his 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       65 

trusted  and  intimate  friend  till  the  date  of  his  assassi- 
nation by  Wilkes  Booth  at  Ford's  Theatre  in  1865. 
During  the  Civil  War  he  was  aide-de-camp  to 
the  President,  and  throughout  that  momentous 
struggle  he  was  actively  employed  both  at  head- 
quarters and  on  the  field  of  battle,  when  he  was 
made  a  Colonel  in  the  Federal  Army.  When  peace 
was  restored  he  commenced  his  diplomatic  career  as 
Secretary  of  Legation  at  Paris,  whence  he  proceeded 
to  Vienna  and  subsequently  to  Madrid,  where  he 
served  under  the  celebrated  General  Daniel  Sickles. 
Returning  to  the  States  in  1870,  he  took  up  journal- 
ism, and  was  for  some  years  a  writer  for  the  Tribune, 
and  acted  as  editor  of  that  paper  when  Mr.  Whitelaw 
Reid  was  absent  in  Europe.  It  was  to  that  organ 
that  he  contributed  his  celebrated  Pike  County 
Ballads,  the  best  known  of  which  are  "  Jim  Bludso  '* 
and  **  Little  Breeches."  In  1875  he  won  the  hand 
of  Miss  Stone,  a  charming  and  wealthy  heiress, 
whose  father,  it  is  said,  left  her,  after  she  became 
Mrs.  Hay,  the  best  part  of  a  million  of  money,  as 
well  as  a  palatial  residence  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and 
another  mansion  in  Washington.  From  1879  ^^ 
1 88 1  Colonel  Hay  served  under  President  Hayes  as 
Assistant  Secretary  of  State,  and  in  1897  he  succeeded 
Mr.  Bayard  as  Ambassador  in  this  country,  when  I 


66  WITH  MR.  CHAMBERLAIN 

had  many  opportunities  of  renewing  my  acquaint- 
ance with  him.  He  was  a  quiet  and  reserved  man, 
but  his  career  was  so  remarkable  and  so  varied  that 
I  may  be  forgiven  for  recording  it  in  some  detail. 
He  left  this  country  in  1898  to  take  up  his  duties  as 
Secretary  of  State  at  Washington,  and  died  in  1905, 
deeply  regretted  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  never 
cared  to  talk  much  about  the  poetical  efforts  of  his 
younger  days,  though  they  had  won  for  him  no  little 
renown  outside  the  limits  of  his  own  country.  Of 
the  Senators  we  met  that  night  Mr.  Evarts  had  a 
fund  of  amusing  anecdotes,  and  was  quite  famous  as 
a  raconteur.  It  was  largely  due  to  his  influence  and 
support  that  the  diplomatic  representative  of  the 
United  States  in  this  country  was  first  given  the 
rank  of  Ambassador. 

On  December  7  Mr.  Chamberlain  dined  with  the 
Endicotts,  and  on  the  following  night  he,  Bergne, 
Beauclerk,  and  I  went  to  stejim  the  Penman  at  the 
National  Theatre.  It  was  very  well  done  by  a 
company  from  the  Madison  Square  Theatre  in  New 
York,  Ian  Forbes  Robertson  playing  Baron  Hart- 
feld,  and  Miss  Ada  Dyas,  Mrs.  Ralston  the  forger's 
wife. 


CHAPTER  V 

WASHINGTON  {concluded) 

On  the  night  of  December  9  Mr.  Whitney — ^the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  and  who  may  be  said  to  have 
been  the  founder  of  the  modern  United  States  navy 
— and  Mrs.  Whitney  gave  a  grand  banquet  at  their 
large  house  in  I  Street  in  honour  of  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain. Bergne  and  I  dined  that  evening  with  Henry 
Edwardes  and  his  pretty  wife,  both  of  whom  were 
most  hospitable  to  us  all  throughout  our  stay.  Miss 
Endicott  and  Miss  Gwynne  completed  our  little 
party  of  six,  and  a  very  pleasant  evening  we  spent, 
going  on  to  the  Whitneys'  reception  afterwards.  It 
was  there  that  I  was  introduced  to  Mrs.  Cleveland, 
who  invited  me  to  the  tea  to  which  I  have  already 
alluded.  The  Whitney  banquet  was  thus  described 
in  the  Washington  Post  of  the  following  day  : 

"  Secretary  and  Mrs.  Whitney  gave  a  handsome 

dinner   last   night   to   Hon.   Joseph    Chamberlain. 

Covers  were  laid  for  twenty  guests.     The  others 

were  Speaker  and  Mrs.  Carlisle,  Secretary  and  Mrs. 

Fairchild,  Secretary  Endicott,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Angell, 

67 


68     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Putnam,  Secretary  Bayard,  Mrs. 
Macalester  Laughton,  Admiral  and  Mrs.  Franklin, 
Sir  Lionel  West,  Sir  Charles  Tupper,  Miss  Hunt, 
and  Mrs.  Hitt.  The  table  was  the  very  latest  ex- 
ample of  extreme  New  York  elegance.  All  the 
decorations  were  in  gold  and  white.  The  centre- 
piece, a  large  bowl  of  Bohemian  glass,  in  white  and 
gilt,  was  filled  with  white  roses  and  their  foliage, 
with  sprays  of  maidenhair  fern.  This  rested  on  a 
scarf,  about  a  yard  long,  of  milk-white  Persian  silk, 
embroidered  at  the  ends  in  gold  thread.  At  the  ends 
of  the  table  were  two  candelabra,  the  candles  tipped 
with  gold  and  with  lace  shades.  Gold  dishes  of 
bon-bons  were  the  only  other  ornaments  or  food 
put  on  before  the  dinner  was  served.  The  napkins, 
of  hem-stitched  linen,  bore  a  richly  embroidered 
'  W  '  on  the  upper  fold,  and  near  each  cover  was 
the  name  card,  very  small  and  gilt-edged.  Speaker 
Carlisle  escorted  Mrs.  Whitney  to  table  and  Secre- 
tary Whitney  took  Mrs.  Carlisle.  After  dinner  the 
company  adjourned  to  the  ballroom,  where,  about 
ten,  the  guests  invited  in  to  meet  Mr.  Chamberlain 
began  to  arrive.  A  brilliant  reception  followed  in 
the  next  hour,  the  room  being  comfortably  crowded 
with  about  one  hundred  or  so  of  friends  of  the  hos- 
tess. This  elegant  entertainment  to  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain was  a  fitting  prelude  to  the  commencement  of 
his  return  hospitalities,  which  begins  to-night  in  a 
large  dinner  party.'* 

William  Collins  Whitney  was  a  remarkably  able 
and  very  popular  personage,  dignified  in  appearance 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       69 

and  possessed  of  a  ready  wit  and  brilliant  conver- 
sational powers.     He  came  of  an  ancient  lineage, 
being   a  descendant  of  the  English  Puritan,  John 
Whitney,  who  was  one  of  the  party  that  accom- 
panied Sir  Richard  Salenstall  to  New  England  in 
1635.     He  graduated  at  Yale  in  1863,  and  subse- 
quently in  the  law  school  of  Harvard.     He  practised 
as  a  lawyer  in  New  York,  and  soon  took  a  prominent 
part  in  politics  in  the  Democratic  interest,  and  was 
a  strong  opponent  of  the  Tammany  Hall  Ring.    He 
became  Counsel  to  the  New  York  Corporation,  and 
codified  the  laws  of  that  city.     He  was  appointed 
Secretary   of  the   Navy  on  Mr.  Cleveland's   first 
election  to  the  Presidency,  and  when  the  end  of  his 
tenure  of  ofKce  came  the  United  States  possessed 
thirteen  modern  war  vessels  either  contracted  for  or 
completed  during  his  Secretaryship,  and  nine  more 
in  course  of  construction.     He  retired  from  politics 
somewhere  about  1896.     Mr.  Whitney  possessed  an 
abnormal  amount  of  real  estate.    He  was  the  largest 
private  landowner  in  New  York  State ;  had  a  large 
property  of  2000  acres  and  a  mansion  in  South  Caro- 
lina ;  another  in  Long  Island,  where  he  had  a  private 
training  ground  for  his  racehorses,  being  a  keen 
supporter  of  the  Turf  ;  700  acres  of  land  in  Massa- 
chusetts ;    extensive   game    preserves    in    October 


70    WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

Mountain  ;  another  preserve  of  some  16,000  acres  in 
the  Adirondacks  ;  a  lodge  and  private  golf  Hnks  at 
Blue  Mountain  Lake  ;  a  stock  farm  in  the  Blue 
Grass  Country,  Kentucky  ;  and  a  palatial  residence 
in  5th  Avenue,  New  York. 

In  1869  he  married  Miss  Flora  Payne,  daughter  of 
an  opulent  Ohio  Senator  and  one  of  the  earliest  and 
largest  owners  of  the  Standard  Oil  Trust.  She 
brought  him  a  large  fortune.  She  was  a  perfect 
hostess,  rather  stout,  graceful  and  engaging  in  con- 
versation, and  universally  beloved.  I  have  already 
observed  that  she  reminded  me  very  much  of  the 
late  Lady  Salisbury  in  her  halcyon  days.  She  died 
in  1892,  leaving  four  children.  Her  eldest  daughter 
became  Mrs.  Almeric  Paget.  Her  eldest  son, 
Harry  Payne  Whitney,  married  the  eldest  daughter 
of  Cornelius  Vanderbilt,  and  her  second  son  married 
a  daughter  of  Colonel  John  Hay. 

Mr.  W.  C.  Whitney  married  again  in  1896  Mrs. 
Randolph,  widow  of  Captain  Arthur  Randolph  of 
East  Court,  Wilts.  She  was  formerly  a  Miss  May, 
a  well-known  beauty  from  one  of  the  Southern 
States.  This  poor  lady  met  with  a  terrible  riding 
accident  while  hunting  in  South  Carolina  :  her 
horse  bolted  with  her,  and  ran  under  a  low  bridge, 
sweeping  her  from  the  saddle  and  inflicting  terrible 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       71 

injuries  to  the  vertebrae  of  the  neck,  which  was  all  but 
broken.  She  lingered  for  a  year  and  finally  died  in 
Long  Island.  Her  husband  felt  her  death  most 
acutely. 

Mr.  Whitney  commenced  racing  in  this  country 
in  1900,  and  in  the  following  year  Volodyovski, 
whom  he  leased  from  Lady  Meux,  won  our  Derby 
in  his  colours,  Eton  blue  and  brown  cap,  though  he 
was  not  present  himself  on  that  occasion,  being  re- 
presented by  his  son,  Harry  Payne  Whitney,  who  led 
the  winner  in.  Lady  Meux  happened  to  be  in  the 
next  box  to  the  one  I  occupied  on  that  eventful  day 
in  the  grand  stand,  and  I  well  remember  how  jubi- 
lant she  was  at  the  victory  of  her  horse.  Mr. 
Whitney  died  in  America  in  February  1904. 

The  day  after  the  Whitneys'  party  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain gave  a  grand  banquet  at  the  Arlington  to  his 
American  colleagues  on  the  Conference,  the  follow- 
ing account  of  which  appeared  in  the  Post  the  next 
day : 

"  Hon.  Joseph  Chamberlain  banqueted  last  night 
at  the  Arlington  all  the  members  of  the  Fisheries 
Commission  as  a  return  courtesy  for  the  dinner 
given  in  his  honour  by  Messrs.  Putnam  and  Angell, 
the  American  negotiators,  a  fortnight  since.  Covers 
were  laid  for  twenty  guests,  including  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Commission,  its  Secretaries,  and  gentle- 


72    WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

men  of  the  English  Legation.  Mr.  Chipman,  the 
Secretary  to  Sir  Charles  Tupper,  owing  to  indis- 
position was  not  present.  The  table  decorations 
were  exceedingly  fine,  and  were  designed  entirely 
by  Mr.  Chamberlain.  He  personally  supervised 
all  the  final  arrangements,  just  before  his  guests 
assembled.  The  spread  of  fine  damask  had  as  its 
centrepiece  a  circular  bed  of  maidenhair  fern,  in 
which  nodded  a  dozen  or  so  gigantic  specimens  of 
American  Beauties — great  fully  blown  red  roses. 
Flanking  this  at  either  end  were  small  circles  of 
ferns  sprayed  with  La  France  and  American  Beauty 
Roses.  Smilax  twined  in  a  full  garland  was  stretched 
in  curious  twists  and  circles  as  a  connecting-link 
between  the  flower-beds,  and  here  and  there  in  its 
windings  was  a  long-stemmed  rose,  negligently 
thrown,  but  completing  and  beautifying  the  whole 
with  wonderful  artistic  success.  The  boutonnieres 
were  tiny  sprays  of  lilies  of  the  valley  with  leaves  of 
their  own.  The  menus  were  very  unique,  and  form 
a  pleasing  souvenir  of  the  occasion.  They  were 
designed  by  Mr.  Chamberlain,  and  executed  by 
Tiffany.  They  were  a  double  rough-surfaced  card 
tied  with  gold  braid.  Upon  the  face  were  repre- 
sentations of  the  Union  Jack  and  American  flag,  and 
under  this,  '  Blood  is  thicker  than  water.'  The 
name  of  the  guest  was  embossed  in  fancy  text  cross- 
wise on  the  lower  half  of  the  card,  and  '  Arlington, 
December  lo,  1887.'  Upon  the  reverse  was  an 
etching  of  some  distinguished  American — the  one 
on  Mr.  Chamberlain's  card  being  of  Benjamin 
Frankhn  ;  on  that  of  Sir  Charles  Tupper,  General 


iis*A^ 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       73 

Grant ;  and  on  Sir  Lionel  West's  that  of  General 
Arthur.  On  other  cards  were  pictures  of  Hancock, 
Adams,  Clay,  Jefferson,  Seward,  Garfield,  Pierce, 
Monroe,  Webster,  and  Lincoln.  On  the  inside  was 
printed  the  menu. 

''  Mr.  Chamberlain  sat  at  table  with  Secretary 
Bayard  on  his  right  and  Mr.  Putnam  on  his  left 
hand.  The  other  guests  were  Sir  Lionel  Sackville 
West,  Hon.  James  B.  Angell,  Sir  Charles  Tupper, 
Hon.  J.  D.  S.  Thompson,  Hon.  George  E.  Foster, 
Mr.  Edwardes,  Mr.  Beauclerk,  Mr.  Spring  Rice, 
Mr.  Maycock,  Mr.  Bergne,  Mr.  Jenkins,  Mr.  John- 
son, Mr.  Winter,  Mr.  Moore,  Mr.  Stewart,  Hon. 
Mr.  Courtney,  and  Major-General  Cameron." 

The  menus,  which  were  a  great  feature,  were 
Mr.  Chamberlain's  own  idea,  carried  out  by  Tiffany 
of  New  York.  The  one  which  fell  to  my  lot  was 
embellished  with  a  hand-painted  portrait  of  Henry 
Clay.  I  naturally  preserved  it  carefully  as  an  in- 
teresting souvenir,  and  annex  a  reproduction  of 
the  outside.  The  inside  may  not  be  uninteresting 
to  gourmets. 

MENU 

BLUE   POINTS  SUR  COQUILLE. 

Potage. 

CLEAR  TURTLE. 

Hors  (CCEuvre. 

C^LERI.      OLIVES.      ANCHOIS.      RADIS. 


74    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

Poisson. 

TURBOT   A   LA  VATEL. 
SALADE  DE   CONCOMBRES.      POMMES   GASTRONOME. 

RelevL 

CHAPON  A  LA  CHIPOLATA. 
HARICOTS  VERTS. 

Entrees. 

SALMI   DE   FAISANS   AUX   TRUFFES. 
DIAMOND-BACK   TERRAPIN,   ARLINGTON   STYLE. 

PUNCH   CARDINAL. 

Roti. 

CHESAPEAKE  CANVAS-BACK. 
MAYONNAISE  DE  CELERI. 

Entremets  Sucres. 

NESSELRODE  PUDDING  GLAC^,  MARASCHINO   SAUCE. 
GELEE  AU  VIN  DE  MAD^RE  A  LA  JARDINIERE.      GATEAUX  ASSORTIS. 

FRUITS.      CAFE.      SEGARS.      FROMAGE. 

Vins, 

CHABLIS. 

SOLERO    1820. 

CHATEAU  LAROSE. 

RUINART  BRUT. 

CLOS  DE  VOUGEOT. 

CHATEAU  MARGAUX   1 869. 

COGNAC   1842. 

BENEDICTINE. 

On  Saturday,  December  lo,  the  Conference 
adjourned  till  the  first  week  in  January,  as  we  had 
arranged  to  go  up  to  Canada  for  Christmas  and  dis- 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       75 

cuss  the  situation  with  the  Dominion  Government. 
The  next  day  Beauclerk  and  I  took  a  long  *'  con- 
stitutional "  of  some  nine  miles  over  the  Arlington 
heights,  littered  with  the  graves  of  those  who  fell 
in  the  Civil  War. 

On  the  1 2th,  at  Mr.  Bayard's  invitation,  we  went 
down  to  the  navy  yard,  and  boarded  a  Government 
despatch  boat  which  conveyed  a  party  of  about  100 
some  seventeen  miles  down  the  Potomac  to  see  the 
tomb  and  residence  of  George  Washington  at  Mount 
Vernon.  I  give  a  reproduction  of  a  photograph 
taken  in  front  of  that  historical  house  on  that  day. 
The  Chief  in  a  light  shooting-suit  figures  in  the 
centre  of  the  group,  and  Miss  Endicott,  carrying  a 
white  shawl,  is  the  second  lady  on  his  right.  Mr. 
Bayard's  tall  figure,  carrying  his  hat  in  his  hand,  is 
readily  recognisable  on  the  right  of  the  picture.  I 
am  the  last  but  one  on  the  left.  Every  good 
American  citizen  who  has  had  the  chance  has  of 
course  visited  Mount  Vernon.  It  is  to  them  what 
Mecca  and  Medina  are  to  Mohammedan  pilgrims. 
But  a  brief  description  of  it  may  interest  some 
English  readers  who  have  not  penetrated  so  far. 

The  Mansion  House  is  situated  on  a  bluff  some 
200  feet  above  the  level  of  the  Potomac,  which  is 
there  about  two  miles  wide.     It  is  a  wooden  struc- 


76    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN    THE 

ture,  about  lOO  feet  long,  the  sidings  of  which  are 
cut  and  painted  to  resemble  stone.  The  central  and 
main  part  was  built  in  1743  by  Lawrence  Washing- 
ton, who  named  it  "  Mount  Vernon."  At  his  death 
he  left  it  to  his  brother  George,  who  added  various 
extensions,  notably  colonnades  supported  by  pillars 
back  and  front  and  a  piazza  paved  with  enormous 
flagstones  brought  from  the  Isle  of  Wight.  The 
General  dignified  it  with  the  name  of  '*  The  Mansion 
House."  Inside  it  is  practically  a  museum  full  of 
most  interesting  relics,  to  which  every  State  in  the 
Union  has  contributed  something,  not  the  least 
noteworthy  being  the  key  of  the  Bastille,  and  also  a 
beautiful  model  cut  from  the  granite  of  the  de- 
molished prison,  both  of  which  were  presented  to 
Washington  by  Lafayette.  There  are  also  the  room 
and  bed  in  which  Washington  died,  and  also  those 
in  which  his  widow  died  eighteen  months  later. 
The  property  belongs  to  the  State  of  Virginia,  who 
purchased  it  from  the  family  in  1856. 

But  of  course  the  most  interesting  feature,  to 
which  we  all  proceeded  bareheaded  on  landing,  is 
Washington's  tomb,  which  stands  in  the  grounds 
among  cypress  trees  to  the  left  of  the  Mansion  as  you 
look  at  it  from  the  river.  It  is  an  unpretentious 
edifice,  built  of  brick.     You  enter  it  through  double 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       77 

iron  gates  under  an  arched  gateway,  above  which  is 
an  inscription  on  a  marble  slab  : 

"  Within  this  enclosure  rest  the  remains  of 
General  George  Washington." 

This  entrance  takes  you  into  an  anteroom  con- 
taining two  sarcophagi  presented  by  one  John 
Struthers  of  Philadelphia,  and  wrought  by  his  own 
hand  from  solid  blocks  of  Pennsylvania  marble. 
The  one  on  the  right  contains  the  remains  of  the 
man  **  who  was  first  in  war,  first  in  peace,  and  first 
in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen."  It  is  quite  plain, 
ornamented  only  with  the  United  States  coat  of 
arms  upon  a  draped  flag,  under  which  is  the  single 
word  "  Washington."     No  dates  or  anything  more. 

The  sarcophagus  on  the  left  is  that  which  con- 
tains Mrs.  Washington's  remains,  and  is  lettered  : 

"  Martha, 

Consort  of  Washington. 

Died  May  21st,  1801,  aged  71  years." 

Their  bodies  used  to  lie  in  the  vault  beyond  the 
anteroom,  which  contains  the  remains  of  some 
thirty  members  of  Washington's  family.  Some 
miscreant,  however,  broke  in  and  carried  off  a  skull 
which  he  thought  was  Washington's,  but  turned  out 
to  be  one  of  the  Blackburn  family.     So  for  the  sake 


78    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

of  greater  security  the  bodies  were  placed  in  the 
marble  sarcophagi  above  described,  the  door  of  the 
old  vault  was  closed,  and  the  key  thrown  into  the 
Potomac. 

Having  inspected  this  chamber  of  death,  we  went 
over  the  Mansion,  and  were  then  grouped  for  the 
photograph,  and  subsequently  returned  to  the  navy 
yard.  Mr.  Chamberlain  dined  at  the  Legation  that 
evening. 

An  amusing  incident  occurred  two  or  three  days 
after  our  trip  to  Mount  Vernon.  Bergne  and  I  were 
at  work  in  our  big  ofRce  room  at  the  hotel,  and  Mr. 
Chamberlain  was  in  his  own  little  room  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  corridor.  One  of  our  attendants 
brought  in  a  card  from  a  Post  representative  who, 
it  was  stated,  wanted  to  make  some  inquiry  about 
procedure  in  the  British  House  of  Commons. 
Neither  Bergne  nor  I  were  particularly  intimate  with 
such  technicalities,  nor  had  we  an  **  Erskine  May  " 
handy,  but  we  concluded  to  see  him,  and  trust  to 
Providence.  I  think  his  name  was  Lewsly,  but  can't 
be  positive  after  this  lapse  of  time.  We  regaled 
him  with  a  cigar  and  some  rye  whisky,  and  con- 
versed on  sundry  topics  in  general  and  nothing  in 
particular.  Presently  Mr.  Chamberlain  happened 
to  come  in  and  joined  in  the  conversation.     Then 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       79 

the  question  of  the  introduction  of  Bills  and  the 
subsequent  procedure  did  crop  up,  with  which, 
of  course,  the  Chief  was  famiHar  down  to  the 
smallest  detail.  The  reporter  eventually  took  his 
departure,  and  the  next  day  the  Post  had  two  columns 
about  our  personal  attributes,  which  is  sufficiently 
^musing  and  characteristic  of  the  American  press- 
man to  warrant  the  reproduction  of  an  extract. 

TO   SEE   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN 

THE   CORDON   OF   DETECTIVES  THAT  MUST  FIRST 
BE  PASSED 

The  English  Statesman  unable  to  say  how  soon  the 
Commission  will  adjourn  —  English  Views  on 
American  Subjects 

Mr.  Chamberlain  does  not  always  insist  upon  the 
principle  that  newspaper  reporters  are  not  worth 
seeing  unless  there  are  forty  or  fifty  of  them  to- 
gether. A  single  Post  reporter  was  permitted 
yesterday  afternoon  to  invade  the  apartments  of  the 
distinguished  English  statesman  at  the  Arlington 
Hotel,  and  to  engage  his  attention  and  that  of  his 
assistants,  Messrs.  Bergne  and  Maycock,  of  the 
^  English  Foreign  Office,  for  the  greater  part  of  an 
hour.  Of  course,  the  inner  circle  was  not  reached 
without  some  preliminary  skirmishing.  When  in 
response  to  the  reporter's  card  the  servant  returned 
with  the  message  ''  Come  up,"  the  servant  himself 
looked  surprised,  and  the  hotel  clerk  stared  with 


8o    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

astonishment,  for  it  is  very  seldom  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain says ''  Come  up."  Generally  he  says  '*  Not  in." 
The  reporter  followed  the  servant  around  the  turn- 
ing of  a  number  of  dark,  narrow  corridors  to  a  large 
parlour  on  the  ground  floor,  in  a  remote  part  of  the 
building.  The  door  of  the  parlour  was  open,  and 
three  gentlemen  were  near  the  door  waiting  to  see 
the  reporter.  These  gentlemen  were  not  Mr. 
Chamberlain  and  the  Foreign  Office  officials,  but 
simply  "  Mr.  Chamberlain's  friends,"  as  the  Pinker- 
ton  detectives  on  guard  choose  to  call  themselves. 
They  had  seen  the  card  and  passed  it  favourably  ; 
but  they  wanted  also  to  see  the  man  to  assure  them- 
selves that  there  was  no  deception.  They  are  alive 
to  the  fact  that  a  bold,  bad  man  with  hostile  inten- 
tions towards  Mr.  Chamberlain  might  possibly  get 
possession  of  the  card  even  of  the  British  Minister, 
and  attempt  in  that  way  to  smuggle  himself  past  the 
guards.  The  detectives  do  not  by  any  means  re- 
gard the  card  in  itself  as  sufficient.  No  person 
whatever  can  pass  up  to  Mr.  Chamberlain's  apart- 
ments without  passing  an  English  Civil  Service 
Examination,  so  to  speak,  before  the  guards. 

The  servant  simultaneously  presented  the  card 
and  the  reporter  to  the  gentlemen  in  the  parlour,  and 
as  the  reporter  had  the  good  fortune  to  be  known  to 
one  of  them,  the  order  was  given  after  some  little 
questioning  :  ''  Show  the  gentleman  up."  Two 
flights  of  stairs,  and  then  the  door  leading  into  one  of 
Mr.  Chamberlain's  sitting-rooms  was  opened.  It 
was  the  room  where  Mr.  Chamberlain  the  day  after 
his  arrival  in  Washington  was  entertained  by  forty 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       8i 

reporters  at  once.  It  was  the  room  which  Mr. 
Chamberlain  and  his  assistants  use  for  office  work. 
Several  tables  were  covered  with  papers,  books,  and 
writing  materials,  and  on  one  table  was  the  regular 
black  leather-covered  dispatch-box  of  British  diplo- 
macy. Mr.  Bergne,  who  is  small  of  stature,  of  slender 
build,  sharp,  shrewd,  and  wiry,  was  standing  inside 
the  door  to  welcome  the  coming  guest ;  and  Mr. 
Maycock,  who  is  fat  and  fair  and  much  bigger  than 
his  colleague,  although  evidently  several  years 
younger,  was  standing  near  by.  Mr.  Bergne  might 
be  taken  for  a  Yankee,  and  a  keen,  hard  Yankee  at 
that ;  but  Mr.  Maycock  looks  the  typical  Briton,  fat, 
fair,  well  fed,  a  perfect  cushion  stuffed  with  the  roast 
beef  of  old  England.  Mr.  Chamberlain  was  not 
visible  just  yet.  He  was  engaged  in  his  private  room 
on  the  other  side  of  the  corridor  giving  audience 
to  a  Catholic  priest  who  had  called  to  make  some 
communication,  which,  of  course,  was  held  as  con- 
fidential as  any  of  the  conferences  of  the  fishery 
negotiators.  Not  from  the  priest  and  not  from  Mr. 
Chamberlain,  but  from  another  very  reliable  source, 
the  reporter  learned  that,  so  far  from  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain being  in  danger  of  assassination  at  the  hands  of 
the  Irish  in  Washington,  forty  members  of  the 
Clan-na-Gael  had  been  detailed  to  watch  over  him 
while  here,  and  to  do  whatever  might  be  necessary 
to  protect  him  from  harm.  But,  notwithstanding 
this,  the  Pinkerton  detective  force  has  been  doubled 
in  anticipation  of  the  commotion  among  the  Irish 
societies  of  this  city  caused  by  the  visit  of  O'Connor 
and  Esmonde. 

F 


82    WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

The  reporter  had  not  been  long  in  conversation 
with  the  two  aforesaid  gentlemen  when  Mr.  Cham- 
berlain entered  from  the  room  across  the  corridor. 
He  was  chasing  up  some  information,  which  he  had 
Mr.  Maycock  search  for  in  a  book  of  reference. 
Immediately  the  reporter  noticed  that  something 
had  happened  to  Mr.  Chamberlain  since  his  arrival 
in  Washington.  What  was  it  ?  He  had  discarded 
that  single  eyeglass,  which  had  become  by  long 
association  an  almost  inseparable  part  of  his  indi- 
viduality, and  instead  of  the  single  eyeglass  he  had  a 
modest  and  useful-looking  pair  of  glasses  riding  on 
the  bridge  of  his  good  British  nose.  It  has  been 
said  somewhere  and  accepted  by  a  great  many  people, 
who  don't  know  anything  about  it,  that  Mr.  Cham- 
berlain resembles  Edwin  Booth.  He  bears  just  as 
strong  a  resemblance  to  Fred  Douglas  or  James  G. 
Blaine  or  any  other  man.  Mr.  Booth  is  handsome. 
So  is  Mr.  Chamberlain.  There  this  resemblance 
ends. 

Mr.  Chamberlain  and  his  friends  are  fond  of  ven- 
tilation. Although  it  was  a  cool  afternoon  for 
Washington,  they  kept  the  door  and  all  the  windows 
open  and  pronounced  disparaging  ejaculations  about 
the  blasted  heat  which  was  coming  in  the  shape  of 
hot  air  from  the  furnace.  Casting  a  glance  at  the 
register  on  the  wall  which  was  committing  all  the 
offence,  Mr.  Chamberlain  said  :  *'  I  don't  regard 
that  as  an  improvement  on  our  bright  fireside." 
Mr.  Chamberlain  may  discard  the  single  eyeglass, 
but  he  intends  to  cling  to  the  old  English  fireside. 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       83 

Bergne  rather  squirmed  when  he  read  this  in  the 
paper  the  next  day.  I  was  enormously  amused  at 
the  pen-portrait  of  myself,  and  sent  copies  home  to 
some  friends  in  the  Foreign  Office  and  also  one  to 
my  dear  old  mother  at  Leamington.  She,  poor  old 
lady,  took  it  all  au  pied  de  la  lettre,  and  a  subsequent 
mail  brought  me  a  letter  from  her  in  which  she 
expressed  great  concern  at  my  having  become  so 
obese,  which  she  was  convinced  could  hardly  be 
consistent  with  comfort.  Some  months  later,  when 
we  got  back  to  the  **  Old  Country,"  I  took  the  first 
opportunity  of  running  down  to  Leamington  to  see 
her,  and,  to  keep  up  the  joke,  put  a  huge  cushion 
underneath  my  overcoat  and  walked  into  the  draw- 
ing-room. She  of  course  greeted  me  affectionately, 
but  I  could  see  her  eye  was  fixed  on  the  place  where 
my  **  chest  had  dropped,"  which  she  subsequently 
stroked,  remarking,  **  You  have  indeed  put  on  some 
flesh,  my  dear  boy  !  "  "  Yes,"  I  said,  "  there's 
some  canvas-back  duck  and  terrapin  there,  isn't 
there  }  "  However,  I  didn't  keep  up  the  illusion 
long,  and  when  I  took  off  my  fur  coat  and  the  cushion 
fell  on  the  floor,  she  breathed  a  sigh  of  relief,  and 
we  both  laughed  heartily.  *'  Those  were  happy 
days  !  "  as  George  Graves  so  frequently  remarked 
in  the  last  pantomime  at  **  the  Lane." 


CHAPTER   VI 

BALTIMORE  ;     NEW    YORK  ;     MONTREAL  ;     OTTAWA 

On  December  i6,  in  response  to  an  invitation  from 
Mr.  Oilman,  President  of  the  Johns  Hopkins  Univer- 
sity, Mr.  Chamberlain,  Bergne,  and  I  made  an  ex- 
pedition to  Baltimore,  ''  the  Monument  City  "  as  it 
is  called  in  the  States.  It  contains  many  such 
edifices,  notably  one  imposing  obelisk  erected  in 
1830  in  memory  of  Oeorge  Washington,  another  to 
Oeorge  Peabody  in  recognition  of  his  having  en- 
dowed the  Peabody  Institute,  and  another  in  memory 
of  those  who  fell  in  conflict  with  the  British  in  18 14. 
President  Oilman  met  us  at  the  station,  took  us 
round  the  town,  showed  us  all  the  sights,  lunched 
us  at  the  club,  drove  us  round  one  of  the  large  parks, 
and  finally  came  to  anchor  at  the  University.  I  was 
impressed  by  a  machine  I  saw  there  which  could  cut 
48,000  lines  on  one  inch  of  glass  for  solar  spectrum 
experiments.  Maybe  something  has  since  been 
invented  which  can  even  go  better.    We  made  an 

early  dinner  at  the  University,  where  we  met  several 

84 


UNITED    STATES    AND    CANADA       85 

prominent  citizens,  among  them  Reverdy  Johnson, 
a  son,  I  think,  of  the  gentleman  who  negotiated  the 
Alabama  claims,  and  was  American  Minister  here 
in  1868-9.  After  dinner  Mr.  Chamberlain  was 
formally  introduced  to  the  students  by  Dr.  H.  B. 
Adams,  one  of  the  leading  professors  at  the  Univer- 
sity, and  a  very  charming  man.  The  Chief  gave 
them  a  short  address  on  the  land  tenure  laws  of 
this  country  and  Ireland,  and  met  with  a  cordial 
reception.  We  left  by  the  9.40  for  Washington,  and 
got  back  safely,  dog-tired.  There  was  a  long  account 
of  our  visit  in  the  Baltimore  American  of  the  follow- 
ing day,  from  which  I  quote  a  short  extract : 

**  Mr.  Chamberlain  presented  the  appearance  of  a 
typical  Englishman,  with  stern,  clear-cut  features. 
He  was  dressed  in  a  neat-fitting  Prince  Albert,  and 
wore  a  monocle  over  his  right  eye,  a  feature  of  his 
costume  with  which  the  prints  have  already  made 
Americans  familiar.  His  remarks  were  received 
with  great  applause,  and  particularly  the  latter  part, 
in  which  he  expressed,  in  most  earnest  language 
and  a  most  sincere  tone,  the  desire  that  the  two 
great  Anglo-Saxon  nations  should  exert  every  effort 
to  maintain  amicable  relations.  It  was  universally 
regretted  that  Mr.  Chamberlain  was  forced  to 
retire  at  the  end  of  fifteen  minutes,  but  this  was 
necessary  from  the  fact  that  the  party  were  obliged 
to  catch  the  train  for  Washington." 


86    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

On  December  19  we  left  Washington  in  the  morn- 
ing for  New  York  en  route  for  Canada  to  spend 
Christmas  with  Lord  Lansdowne.  Henry  Ed- 
wardes  and  his  wife  accompanied  us  to  New  York, 
where  we  put  up  again  at  the  Brevoort  House  in  the 
rooms  we  had  previously  occupied.  We  all  dined 
at  Delmonico's  that  evening  and  went  afterwards 
to  see  Madelon  at  the  Casino  Theatre.  Of  course 
we  could  not  escape  the  ubiquitous  reporters,  to 
whom  Mr.  Chamberlain  accorded  a  brief  interview 
before  dinner,  the  result  of  which  duly  appeared  in 
the  papers  the  next  day.     One  extract  will  suffice. 

CHAMBERLAIN   HERE   AGAIN 
ON  HIS  WAY   TO   VISIT   LORD   LANSDOWNE 

In  good  healthy  but  unwilling  to  discuss  Politics 
or  Diplomacy 

Mr.  Chamberlain  was  somewhat  fatigued  after  his 
journey,  and  having  to  fill  an  engagement  to  dine 
out  and  then  another  to  go  to  the  Casino,  he  hadn't 
much  time  to  spare  for  an  interview.  The  reporter 
had  to  promise  to  be  brief,  and  when  he  made  the 
painful  but  not  altogether  unexpected  discovery  that 
for  "  obvious  reasons  ''  Mr.  Chamberlain  did  not 
feel  at  liberty  to  say  anything  about  the  work  of  the 
Fisheries  Commission,  and  for  equally  **  obvious 
reasons  "  did  not  deem  it  discreet  to  say  anything 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       87 

about  the  President's  Message,  the  interview  was 
necessarily  further  abbreviated. 

But  it  must  not  be  inferred  that  Mr.  Chamberlain 
has  lost  any  of  that  charming  courtesy  and  geniality 
of  manner  which  won  the  regard  of  the  newspaper 
men  who  met  him  when  he  first  landed  on  these 
shores,  and  made  them,  in  seeking  comparisons, 
bracket  his  name  with  that  of  the  great  friend  of  the 
reporter,  Chauncey  M.  Depew.  If  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain has  not  brought  back  with  him  from  Washing- 
ton the  laurel  wreath  of  diplomatic  victory,  he  has, 
nevertheless,  returned  in  splendid  health.  He 
looks  better  than  when  he  landed.  It  is  evident 
that  he  has  not  been  overworked  by  his  efforts  to 
strike  a  three-cornered  settlement  of  the  fisheries 
dispute. 

*'  No,"  said  Mr.  Chamberlain,  smiling  in  answer 
to  this  suggestion,  **  I  have  not  been  overworked 
at  all  in  Washington,  and  have  enjoyed  myself 
thoroughly  there.  Everywhere  I  have  met  with  the 
most  charming  hospitality  and  cordiality.  I  have 
been  made  to  feel  at  home,  quite  as  much  so  as  in 
England.  I  brought  with  me  strong  feelings  of 
sympathy  and  goodwill  for  the  American  people. 
They  have  been  made  stronger  by  personal  acquaint- 
ance with  them.  But  what  has  struck  me  most — 
as  I  said  when  I  was  here  last,  and  wider  experi- 
ence has  only  strengthened  the  impression — is  the 
resemblance  between  us  and  the  Americans.  I 
don't  feel  like  a  stranger  here  ;  I  feel  at  home." 

Leaving  this  safe  and  pleasant  field  of  discussion, 


88    WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

the  reporter  ventured  on  more  interesting  but  also 
more  dangerous  ground. 

"  A  recent  dispatch  from  England  intimates  that, 
as  Mr.  Gladstone,  in  the  nature  of  things,  cannot 
live  long,  and  Mr.  Morley  is  sick,  you  may  yourself 
some  day — perhaps  soon — re-unite  the  Liberal  party 
on  the  Irish  question  and  assume  its  leadership.  Is 
there  any  likelihood  of  this  ?  " 

Before  the  reporter  had  finished  the  question, 
Mr.  Chamberlain  had  adjusted  in  position,  by  a 
slight  corrugation  of  the  right  eyebrow,  the  famous 
single  eyeglass  with  which  caricaturists  identify  him. 
He  was  at  once  the  diplomatist.  But  the  pleasant 
smile  still  lingered  about  his  mouth. 

"  I  never  speculate  about  the  future,"  he  said, 
**  and  about  dead  men's  shoes  there  is  a  strong 
element  of  uncertainty.  Mr.  Gladstone  is  in  good 
health,  and  I  hope  that  he  will  long  continue  to 
enjoy  it.  There  is  only  one  thing  that  prevents 
entire  unity  in  the  Liberal  party — that  is  the  Irish 
question.  With  that  settled  we  should  again  be 
united.     But  who  can  tell  when  that  will  be  .?  " 

After  leaving  Canada,  Mr.  Chamberlain  and  his 
party  will  sojourn  a  day  or  two  at  Niagara  and  then 
return  to  Washington.  The  dinner  which  the 
Canadian  Club  has  tendered  him  has  been  post- 
poned, and  will  probably  not  take  place  until  the 
middle  of  January. 

On  the  20th  we  left  in  the  evening  for  Montreal  by 
the  Central  Road,  the  President  of  which  had  placed 


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i'e 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       89 

his  sumptuous  car  at  Mr.  Chamberlain's  disposal. 
We  had  a  tip-top  dinner  that  night,  and  I  append 
a  thumb-nail  sketch  of  the  Chief  enjoying  a  post- 
prandial cigar  and  deep  in  a  book.  He  never  lost 
an  opportunity  of  devouring  current  literature, 
which  interested  him  far  more  than  conversation 
with  dull  people.  I  have  never  met  anyone  who 
could  master  the  contents  of  a  book  so  rapidly  as 
Mr.  Chamberlain.  I  remember  his  reading  Ben 
Hur,  which  appeared  about  that  time  and  was  much 
talked  of,  in  about  a  couple  of  hours,  and  I  don't 
believe  he  skipped  a  line.  We  reached  Montreal 
about  half-past  nine  the  next  morning,  after  a  com- 
fortable journey  of  about  fifteen  hours. 

There  was  not  much  to  see  at  Montreal  during 
our  brief  halt.  The  ice  palace  which  is  periodically 
erected  in  Montreal  was  not  in  evidence  that  winter. 
I  purchased  a  photograph  of  the  last  that  had  been 
built — a  rather  picturesque  edifice,  made  entirely  of 
ice, — and  it  has  been  reproduced  for  this  book. 
When  lit  up  for  balls  and  carnivals,  I  can  well 
imagine,  the  effect  must  have  been  unique,  though 
very  cold  inside.  We  went  on  to  Ottawa  by  the 
C.P.R.  and  arrived  there  about  four.  We  were 
met  at  the  station  by  Lord  Lansdowne's  military 
secretary,  Captain  (now  Colonel)  Streatfeild  of  the 


90    WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

Grenadiers,  not  only  one  of  the  handsomest  but 
quite  the  most  charming  and  methodical  man  I  ever 
came  across.  He  is  now  private  secretary  to  Queen 
Alexandra.  Pakenham  of  the  Grenadiers  and 
Anson,  the  two  A.D.C.'s  to  His  Excellency  the 
Governor-General,  also  came  to  meet  us, with  sleighs, 
and  escorted  us  to  Government  House,  otherwise 
known  as  Rideau  Hall,  of  which  I  reproduce  a  photo- 
graph. Poor  Anson,  Lord  Lichfield's  brother,  died 
in  1904.  He  was  Streatfeild's  brother-in-law,  Streat- 
feild  having  married  Lady  Florence  Anson ;  and,  as 
Lady  Florence  and  her  brother  were  respectively 
niece  and  nephew  of  Lady  Lansdowne,  there  was 
quite  a  family  party  at  Government  House.  Lord 
and  Lady  Lansdowne  gave  us  all  a  very  warm  and 
hearty  reception.  It  was  my  first  acquaintanceship 
with  His  Excellency,  and  a  very  fortunate  one  for 
me,  as  in  after  years  when  he  became  Secretary  of 
State  for  Foreign  Affairs  he  showed  me  acts  of  kind- 
ness for  which  I  can  never  be  sufficiently  grateful. 
For  such  advancement  in  my  official  career  as  I  can 
claim  to  have  achieved,  I  am  more  indebted  to  him 
than  to  any  other  Secretary  of  State  under  whom  I 
have  served,  not  even  excepting  Sir  Edward  Grey. 
Lord  Lansdowne  gave  me  the  important  post  of 
Superintendent  of  the  Treaty  Department  of  the 


",«•€ 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       91 

Foreign  Office  in  1903,  and,  two  years  later,  followed 
this  up  by  recommending  me  to  the  King  for  a 
C.M.G.  I  shall  never  forget  how  nicely  he  imparted 
this  welcome  and  unexpected  intelligence  to  me. 
It  happened  to  be  part  of  my  business  to  arrange 
with  the  Chancery  of  St.  Michael  and  St.  George 
for  the  gazetting  of  such  distinctions  in  that  order 
as  were  at  the  disposal  of  the  Foreign  Secretary 
when  the  King  had  approved  them.  Lord  Lans- 
downe  sent  for  me  and  said,  "  I  understand,  May- 
cock,  that  your  department  deals  with  the  birthday 
honours  list  ?  "  I  replied  in  the  affirmative. 
''  Then,"  said  his  Lordship,  handing  me  the  list, 
**  will  you  attend  to  these,  and  I  am  happy  to  tell 
you  you  will  find  your  name  among  them." 

But  to  ''  hark  back  "  to  Canada. 

The  night  of  our  arrival  (Wednesday,  December 
21)  several  of  the  Canadian  Ministers  dined  with 
His  Excellency.  The  next  day  Bergne  and  I  went 
to  look  at  the  Chaudiere  Falls,  near  Ottawa,  and  as 
they  are  probably  not  so  well  known  to  people  in 
this  country  as  Niagara,  I  attach  a  photograph  of 
them. 

Among  the  notable  persons  who  dined  on  the 
night  of  our  arrival  were  the  Hon.  J.  A.  and  Madame 
Chapleau,    Sir    Hector   Langevin,  the  Venerable 


92    WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

Archdeacon  Lauder,  Bishop  Lewis,  and  Sir  John 
and  Lady  Macdonald. 

It  is  something  to  be  proud  of  to  have  met  Sir 
John  Macdonald  and  to  possess  a  photograph  given 
to  me  by  himself,  which  is  reproduced  here.  His 
likeness  to  Lord  Beaconsfield  was  so  striking,  as  will 
be  seen  from  this  picture,  that  he  was  known  far 
and  wide  as  the  Disraeli  of  Canada.  When  we 
were  at  Ottawa  he  was  Prime  Minister  of  the  Do- 
minion. His  whole  career  was  so  remarkable  that 
I  may  be  pardoned  for  giving  a  brief  summary  of  it 
for  the  benefit  of  those  who  are  unfamiliar  with  it. 

The  son  of  a  Sutherland  yeoman,  he  was  born  in 
Glasgow  in  1815.  When  he  was  five  years  old  his 
parents  emigrated  to  Canada,  took  the  boy  with 
them,  and  settled  at  Kingston,  Ontario.  Young 
John,  in  due  course,  after  a  grammar-school  edu- 
cation, took  to  the  **  study  and  practice  of  the  law,'* 
was  called  to  the  bar  in  1836,  and  came  into 
some  prominence  three  years  later  by  his  able 
defence  of  the  raider  Von  Schultz.  He  rose  to  be 
Attorney-General  in  several  Ministries,  and  in 
1856  he  succeeded  Sir  A.  MacNab  as  leader  of  the 
Conservative  party.  His  personal  influence  with  his 
party  was  never  equalled  by  any  statesman  in  Canada, 
and  he  was  practically  responsible  for  the  creation 


:^ 


< 

o  o 


-^^^  -'-=: 


•  e  ••   ; 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       93 

of  the  Dominion  in  1867.     He  was  one  of  the  five 
British  Commissioners  who  negotiated  and  signed  the 
historical  Treaty  of  Washington  in  1871 ;  in  recogni- 
tion of  which  service  he  was  made  an  EngHsh  Privy 
Councillor  the  following  year.     He  became  Prime 
Minister  in  1878,  and  two  years  later  signed  the 
contract  for  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway,  which  was 
opened  in  1886.    He  was  always  a  strong  opponent  of 
commercial  union  with  the  United   States,  holding 
that,  if  once  effected,  it  was  bound  to  end  in  political 
union.     He  used  to  say,  **  A  British  subject  I  was 
born  and  a  British  subject  I  will  die,"  as  in  fact  he 
did  at  Ottawa  in  1891,  within  three  months  of  an 
election  which  had  returned  the  Conservatives  into 
power  with  himself  once  again  as  Prime  Minister. 
His  remains  lay  in  the  Senate  Chamber  at  Ottawa 
till  they  were  transferred  to  Kingston,  where  he  was 
honoured  with  a  public  funeral,  and  buried  with 
his  parents,  sister,  first  wife,  and  child  under  a  plain 
Scotch  granite  shaft  inscribed  with  the  single  word 
"Macdonald."    All    the    stations    on    the    C.P.R. 
from  Ottawa  to  Kingston,  128  miles,  were  draped  in 
black  when  his  remains  passed  through  them,  and  a 
memorial  service  in  his  honour  was  held  on  June  12 
at  Westminster  Abbey.    He  was  twice  married,  and 
his  widow  survived  him.    He  had  a  fine  mansion 


94     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

at  Ottawa,  called  Earnscliffe,  where  he  resided 
when  Parliament  was  sitting,  and  another  home  at 
Kingston,  where  he  spent  most  of  his  time  in  the 
recess.  He  was,  in  truth,  a  very  great  man  and  a 
very  agreeable  one  too.  Mr.  Chamberlain  had 
several  personal  interviews  with  him  at  Ottawa 
on  the  fishery  question,  with  which  he  was  espe- 
cially conversant. 

On  the  22nd  Mr.  Chamberlain  received  a  deputa- 
tion of  Pressmen,  who  of  course  wanted  to  know  all 
about  the  fishery  negotiations  and  how  they  were 
progressing.  The  Chief,  however,  declined  to  be 
*'  drawn  "  on  this  topic  ;  but  he  had  a  good  deal  to 
say  to  them  upon  the  tariff  question  and  upon  the 
subject  of  commercial  union  with  the  States.  His 
views  on  that  subject  were  in  entire  harmony  with 
those  of  Sir  John  Macdonald.  The  interview  was 
reported  at  great  length  the  following  day  in  the 
Press.  It  would  serve  no  useful  purpose  to  reproduce 
it  at  length.  But  there  were  some  smart  points  and 
counterpoints  in  which  Mr.  Chamberlain  excelled. 
For  example  : 

Q,  "Do  you  think  the  English  people  would 
favour  any  proposal  from  Canada  discriminating  in 
matters  of  tariff  against  the  mother  country  in  favour 
of  the  United  States  }  " 


m 

< 
^    < 

5  o 

< 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       95 

A,  *'  Well,  how  do  you  think  the  Canadian 
people  would  favour  any  proposal  in  England  dis- 
criminating between  Canada  and  the  United 
States  ?  I  think  human  nature  is  the  same  on  both 
sides  of  the  water.  Your  answer  would  probably 
be  mine." 


We  had  another  big  banquet  at  Government 
House  on  the  night  of  the  22nd,  no  fewer  than 
thirty-six  sitting  down  to  dinner,  including  Sir 
Charles  and  Lady  Tupper. 

The  next  day  we  indulged  in  skating  and  curling 
in  the  grounds  of  Government  House.  I  was  kept 
going  on  skates  by  some  of  the  Ottawa  ladies  till  my 
ankles  fairly  ached.  One  has  to  go  to  Canada  to 
realise  what  skating  really  is.  One  young  man  that 
afternoon  skated  up  to  a  five-barred  gate  and  jumped 
over  it  apparently  without  an  effort.  Lord  Lans- 
downe,  among  his  many  accomplishments,  was  quite 
an  expert  at  curling,  and  initiated  Mr.  Chamberlain 
into  the  art.  The  curling  stones  used  in  Canada 
are  particularly  heavy  ones,  weighing  from  60  to  70 
lbs.  The  Chief's  first  effort  was  a  very  resolute  one, 
so  much  so  that  he  overbalanced  himself  and  came 
down  heavily.  Moreover,  he  had  inadvertently 
omitted  to  provide  himself  with  the  conventional 
broom,  a  piece  of  heterodoxy  that  horrified  His 


96     WITH  MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

Excellency.  The  omission  was  at  once  rectified, 
and  the  next  attempt  was  far  more  satisfactory. 
Indeed,  after  about  half  an  hour's  coaching,  Lord 
Lansdowne  was  highly  gratified  at  his  pupil's  pro- 
gress. The  same  evening  His  Excellency  honoured 
me  with  a  game  of  billiards,  at  which,  being  no  mean 
cueist  in  those  days,  I  find  a  note  in  my  diary  that  I 
came  off  victorious. 

We  spent  a  most  delightful  Christmas  Day  at 
Government  House.  It  happened  to  fall  on  a 
Sunday.  After  church  parade  and  lunch  I  walked 
into  Ottawa  with  the  Chief  and  paid  a  call  or  two, 
returning  to  a  good  old-fashioned  English  Christmas 
dinner,  comprising  the  House  party  only. 

Nothing  particular  occurred  beyond  more  skating 
and  curling  on  the  Monday.  On  Tuesday,  His 
Excellency,  the  Chief,  Anson  and  I  drove  into 
Ottawa  on  sleighs,  visited  the  Government  offices 
and  Parliamentary  buildings,  as  well  as  the  Geo- 
logical Museum.  Back  to  lunch  at  Rideau  Hall 
and  skated  in  the  afternoon.  That  night  Sir  Richard 
Cartwright  dined.  I  think  he  was  then  leader  of 
the  Opposition  and  favoured  commercial  union  with 
the  States.  After  dinner,  he  and  the  Chief  had  a 
vivacious  and  interesting  conversation,  their  views, 
as  may  be  imagined,  being  diametrically  opposed. 


Pholo :   Topley,  Oitazva 

SIR   JOHN    MACDONALD 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA       97 

On  the  28th  there  was  another  large  dinner  of 
some  thirty  people  at  Government  House,  and  the 
next  day  we  took  leave  of  our  kind  host  and  hostess 
with  many  regrets,  and  departed  in  His  Excellency's 
car,  with  a  French  chef  '*  on  board,"  for  Toronto. 
It  was  one  of  the  most  enjoyable  weeks  I  think  I 
ever  spent,  and  it  was  quite  painful  to  have  to  say 
good-bye  to  everybody.  Happily,  however,  we  were 
all  spared  to  meet  again  "  many  a  time  and  oft  "  in 
the  *'  Old  Country/'  The  car  above  alluded  to  was 
called  ^*  The  Cumberland,"  and  was  utilised  by  the 
Governor-General  on  official  tours  through  the 
Dominion.  It  was  an  imposing-looking  convey- 
ance with  a  sort  of  Swiss  cottage  roof. 


CHAPTER   VII 

TORONTO  AND  NIAGARA 

We  reached  Toronto  about  nine  in  the  evening  of 
December  29,  and  drove  to  Chestnut  Park,  a  Httle 
way  outside  the  town,  where  we  were  the  guests  of 
Sir  David  and  Lady  Macpherson.  Sir  David,  as 
will  be  seen  from  his  photograph,  was  a  very  hand- 
some old  gentleman,  with  a  fine  presence  and  genial 
manners.  Of  Scotch  origin,  he  went  to  Canada  as 
a  youth,  and  amassed  a  fortune  in  large  engineering 
undertakings,  chiefly  in  connection  with  the  Riche- 
lieu Navigation  Company.  Later  in  life  he  took  up 
politics,  and  was  both  Speaker  of  the  Senate  and 
Minister  of  the  Interior.  We  had  a  very  late  dinner 
that  night,  but  it  was  a  very  recherche  one,  and  no 
fewer  than  twenty-six  partook  of  it.  We  were  all 
about  played  out  when  at  last  we  got  to  bed  between 
one  and  two  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Alluding  to 
this  dinner,  the  Toronto  World  of  the  following  day 
said  :  "  This  party  had  been  arranged,  and  was  made 

up  of  many  of  Toronto's  handsomest  young  ladies, 

98 


o 

g 

3 
S  o 

< 


UNITED    STATES   AND   CANADA        99 

married  and  single,  people  who  are  generally  known 
as  prominent  citizens  not  being  present.  Perhaps 
this  was  not  altogether  an  unfortunate  event,  as  the 
British  Plenipotentiary  is  understood  to  be  a  con- 
noisseur in  the  matter  of  female  beauty."  Of  the 
many  handsome  and  attractive  ladies  present  at 
that  dinner,  I  should  be  inclined  to  award  the 
palm  to  Mrs.  Bankes,  one  of  Sir  David's  many 
pretty  daughters,  the  youngest  of  whom,  Isabel, 
married  the  late  Sir  George  Kirkpatrick,  who 
afterwards  became  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Ontario. 
Sir  David  Macpherson,  who  was  held  in  deservedly 
high  esteem  by  all  who  knew  him,  died  at  sea  on 
his  way  out  to  Canada  nine  years  afterwards,  viz. 
in  August  1896. 

The  next  day,  December  30,  we  all — Sir  David  in 
one  carriage  with  the  Chief,  and  Bergne  and  I  follow- 
ing in  another — drove  into  Toronto  and  visited  the 
Education  Department,  the  Toronto  University,  and 
the  Osgoode  House,  a  name  given  to  the  Toronto 
Law  Courts.  At  the  latter  place  we  arrived  un- 
expectedly, and  startled  a  stray  judge,  Mr.  Gait, 
brother  to  Sir  Alexander  Gait,  who  obligingly 
undertook  to  show  us  the  courts.  '  The  first  door  he 
opened  led  to — well,  not  a  court  of  justice,  and  the 
poor  old  gentleman's  confusion  and  embarrassment 


100    WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

was  quite  distressing  to  witness,  but  we  all  laughed 
heartily. 

That  evening  we  all  attended  the  first  annual 
dinner  of  the  Toronto  Board  of  Trade  at  Rossin 
House.  Mr.  Chamberlain  was  of  course  the  guest 
of  the  evening,  and  sat  on  the  right  of  Mr.  William 
Ince,  the  President.  Numerous  prominent  Cana- 
dians were  present,  including  Mr.  Van  Home,  then 
Vice-President  of  the  C  .P  .R .  He  was  very  anxious  to 
take  us  all  right  across  the  continent  to  Vancouver  and 
back,  and  the  Chief  would  have  been  sorely  tempted 
to  avail  himself  of  the  offer  had  time  been  available. 
But  it  would  have  taken  quite  a  fortnight  or  three 
weeks,  and  we  had  to  get  back  to  Washington,  so  he 
was  reluctantly  compelled  to  abandon  the  project. 
But  to  return  to  the  banquet.  Some  350  sat  down  in 
all,  but  when  the  time  for  the  toasts  was  reached, 
so  great  was  the  desire  to  hear  Mr.  Chamberlain 
speak,  that,  I  should  imagine,  quite  another  300 
were  admitted,  and  all  the  available  standing-room 
was  occupied.  Mr.  Chamberlain  had  consented  to 
respond  to  the  toast  **  The  Commercial  Interests  of 
the  Empire,"  proposed  in  a  few  suitable  words  by 
the  Chairman.  Now  I  have  heard  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain speak  on  many  occasions  in  this  country,  in 
Birmingham,  in  the  Commons,  and  elsewhere,  but 


UNITED    STATES   AN©.-'-GkNkM*- ibr 

DP^m  have  T  hf^arH  ^^T^  vnnrf-  plognpntj  more  im-- 
passioneHj  nr  more  dramatic_than  on  this  occasion. 
I  really  think  it  was  the_speech  of  hisJife,  Yet  he 
had  only  spent  half  an  hour,  before  dressing  for 
dinner,  in  thinking  it  out. 

"  The  Chairman  proposed  the  toast  of  the  *  Com- 
mercial Interests  of  the  Empire.'  He  said  the 
Board  had  been  prospering  well  for  some  time  past, 
and  it  was  thought  well  to  have  an  annual  dinner  to 
bring  the  members  together  so  that  the  compactness 
of  the  Board  might  be  furthered,  and  members  of 
the  different  sections  and  interests  which  the  Board 
embraces  should  be  more  closely  cemented  than  the 
present  facilities  for  intercourse  allowed.  The  sub- 
ject was  a  very  large  one  ;  commerce  had  made  small 
Britain  the  heart  of  the  system  of  the  commerce  of 
the  world.  She  was  the  centre  of  the  money  trans- 
actions of  the  world.  Wherever  there  were  vessels 
trading,  in  all  parts  of  the  world  there  would  be 
seen  the  British  flag.  Canada  also  was  rapidly 
extending  her  trade,  and  was  attracting  the  attention 
of  other  countries  to  her  resources.  The  Board  of 
Trade  was  very  much  pleased  to  have  with  them  for 
the  evening  their  distinguished  guest  Mr.  Chamber- 
Iain — (cheers) — a  gentleman  who  was  well  versed 
with  the  trade  and  commerce  of  the  world. 
(Cheers.) 


i62'     \VltH;^^^^^^  IN  THE 

Mr.  Chamberlain's  Speech 

Mr.  Chamberlain,  on  rising,  was  received  with 
prolonged  cheering  and  waving  of  handkerchiefs,  the 
company  standing.  He  said  :  Mr.  President  and 
gentlemen, — I  thank  you  most  sincerely  for  the 
kindness  with  which  you  have  received  me  and  for 
the  assurance  which  this  kindness  gives  of  your 
sympathy  and  support.  (Hear,  hear.)  I  am  very 
glad  to  be  here  among  you,  and  to  have  the  honour 
of  meeting  so  many  of  the  prominent  representa- 
tives of  that  activity  and  enterprise  which  have  done 
so  much  for  the  prosperity  of  the  Dominion,  and 
which  have  made  the  Queen  City  of  Canada  a  great 
centre  of  commercial  life  and  enterprise.  (Hear, 
hear.)  Mr.  President,  you  said  very  truly  that  the 
subject  to  which  you  have  called  me  to  respond  is  a 
far-reaching  one.  It  is  the  commercial  interests  of 
the  Empire — not  of  a  part  alone.  (Hear,  hear.)  I 
am  glad  that  the  Board  of  Trade  of  Toronto  think 
me  worthy  of  responding  to  so  large  a  subject. 
(Cheers.)  It  proves  to  me,  at  all  events,  that  you 
have  not  been  prejudiced  by  anything  you  may  have 
heard  to  my  disadvantage.  (Cheers.)  I  read  this 
morning  in  one  of  your  most  influential  journals  an 
appeal  which  was  addressed  to  me  personally,  and 
in  which  it  was  said  that  I  had  declared  that  the 
interests  of  Canada  must  be  subordinated  to  those 
of  Manchester.  In  other  articles  in  the  same  paper 
I  have  seen  it  alleged  that  I  came  over  here  to  repre- 
sent British  exporters.  That  is  a  most  unfor- 
tunate misapprehension  of  the  facts.     (Cheers  and 


,»  •     •  • 


Photo:  Hunter  ^  Co.,  Toronto 

SIR   DAVID   MACPHERSON 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA      103 

laughter.)  I  am  here  as  the  representative  of  Great 
Britain — (hear,  hear) — acting  on  behalf  of  her  colony 
of  Canada — (cheers) — ^whose  interests  she  is  bound 
in  honour  to  defend.  (Renewed  cheers.)  If  I  had 
used  any  language  like  that  which  has  been  imputed 
to  me  I  should  have  been  unworthy  of  the  position 
which  I  hold.  (Hear,  hear.)  I  can  assure  you 
that,  except  as  far  as  the  interests  of  Birmingham 
and  Manchester  are  identical  with  yours,  you  may 
trust  me  to  lay  them  aside  on  the  present  occasion. 
(Cheers.)  I  regret  these  mistakes  on  the  part  of  the 
influential  organs  of  public  opinion,  not  so  much  on 
any  personal  grounds  as  because  they  tend  to  dis- 
credit and  to  embarrass  the  negotiators  who  are 
engaged  in  your  business — (cheers) — ^because  to 
that  extent  they  damage  your  case.  (Cheers.)  But 
I  have  referred  to  this  matter  for  another  reason — 
because  I  want  to  point  out  to  you  that  we  hear 
a  little  too  much  about  antagonism  of  interests. 
(Hear,  hear.)  Our  interests,  yours  and  those  of  the 
Mother  Country,  and  I  will  go  further  and  say  those 
of  the  United  States,  all  lie  in  the  same  direction. 
(Hear,  hear.)  What  the  plenipotentiaries  have  to  do 
is  to  show  that  there  is  not  divergence,  but  identity 
of  interests,  and  if  it  does  not  exist  we  have  to  create 
it.  (Cheers.)  We  have  to  deal  with  these  points 
in  such  a  spirit  as  shall  show  that  we  desire  to  reach 
a  friendly  agreement  which  will  be  mutually  bene- 
ficial and  satisfactory.  (Applause.)  I  speak  to- 
night under  considerable  difficulty.  I  confess  that 
at  first  I  hesitated  to  accept  your  hospitable  invita- 
tion, because  I  was  afraid  it  would  not  be  possible 


104     WITH    MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

for  me  to  make  an  adequate  response  to  your  kind- 
ness ;  since  the  commission  I  have  undertaken 
imposes  restrictions  upon  me  which  I  am  bound 
faithfully  to  observe.  I  am  not  free  to  discuss 
some  of  those  questions  which  have  probably  the 
greatest  interest  for  all  of  us.  I  am  sure  you  will 
make  every  necessary  allowance  for  me,  and  will  not 
expect  from  me  any  premature  disclosure  of  con- 
fidential negotiations,  or  a  full  discussion  of  matters 
of  controversial  policy.  (Applause.)  Although  I 
am  afraid  I  cannot  promise  you  the  communication 
of  any  State  secret,  yet  there  are  some  general  con- 
siderations which  affect  important  matters,  and 
which  I  propose,  with  your  permission,  to  lay  before 
you.  (Applause.)  In  the  first  place,  as  to  the  spirit 
in  which  a  commission  of  this  kind  should  be  under- 
taken. As  I  passed  through  England  and  the 
United  States,  and  again  when  I  crossed  the  boun- 
dary of  the  Dominion,  there  was  one  idea  impressing 
itself  upon  my  mind  at  every  step,  indelibly  written 
upon  the  face  of  two  vast  countries,  and  that  was 
the  greatness  and  importance  of  the  distinction 
reserved  for  the  Anglo-Saxon  race — (cheers) — that 
proud,  persistent,  self -asserting  and  resolute  stock 
which  no  change  of  climate  or  condition  can  alter, 
and  which  is  infallibly  bound  to  be  the  predominant 
force  in  the  future  history  and  civilisation  of  the 
world.  (Cheers.)  It  is  said  that  patriotism  begins 
at  home.  I  am  an  Englishman.  (Applause.)  I 
am  proud  of  the  old  country  from  which  I  came. 
I  am  not  unmindful  of  the  glorious  traditions  at- 
tached to  it,  of  those  institutions  moulded  by  slow 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    105 

centuries  of  noble  endeavour  ;  but  I  should  think 
our  patriotism  was  warped  and  stunted  indeed  if  it 
did  not  embrace  the  Greater  Britain  beyond  the 
seas — (cheers) — ^the  young  and  vigorous  nation 
carrying  everywhere  throughout  the  globe  a  know- 
ledge of  the  English  tongue  and  English  love  of 
liberty  and  law.  (Cheers.)  With  these  feelings  I 
refused  to  speak  or  to  think  of  the  United  States  as 
a  foreign  nation.  (Applause.)  They  are  our  flesh 
and  blood.  Still  less  am  I  inclined  to  make  any 
distinction  between  these  interests  of  Englishmen 
at  home  and  Englishmen  in  Canada  and  Australia. 
(Cheers.)  What  is  the  fact  in  regard  to  these 
peoples,  the  older  and  the  younger  nations  ?  Our 
past  is  theirs.  Their  future  is  ours.  You  cannot 
if  you  would 

BREAK  THE   INVISIBLE  BOND 

which  binds  us  together.  (Cheers.)  Their  fore- 
fathers are  our  forefathers.  They  worshipped  at 
our  shrines.  They  sleep  in  our  churchyards. 
They  helped  to  make  our  institutions,  our  literature 
and  our  laws.  These  things  are  their  heritage  as 
much  as  ours.  If  you  stood  up  to  deny  it  your 
speech  and  countenance,  your  manner  of  life  and 
institutions  would  all  combine  to  betray  you. 
(Cheers.)  I  urge  upon  you  our  common  origin, 
our  relationship,  because,  while  these  things  confer 
privileges,  they  also  entail  obligations.  We  are  all 
branches  of  one  family.  It  behoves  us  to  do  all 
in  our  power  to  promote  the  good  feeling  and 
affection  that  ought  to  characterise  the  intercourse 


io6     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

between  those  peoples.  Differences  there  must 
arise,  petty  conflicts  of  interests  and  of  rights  ;  but 
if  we  approach  them  in  the  proper  spirit,  mutual 
respect  and  consideration,  I  don't  believe  that  any 
controversy  can  or  will  arise  among  any  members 
of  the  English-speaking  races  that  will  not  be 
capable  of  satisfactory  and  honourable  adjustment. 
(Cheers.)  I  am  glad  to  tell  you  that  this  spirit  has 
animated  one  and  all  of  the  plenipotentiaries  who 
have  recently  been  engaged  in  conference  at  Wash- 
ington, and  it  is  upon  the  existence  of  that  spirit 
that  I  base  my  hope  and  my  belief  that  we  shall  find 
an  arrangement  of  this  controversy  which  will  be 
satisfactory  to  every  man  who  desires  sincerely  to 
promote  the  unity  of  the  English-speaking  peoples. 
(Cheers.)  I  don't  think  it  necessary  that  I  should 
urge  upon  you  your  special  interest  in  good  neigh- 
bourhood with  that  great  Republic  which  for 
thousands  of  miles  is  separated  from  you  only  by 
an  invisible  line.  (Hear,  hear.)  The  great  in- 
terests with  which  we  are  entrusted,  important  as 
they  are,  are  really  insignificant  beside  the  impor- 
tance of  maintaining  these  good  relations — (hear, 
hear) — and  to  secure  these  good  relations,  to  main- 
tain and  confirm  them,  all  that  is  necessary  is  that 
we  should  approach  the  difficulty  in  the  spirit  that 
I  have  indicated,  and  we  should  deal  with  it  as 
among  friends  who  are  anxious  to  come 

TO   A  SATISFACTORY   ARRANGEMENT 

and  not  as  between  adversaries  struggling  for  petty 
points   and   other   extremist   rights,   and   counting 


UNITED    STATES    AND    CANADA    107 

every  concession  as  though  it  were  a  loss  and  sacri- 
fice to  the  other.  (Cheers.)  Another  general  ob- 
servation I  will  venture  to  make,  and  it  is  one  to 
which  I  anticipate  general  assent.  Anything  which 
can  increase  and  develop  commercial  relations 
between  the  two  countries  is  not  only  a  good  thing 
in  itself,  but  it  tends  to  bring  about  this  good  feeling 
which  I  desire.  (Hear,  hear.)  It  appears  to  me 
that  the  prospects  of  improved  relations  with  the 
United  States  never  looked  more  hopeful — (ap- 
plause)— and  I  think  these  will  come,  independent 
of  bargain  or  negotiations.  What  is  passing  in  the 
United  States  at  this  moment  leads  me  to  believe 
that  circumstances  at  no  distant  date  will  force  the 
Government  of  that  country  to  remodel  its  tariff  in 
a  more  liberal  spirit.  Whatever  party  is  in  power, 
in  my  opinion,  it  is  certain  that  in  a  few  years  the 
tariff  will  be  diminished  or  altered  so  that  it  will 
cease  to  be  a  wall  of  commercial  exclusion  between 
the  United  States  and  the  rest  of  the  nations  of  the 
world.  (Applause.)  If  this  change  comes  about, 
as  I  predict — although  I  know  how  dangerous  it  is 
to  attempt  to  prophesy — what  influence  will  it  have 
upon  your  tariff  on  this  side  of  the  line  ?  It  is  quite 
true  that  you  are  not  burdened — and  not  likely  to 
be  at  an  early  date — ^by  a  surplus  of  120  millions — 
(laughter) — but  I  trust  it  is  only  the  United  States 
which  is  likely  to  suffer  from  this  plethoric  con- 
dition. (Laughter.)  There  are  other  considera- 
tions which  may  not  tend  in  a  similar  direction. 
What  is  the  most  urgent  need  of  Canada  at  this 
moment  ?     It  is  the  development,  the  early  and 


io8     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

practical  development  of  the  illimitable  resources 
of  your  country,  which  has  just  been  opened  up  by 
your  magnificent  railway.  You  want  to  get  upon 
the  land  at  the  earliest  possible  time  an  industrious 
and  active  population  who  will 

WORK  YOUR  MINES  AND   FIELDS. 

A  tariff  unnecessarily  high — understand,  I  do  not 
presume  to  offer  any  opinion  upon  your  tariff — 
(laughter) — I  merely  make  the  general  observation  ; 
I  do  not  say  whether  your  tariff  is  or  is  not  un- 
necessarily high,  that  depends  upon  how  you  feel 
it — (laughter  and  applause)  —  but  I  say  that  a 
tariff  which  is  unnecessarily  high  must  have  a 
tendency  to  shackle  precisely  the  agricultural  in- 
dustry you  wish  to  foster,  and  divert  from  it  labour 
which  will  go  into  other  industries  stimulated  by 
its  operation.  I  am  ready  to  sympathise  with  the 
inheritors  of  a  new  country  in  their  reproduction  of 
any  idea  that  their  country  shall  be  one  in  which 
their  industries  shall  be  monotonously  confined  to 
a  single  occupation.  I  see  the  need  for  various 
pursuits  and  occupations,  but  in  the  case  of  Canada 
any  anxiety  on  this  score  is  surely  premature.  The 
first  object  is  to  get  the  population  to  own  the  land. 
When  you  have  multiplied  the  industrious  pro- 
ducers, you  will  find  you  have  secured  a  vast  popu- 
lation of  consumers,  and  that  a  variety  of  industries 
will  spring  up  and  prosper  whether  there  be  any 
tariff  or  not.  (Applause.)  Gentlemen,  you  will 
see  from  what  I  have  ventured  to  say  that  I  am  in 
favour  of  the  widest  possible  commercial  union — 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    109 

(hear,  hear) — and  intercourse,  not  only  with  the 
United  States  but  with  all  the  world.  (Cheers.) 
That  is  the  true,  unrestricted  reciprocity.  (Hear, 
hear.)  It  is  a  very  restricted  reciprocity,  indeed, 
which  would  make  you  dependent  for  your  financial 
freedom  upon  the  government  of  another  State, 
and,  perhaps,  pave  the  way  for  the  surrender  of 
something  which  is  still  more  important — I  mean 
your  political  freedom.  (Cheers.)  Some  people, 
it  appears,  who  have  adopted  a  well-known  saying 
of  Mark  Twain,  appear  to  think  that  as  upon  this 
continent  the  lion  must  lie  down  with  the  lamb,  it 
would  be  better  if  the  lamb  consented  at  once  to 
lie  down  inside  the  lion.  (Laughter.)  I  confess 
that  I  don't  entertain  that  opinion — (hear,  hear) — 
and  I  don't  think  it  worth  while,  even  if  it  were 
proper,  to  discuss  to-night  the  various  proposals, 
more  or  less  disguised,  more  or  less  insidious,  for 
your  painless  extinction  and  possible  absorption. 
(Cheers.)  I  have  not  discovered  in  the  course  of 
my  stay  in  the  United  States  any  general  desire  on 
the  part 

OF  THE  AMERICAN   PEOPLE, 

who  have  a  good  stock  of  territory  of  their  own,  to 
increase  it  and  increase  their  responsibilities  at  the 
same  time — (hear,  hear) — and  any  such  arrange- 
ment as  that  which  I  have  been  considering,  if  it 
comes  about  at  all,  must  come  about  after  full  dis- 
cussion and  with  goodwill  on  both  sides.  (Hear, 
hear.)  Gentlemen,  when  you  become  tired  of  the 
mild  sovereignty  of  the  Queen,  when  you  cease  to 


no     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

be  proud  of  the  institutions  you  yourselves  have 
trained  with  due  regard  to  your  local  needs  and 
requirements,  and  when  the  slender  tie  which  still 
binds  you  to  the  Mother  Country,  and  which,  like  the 
electric  cable,  exerts  no  force  or  pressure,  yet  still 
maintains  unity  of  sympathy  and  of  interest — when 
that  becomes  an  intolerable  strain  to  you,  then  it  will 
be  time  for  us  to  consider  necessary  measures  of 
relief.  (Cheers.)  In  the  meantime  I  cannot  but 
think  that,  in  the  working  out  of  the  great  problem 
of  federal  government,  which  seems  to  have  been 
left  in  charge  of  the  English  people,  we  shall  the 
quicker  teach  the  perfection  of  our  free  institutions 
by  diversity  of  methods,  and  that  these  will  be  more 
fertile  and  sturdy  than  if  modelled  upon  a  general 
view  of  a  single  and  stereotyped  form.  Rest  assured, 
if  you  desire  to  remain  an  integral  part  of  the  vast 
Empire  of  the  Queen,  your  interests  will  be  main- 
tained, your  rights  will  be  respected  with  all  the 
influence  which  that  Empire  can  wield.  (Cheers.) 
Your  fellow-subjects  throughout  the  world  will 
rejoice  in  your  prosperity  and  take  pride  in  your 
ceaseless  activity  and  look  forward  with  confidence 
to  the  steady  development  of  your  illimitable  re- 
sources. It  is  only  a  short  time  in  the  history  of 
nations  since  Confederation.  Less  than  a  generation 
has  passed  away,  and  yet  a  new  Canada  has  been 
revealed  to  us.  (Applause.)  Not  the  ice-bound 
desolation  which  imperfect  information  formerly 
pictured,  but  a  vast  stretch  of  fertile  territory  which 
assures  homes  for  a  teeming  population  of  God-fear- 
ing and  industrious  men  and  women  at  no  distant 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    iii 

date.  (Cheers.)  With  this  determination  to  main- 
tain, as  I  hope  they  will — nay,  to  draw  closer  the 
bonds  which  unite  them  to  Great  Britain — I  am 
convinced  their  loyalty  and  affection  will  never  lack  a 
warm  response.  They  will  be  citizens  of  no  mean 
State.  They  will  be  citizens  of  a  Dominion  the  like 
of  which 

THE  WORLD   HAS  NEVER  SEEN 

with  regard  to  extent,  population,  resources  and 
variety  of  nations  who  owed  allegiance  to  it.  One 
of  our  poets,  Mr.  Matthew  Arnold,  has  written  of 
the  overwhelming  burdens  of  this  vast  Empire. 
The  burdens  are  vast,  it  is  true,  but  we  will  not 
lessen  them  by  cowardly  surrender — (cheers) — or 
a  mean  betrayal  of  the  interests  entrusted  to  our 
care.  Relief  must  be  found  in  widening  the  founda- 
tions of  the  great  Confederation,  and  not  in  cutting 
away  the  outposts.  (Cheers.)  The  interest  of 
true  democracy  is  not  towards  anarchy  or  the  dis- 
integration of  the  Empire,  but  rather  the  uniting 
together  kindred  races  with  similar  objects.  You 
have  a  portion  in  the  great  path  that  lies  before  us. 
It  may  yet  be  that  the  federation  of  Canada  may  be 
the  lamp  lighting  our  path  to  the  federation  of  the 
British  Empire.  (Cheers.)  If  it  is  a  dream — it 
may  be  only  the  imagination  of  an  enthusiast — it  is 
a  grand  idea.  (Hear,  hear.)  It  is  one  to  stimulate 
the  patriotism  and  statesmanship  of  every  man  who 
loves  his  country  ;  and  whether  it  be  destined  or 
not  to  perfect  realisation,  at  least  let  us  all  cherish 
the  sentiment  it  inspires.     Let  us  do  all  in  our 


112     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

power  to  promote  it,  and  enlarge  the  relations  and 
goodwill  which  ought  always  to  exist  between  sons 
of  England  throughout  the  world  and  the  old  folks 
at  home.     (Prolonged  cheering.)  '* 

Reading  this  in  cold  type  one  gathers  but  little  idea 
of  the  grandeur  and  force  of  the  delivery.  It  was  a 
magnificent  piece  of  oratory  in  the  speaker's  happiest 
vein.  The  effect  was  electrical  and  I  shall  never  forget 
the  scene  that  followed.  The  audience  were  simply 
carried  away  in  frenzied  enthusiasm,  and  some  were 
even  moved  to  tears,  notably  dear  old  Sir  David, 
who  sat  at  the  head  of  the  table  next  to  me.  They 
stood  on  the  tables,  waved  dinner  napkins,  and 
shouted  themselves  hoarse.  It  seemed  as  if  the 
storm  of  applause  would  never  subside.  However, 
order  was  eventually  restored,  and  more  speeches 
followed,  including  a  short  one  by  Mr.  Chamberlain 
proposing  the  health  of  the  Chairman.  The  pro- 
ceedings terminated  with  the  whole  company  join- 
ing in  the  National  Anthem,  which  it  was  quite 
inspiring  to  hear  so  many  thousand  miles  from 
home,  sung  by  such  an  enthusiastic  gathering  of 
loyal  British  subjects.  It  was,  in  truth,  a  memorable 
and  never-to-be-forgotten  occasion  for  those  who  had 
the  good  fortune  to  be  present.  The  Chief's  speech 
acted  as  a  sort  of  cold  douche  upon  the  advocates  of 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    113 

commercial  union,  whose  leading  organ  the  next 
'    day  virtually  threw  its  child  overboard. 

Shortly  after  noon  on  Saturday,  December  31, 
Sir  David  Macpherson  and  his  son  came  to  see  us 
off  at  the  Union  depot,  where  we  once  more  got 
on  board  "  The  Cumberland  "  and  took  our  de- 
parture for  Niagara.  Just  as  we  were  starting 
a  Birmingham  man  rushed  up  and  insisted 
on  shaking  hands  with  Mr.  Chamberlain,  who 
was  always  delighted  to  meet  his  old  townsmen. 
"  You  ain't  much  changed,  sir,  since  I  saw  you 
fifteen  years  ago,"  said  the  man ;  "  still  the  same 
old  Joe  " — a  sally  which  much  amused  the  Chief. 
We  made  a  short  halt  at  Hamilton,  where  a  crowd 
of  the  leading  citizens  visited  Mr.  Chamberlain, 
including  the  Mayor  of  that  town,  who  intro- 
duced twenty-two  of  the  **  faculty  "  of  the  Univer- 
sity. We  reached  Niagara  between  three  and  four, 
and  put  up  at  a  new  hotel  called  the  Prospect  House, 
which  was  specially  opened  for  us,  the  only  visitors, 
almost  before  it  was  quite  finished  or  the  walls  dry. 
This  hotel  was  on  the  American  side.  Before  dinner 
we  went  and  had  a  look  at  the  Horseshoe  Falls.  So 
many  far  abler  pens  than  mine  have  placed  on  record 
their  first  impressions  on  seeing  this  vast  flow  of  water 
and  hearing  the  roar  it  causes,  that  there  is  no  need 

H 


114     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

for  me  to  enlarge  on  the  subject.  I  prefer  to  endorse 
the  graphic  description  given  by  Charles  Dickens  in 
his  American  Notes,  We  were  the  sole  occupants 
of  the  hotel,  and  after  many  terribly  late  nights  we 
got  to  bed  in  decent  time,  the  roar  of  the  cataract 
just  outside  our  windows  bringing  the  last  day  of 
the  year  to  a  soothing  termination. 

On  Sunday,  January  i,  1888,  after  breakfast, 
the  Chief,  Bergne,  and  I  drove  out  in  a  sleigh, 
attended  by  Captain  Hinde,  to  "  do  the  Falls." 
First  we  went  and  gazed  at  them  from  the  American 
side ;  then  we  crossed  over  by  the  Suspension 
Bridge  to  the  Canadian  side,  and  went  to  an  establish- 
ment where  yellow  tarpaulin  outfits  were  provided 
for  those  who  were  bold  enough  to  venture  under 
the  Falls. 

We  all  felt  it  to  be  a  solemn  duty  that  it  behoved 
us  to  undertake  whether  we  liked  it  or  not ;  moreover 
the  Hebrew  proprietor  of  the  garments  impressed 
upon  us  that  we  could  not  possibly  form  any  adequate 
conception  of  "  de  height  of  de  Falls  "  uhless  we 
donned  his  attire  and  went  ''  down  under.''  So 
we  resolved  to  do  so.  I  shall  never  forget  the  scene 
in  the  "  green  room,"  and  the  back  view  of  Mr. 
Chamberlain  when  he  got  into  those  tarpaulin 
overalls.     I  don't  know  whether  they  were  stock 


'     4 


^      .- 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    115 

size,  but  any  way  they  were  large  enough  to  fit  a 
Daniel  Lambert.  The  full  dress,  with  headgear 
not  unlike  that  of  a  Capuchin  monk,  was  even  still 
more  imposing.  I  made  two  rough  sketches  at  the 
time,  which,  as  they  amused  my  Chief,  I  venture  to 
reproduce.  Thus  equipped,  we  descended  a  spiral 
staircase,  at  the  foot  of  which  we  had  spikes  attached 
to  our  over-shoes,  and,  following  a  guide,  advanced 
in  solemn  procession,  the  Chief  leading  the  way 
down  a  precipitous,  ice-bound  declivity  which  led 
to  the  foot  of  the  Horseshoe  Falls.  We  had  to  hug 
the  right  side  of  the  overhanging  cliff,  as  huge  icicles 
were  falling  at  intervals  from  above  ;  and,  had  they 
struck  us,  would  have  ''  caved  in  "  our  skulls.  It 
was  as  nasty  a  walk  as  I  ever  remember  under- 
taking, since  one  false  step  would  have  landed  us  in 
the  Rapids.  The  guide,  of  course,  went  ahead  as 
guides  always  do,  not  caring  two  straws  about  us. 
At  length  we  reached  the  foot  of  the  Falls  and  walked 
under  them  ten  or  fifteen  yards,  and  then  returned, 
not  feeling  by  any  means  sorry  the  adventure  was 
over.  The  roar  under  those  Falls  is  simply  deafen- 
ing, almost  enough  alone  to  make  one  giddy. 
Having  got  out  of  our  tarpaulins  we  drove  along  the 
side  of  the  Rapids  as  far  as  the  Whirlpool,  and  were 
shown  the  spot  where  the  intrepid  Matthew  Webb 


ii6     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

was   last   seen  above  the  surface  of  the  seething 
torrent. 

The  next  day,  after  breakfast,  we  three  walked 
round  Goat  Island  and  returned  to  the  hotel  to 
lunch.  After  this  meal  we  proceeded,  in  a  sort  of 
four-wheeler  that  had  been  chartered  for  us,  to  a 
monastery  on  a  hill  on  the  Canadian  side,  from 
which  point  of  vantage  one  is  supposed  to  get  the 
finest  bird's-eye  view  of  the  river  above  the  Falls, 
the  Falls  themselves,  the  Rapids,  and  the  Whirlpool. 
Hinde  was  on  the  box  with  the  driver,  Bergne 
and  I  inside,  and  the  Chief  with  his  back  to  the 
horse.  We  suddenly  became  aware  that  we  were 
going  at  the  gallop  up  a  very  steep  ascent.  Looking 
out  of  the  window,  I  saw  to  my  horror  that  one  wheel 
was  just  on  the  edge  of  an  upright  precipice,  and 
some  two  hundred  feet  below  were  the  waters  of  one 
of  the  converging  affluents  of  the  river.  On  our 
left  was  an  upright  bank  of  shrubbery.  As  a  matter 
of  fact  we  learned  afterwards  that  our  driver  had 
chosen  an  ice-bound  cattle-track,  up  which  no  vehicle 
had  ever  been  driven  before.  It  was  a  painfully 
perilous  position,  fraught  with  danger,  and  I  never 
felt  in  a  greater  funk  in  my  life,  Fm  bound  to  admit. 
I  said  to  Mr.  Chamberlain,  who  was  seated  opposite 
to  me,  "  Good  God,  sir,  look  where  we  are.''     He 


5.^.-> 


SKETCH  ;0F  A   "JOY  RIDE"   AT   NIAGARA 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA      117 

adjusted  his  glass  and  looked  out  of  the  window. 
His  coolness  and  sang  froid  were  something  extra- 
ordinary, and  characteristic  of  his  remarkable 
courage.  All  he  said  was,  *'  Humph  !  I  suppose  if 
Fm  killed  some  one  will  catch  it.  It  isn't  my  busi- 
ness !  !  ''  So  there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  sit 
tight,  say  our  prayers,  and  wait  till  we  reached  the 
end  of  this  "  joy-ride,"  of  which  I  append  a  rough 
sketch.  Through  the  mercy  of  Providence  we 
reached  the  top  safely,  and  once  more  breathed 
freely.  When  we  got  there  I  well  remember  re- 
marking to  Mr.  Chamberlain,  apropos  of  his  obser- 
vation that  some  one  would  '*  catch  it "  if  he  were 
killed,  and  that  it  wasn't  his  business,  "  Well,  sir, 
I  do  admire  your  coolness.  Your  motto  ought  to 
be,  A^^  sutor  ultra  crepidam''  "  No,  Maycock,"  he 
rejoined,  ''  that  wouldn't  do  for  me,  for  I  started  life 
in  the  shoe  trade,"  a  circumstance  of  which,  down 
to  that  moment,  I  had  no  knowledge.  But  it  was  a 
smart  answer,  anyhow. 

I  asked  Hinde  afterwards  how  on  earth  he  ever 
allowed  the  coachman  to  drive  up  such  a  track. 
Hinde,  however,  was  strange  to  the  vicinity,  and  pre- 
sumed the  man  knew  his  way  about.  Hinde  merely 
said, "  I  guess  he  was  at  the  gallop  before  I  could 
say  *  Knife,'  so  what  could  I  do  ?  " 


ii8     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

Our  route  back  to  Washington  was  via  Rochester, 
WiUiamsport,  Harrisburg,  and  Bahimore,  a  rough 
road  through  the  heart  of  the  Pennsylvania  coal- 
fields. **  The  Cumberland  "  was  hitched  on  to  the 
end  of  the  train  by  a  stout  hook,  but  no  couplings 
to  steady  it.  It  looked  like  a  huge  Swiss  cottage 
towering  above  the  other  cars  on  the  train,  and  had 
never  been  utilised  on  the  American  roads  before. 
I  felt  convinced  it  would  sway  about  a  lot,  and  I 
asked  the  stationmaster  at  Niagara  if  he  thought 
we'd  clear  the  bridges  all  right.  ''  Well  !  I  guess 
it's  just  about  all  you  will  do,"  was  his  laconic 
reply.  We  left  Niagara  a  little  before  four  in  the 
afternoon,  and  in  due  course  the  chef  served  up  an 
excellent  repast.  Mr.  Chamberlain,  for  once  in  a 
way,  retired  to  his  couch  fairly  early.  Bergne  and  I 
played  piquet  till  about  two,  when  he  *'  turned  in." 
I  still  had  a  kind  of  presentiment  that  there  would 
be  a  '*  happening  "  of  some  sort,  and  concluded  to  sit 
up  and  hear  some  of  Hinde's  interesting  detective 
experiences,  with  which  he  was  ever  ready  to  regale 
me.  An  hour  or  two  later,  some  thirty-eight  miles  to 
the  north  of  Harrisburg,  what  I  had  all  along  appre- 
hended came  to  pass.  I  suppose  we  were  travelling 
about  forty  miles  an  hour  when  bang  came  the  top 
corner  of  *'  The  Cumberland  "  against  the  arch  of 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    119 

the  Montgomery  Bridge,  cutting  a  huge  chunk  out  of 
the  roof  of  the  car.  The  train  pulled  up,  and  the 
conductor  came  along  with  a  very  grave  countenance. 
We  proceeded  at  a  snail's  pace  after  that,  and  I 
managed  to  put  in  three  or  four  hours'  sleep  till  we 
reached  Baltimore,  where  we  inspected  our  much- 
damaged  ark.  There  another  locomotive  was  ob- 
tained, which  hauled  us  slowly  on  to  Washington, 
where  we  arrived  a  little  before  noon  on  Tuesday, 
January  3,  having  completed  the  round  trip  without 
further  mishap. 


CHAPTER   VIII 

WASHINGTON  AGAIN 

Wednesday,  January  4. — Henry  Edwardes  came 
round  in  the  morning  to  tell  us  that  Beauclerk's  wife 
had  died  in  England.  What  made  it  all  the  more 
sad  was  the  receipt  by  him  of  a  letter  from  her  saying 
she  was  well  and  happy,  just  after  the  arrival  of  the 
cable  announcing  her  death.  Poor  Beauclerk  was 
dreadfully  cut  up,  and  of  course  we  all  sympathised 
warmly  with  him.  He  resolved  to  go  home  at  once. 
In  the  afternoon  Mr.  Chamberlain  and  I  went 
down  to  the  Capitol,  and,  in  response  to  an  invita- 
tion from  the  President,  Mr.  Ingalls,  were  admitted 
to  the  floor  of  the  Senate.  We  heard  Senator  Voor- 
hees  and  Senator  Tiller  speak  on  the  Tariff  Question. 
The  President  came  from  his  seat,  and  had  a  short 
chat  in  an  undertone  with  Mr.  Chamberlain. 
The  paper  the  next  day  had  the  following  out- 
rageous attack  on  the  Chief  for  an  alleged  abuse 
of  the  Senatorial  privilege  in  talking  during  a 
speech. 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA      121 

CHAMBERLAIN   CENSURED 
HIS  ABUSE  OF  THE  PRIVILEGE  OF  THE  SENATE  FLOOR 

Senator  Voorhees  is  naturally  indignant  at  being 
interrupted  in  his  speech  —  Senator  Ingalls  will 
probably  refer  to  the  matter. 

The  Right  Honourable  Joseph  Chamberlain,  having 
thus  far  been  treated  only  to  American  hospitality, 
is  likely  soon  to  be  subjected  to  a  course  of  American 
discipline  which,  while  it  may  not  be  altogether  as 
pleasant,  is  sure  to  be  quite  as  wholesome. 

The  Post  has  already  mentioned  the  fact  that  Mr. 
Chamberlain,  who  obtained  access  to  the  floor  of  the 
Senate  last  Wednesday  under  the  generous  rule 
which  accords  that  privilege  to  all  members  of 
foreign  legislative  bodies,  was  the  centre  of  a  dis- 
turbance which  seriously  interfered  with  the  delivery 
of  Senator  Voorhees'  Tariff  speech,  and  was  dis- 
orderly enough  to  bring  into  use  the  gavel  with 
which  the  presiding  officer  knocks  for  order.  If 
Mr.  Voorhees  had  noticed  at  the  time  that  the  noise 
was  being  made  by  one  who  had  no  right  to  speak 
there,  he  would  have  made  some  public  mention  of 
the  fact.  Speaking  of  the  matter  with  a  Post  reporter 
yesterday,  the  Senator  said  : 

"  The  courteous  attention  paid  by  Democratic 
Senators  while  Mr.  Sherman  was  speaking  on 
Wednesday,  was  but  little  imitated  by  the  Repub- 
licans when  I  was  speaking.  But  I  would  scarcely 
refer  to  this  if  it  were  not  for  an  incident  that 


122     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

occurred  late  in  the  afternoon.  I  had  been  speaking 
about  an  hour  when  laughter  from  a  group  of 
Senators  on  the  Republican  side  attracted  my  atten- 
tion, followed  by  conversation  in  tones  almost  as 
pronounced  as  my  own.  I  raised  my  voice  so  as 
to  attract  the  attention  of  the  disturbers,  and  the 
President  quietly  touched  his  desk  with  his  gavel. 
The  noise  ceased  temporarily.  It  caused  me  no 
little  regret  later  to  discover  that  this  breach  of  the 
dignity  of  the  Senate  had  been  caused  by  Mr. 
Chamberlain  of  England.  I  say  regret  because  had 
I  known  that  Mr.  Chamberlain  was  the  disturber,  I 
would  have  said  that  if  I  were  forced  to  submit  to 
the  carelessness  of  the  associates  of  the  Senate- 
chamber,  I  was  not  bound  to  bear  the  bad  manners 
brought  from  over  the  sea  by  one  who  failed  to 
appreciate  the  privileges  of  the  Senate  floor.  How- 
ever, I  say  it  with  renewed  emphasis  this  morning." 

In  order  that  Senator  Voorhees'  accusation  might 
not  get  ahead  of  any  explanation  or  defence  that  Mr. 
Chamberlain  might  feel  inclined  to  offer,  a  Post 
reporter  waited  on  the  *'  right  honourable  gentleman  " 
yesterday  evening  and  invited  him  to  reply  ;  but 
reply  he  had  none  to  make.  He  simply  smiled, 
rather  contemptuously,  at  Senator  Voorhees'  words, 
as  he  read  them,  and  said  :  **  No,  I  have  nothing  to 
say." 

The  rapping  of  the  gavel  on  the  table  of  the  Senate 
on  Wednesday  showed  that  Senator  Ingalls  regarded 
Mr.  Chamberlain  as  out  of  order.  But  the  rapping 
of  the  gavel  was  nothing  compared  with  the  rapping 
which  Senator  Ingalls  may  be  expected  to  give  to 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA     123 

the  distinguished  foreigner,  with  his  keen,  biting 
tongue,  in  the  Senate  on  a  very  early  day.  Senator 
Ingalls  had  met  Mr.  Chamberlain  before  Wednesday. 
He  has  had  opportunities  of  meeting  him  frequently 
at  state  dinners  and  on  other  similar  occasions,  when 
the  Ambassador  tried  in  vain  to  convince  the  Senator 
that  his  occasional  oratorical  shots  at  John  Bull 
were  based  on  a  misconception  or  a  want  of  know- 
ledge. This  sort  of  argument,  as  might  be  expected, 
has  not  had  the  effect  of  convincing  or  converting 
the  Senator,  and  he  will  take  an  early  opportunity 
on  the  floor  of  the  Senate  of  saying  so  and  giving  his 
version  of  the  "  blood-is-thicker-than- water  "  sen- 
timent. "  I  intend,''  said  the  Senator  yesterday, 
**  to  kill  two  birds  with  one  stone — ^John  Bull  and 
Democratic  party." 

Senator  Ingalls  will  endeavour  to  explain  just  how 
close  the  relationship  between  America  and  England 
is.  He  will  endeavour  to  prove  that  an  American 
statesman  may  allude  to  some  of  the  most  patent 
facts  in  recent  history  without  being  open  to  the 
accusation  of  buncombe,  or  an  undue  tendency  to 
pose  as  a  twister  of  the  British  lion's  tail  for  political 
effect.  "  Anyhow,"  said  he,  "  let  the  British  lion 
keep  its  tail  out  of  our  business  ;  let  it  keep  its  tail 
between  its  legs,  for  instance,  and  nobody  will  try 
to  twist  it."  Mr.  Ingalls  will  endeavour  to  prove 
that  England  has  all  along  been  the  one  great  enemy 
of  the  United  States,  and  on  this  point  that  there 
may  be  some  little  knowledge  that  has  not  been 
monopolised  by  right  honourable  gentlemen  from 
England.    The  motion  at  present  before  the  Senate, 


124     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

to  refer  the  President's  message  to  the  Committee 
on  Finance,  will  be  Mr.  Ingalls'  opportunity  to 
assert  himself.  His  speech  will  be  an  interesting 
event,  and  it  is  likely  enough  to  happen  when  the 
Senate  assembles  on  Monday.  When  Mr.  Ingalls' 
speech  comes  to  reinforce  what  Senator  Voorhees 
has  said,  Mr.  Chamberlain  will  have  occasion  to  feel 
chastened. 


Needless  to  say,  this  was  a  gross  calumny,  as 
the  Chief  could  hardly  avoid  conversing  with  the 
President  when  the  President  came  to  speak  to  him. 
But  we  were  getting  used  to  that  sort  of  sensational 
invention.  We  went  that  evening  to  a  ball  at  the 
Legation,  of  which  the  following  account  appeared 
in  the  Post : 

"  The  ball  at  the  English  Legation  last  night  opened 
up  the  social  season  with  great  brilliancy.  About 
400  invitations  were  sent  out,  about  fifty  of  them 
yesterday  in  response  to  notes  from  persons  already 
invited,  asking  cards  for  their  guests.  Miss  West 
is  always  pleased  to  grant  requests  of  this  kind  to  her 
friends.  The  entire  first  floor  of  the  Legation  was 
devoted  to  the  comfort  and  pleasure  of  the  large 
company.  The  office  rooms  on  the  right  of  the  hall 
were  utilised  as  cloakrooms,  with  nimble  maids 
and  valets  in  attendance.  The  great  hall,  with  its 
massive  staircase,  was  brilliantly  lighted  and  frag- 
rant with  spruce,  pine,  and  fir,  which  entered  largely 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    125 

into  the  decoration.  Up  at  the  first  landing,  where 
the  portrait  of  Queen  Victoria  looks  down  benignly, 
there  was  grouped  at  the  side  of  the  massive  frame 
a  hedge  of  evergreens,  and  in  front  of  the  picture 
a  rich  massing  of  tropical  and  blooming  plants. 
Down  the  steps,  on  either  side,  was  a  thick  garland 
of  holly,  laurel,  and  running  pine,  with  pink  carna- 
tions here  and  there.  The  dark,  rich  woodwork  of 
the  staircase  was  a  splendid  contrast  to  all  this  fresh 
green,  making  the  hall  the  most  successful  in  artistic 
treatment  of  any  part  of  the  house.  The  east  parlour, 
which  is  finished  in  ruby  and  gilt,  was  softly  lighted 
with  red-shaded  lamps  and  fairy  lights,  and  formed 
a  charming  retreat  for  the  dancers  when  tired  out 
from  the  heat  and  light  of  the  ballroom.  The 
second  drawing-room,  in  which  a  delicate  salmon 
tint  with  gilt  is  the  prevailing  shade,  was  the  recep- 
tion room.  Just  within  its  porti^re-hung  doorway 
stood  the  Minister  and  Miss  West,  with  her  sisters, 
to  meet  their  guests.  In  the  crimson  and  gold 
ballroom  chairs  were  arranged  close  to  the  wall, 
and  before  eleven  the  waxed  surface  was  filled  with 
moving  forms.  The  dancing  kept  up  without 
interruption  until  half-past  eleven,  when  supper  was 
announced.  A  bounteous  collation,  with  wines  and 
punches,  was  served.  By  one  o'clock  the  real 
English  ball  began.  Miss  West  and  Mr.  de  Romero, 
of  the  Spanish  Legation,  led  the  cotillion.  About 
sixty  couples  danced.  In  one  of  the  favour  figures 
there  were  embroidered  satin  satchels  for  the  ladies 
and  ribboned  boutonnthes  for  the  men.  In  another 
the   ladies  received   pretty  fans,  either  gilded   or 


126     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

bronzed,  and  the  men  pen-wipers.  The  hoop 
figure  was  danced  for  the  first  time  for  several 
years.  For  it  Miss  West  had  prepared  six  large 
hoops,  six  feet  across,  covered  with  tissue  paper 
ornamented  with  stars.  In  the  figure  twelve  men 
were  around  the  hoop,  and  at  a  turn  jumped  through 
it  a  la  circus.  This,  as  well  as  several  other  amusing 
figures,  was  devised  by  Miss  West.  The  ball  closed 
about  half-past  three  o'clock  with  a  '  Sir  Roger  de 
Coverley,'  and  the  singing  by  the  gay  company 
then  assembled  of  *  God  save  the  Queen.' 

**  Miss  West  wore  a  Parisian  toilette  of  pale  yellow 
tulle,  sprayed  over  with  tiny  daisies  in  crystal  and 
pearl  beads.  It  had  side  panels  of  exquisite  gold 
embroidery.  The  low-necked  bodice  of  pale  yellow 
striped  satin  had  a  pointed  vest  of  the  embroidery. 
She  wore  no  jewels  save  a  diamond  hair  ornament. 
Miss  Amalie  West  had  a  dress  exactly  similar,  ex- 
cepting the  gold  embroidery  was  omitted.  Miss 
Flora  West  wore  pale  heliotrope  tulle,  with  tiny 
daisies  in  crystal  and  pearl  beading,  and  low-necked 
satin  striped  bodice  the  same  tint. 

*'  Mr.  Joseph  Chamberlain,  who  hastened  his 
departure  from  Canada  to  be  present  at  the  ball, 
was  an  interested  spectator  as  well  as  participant  in 
the  evening's  enjoyment.  Sir  Charles  Tupper  and 
all  the  other  members  of  the  Fisheries  Commission 
were  present.  To  name  the  guests  is  but  to  record 
all  the  fashionable  names  in  society.  The  toilets 
were  exquisite." 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    127 

Thursday  the  5th  being  mail  day,  we  were  busy 
all  day  with  despatches  for  London,  and,  after  dining 
together  at  the  hotel,  Mr.  Chamberlain,  Bergne, 
and  I  went  to  the  National  Theatre  to  see  Dorothy 
with  Lillian  Russell  in  the  name  part,  and  Harry 
Paulton  as  Lurcher  the  bailiff.  It  was  a  capital 
performance,  the  fair  Lillian  looking  very  beautiful 
and  singing  charmingly.  She  had  previously  gone 
through  an  unrehearsed  scene,  accompanied  by 
some  language  and  many  tears,  because  the  landlord 
of  our  hotel,  who  had  a  pretty  conceit,  and  had  been 
a  quartermaster  or  something  of  the  sort  during  the 
war,  declined  to  take  her  in.  She  thought  she  had 
just  as  good  a  claim  to  stay  at  the  Arlington  as  Mrs. 
Langtry,  about  whom  no  difficulty  had  been  made. 
*'  Langtry's  a  lady  "  was  the  landlord's  dictum, 
so  Lillian  had  to  go  elsewhere  after  recording  an 
emphatic  protest  !  !  ! 

On  Friday,  the  6th,  Bergne  and  I  and  a  Congress- 
man named  Hopkins  went  to  see  poor  Beauclerk  off 
on  his  melancholy  journey  to  England. 

On  Saturday,  the  7th,  I  went  a  second  time  to  a 
matinee  of  Dorothy  with  Mrs.  Edwardes  and  her 
dear  little  girl,  Sylvia,  who  four  years  ago  became 
the  wife  of  that  distinguished  soldier  Count 
Gleichen. 

On  Sunday,  the  8th,  Mr.  Chamberlain  and   I 


128     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

lunched  with  Judge  John  Davis  and  Mrs.  Davis, 
where  we  met  the  beautiful  Miss  Grant,  now  Lady 
Essex,  my  old  and  valued  friend  the  late  Arthur 
Guest,  and  several  other  pleasant  people.  The 
Chief  dined  that  night  with  Mr.  Bayard,  and  later 
on  all  went  to  a  reception  at  the  Bonapartes,  who 
occupied  a  fine  residence  in  K  Street.  Jerome 
Napoleon  Bonaparte,  a  grand-nephew  of  the  great 
Napoleon,  was  a  tall ,  handsome  man,  with  a  command- 
ing presence,  very  proud  of  his  illustrious  descent. 
We  met  all  the  elite  of  Washington  society  there. 

On  Monday,  the  9th,  the  Conference  resumed  its 
labours,  which  had  been  adjourned  for  our  visit  to 
Canada,  at  the  State  Department.  Meantime  Mrs. 
Langtry  had  arrived  at  the  Arlington,  and  we  went 
to  Albaugh's  theatre  to  see  her  in  As  in  a  Looking 
Glass,  It  was  rather  a  poor  house,  a  counter  attrac- 
tion being  Mrs.  Brown  Potter  and  Kyrle  Bellew 
at  the  National  Theatre.  There  were  only  these 
two  theatres  in  Washington  at  that  time,  and  two 
premieres  on  the  same  evening  was  quite  an  unusual 
event.  After  the  theatre  we  went  to  a  Bachelor's 
Ball  at  the  Rifle  Hall.  The  following  night  Mr. 
Chamberlain  dined  with  Colonel  John  Hay. 

The  Leiters,  who  were  renting  Mr.  Blaine's  palatial 
residence  in  20th  Street,  gave  a  ball  on  Wednesday, 
the   nth,  and  everything  was  done  on  the  most 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    129 

sumptuous  and  lavish  scale.  All  Washington  was 
there,  and  Miss  Leiter  was  the  cynosure  of  all  eyes. 
Certainly  a  more  beautiful  or  more  attractive  girl 
never  graced  a  ballroom.  She  was  kind  enough 
to  give  me  a  dance.  All  the  young  "  nuts  "  in 
Washington  were  lost  in  admiration  for  her ;  but, 
as  is  well  known,  she  eventually  became  the  wife  of 
that  brilliant  statesman  and  kind  friend  of  mine, 
Lord  Curzon  of  Kedleston,  and  her  untimely  death 
a  few  years  ago  was  not  only  an  irreparable  loss  to 
her  devoted  husband,  which  he  felt  acutely,  but  was 
deeply  deplored  by  all  who  had  the  good  fortune  to 
know  her. 

On  Thursday  the  12th  we  attended — in  uniform — 
a  reception  at  the  White  House.  There  were,  in  all, 
about  4000  guests,  and  the  heat  was  overwhelming. 
The  following  account  of  it  appeared  in  the  paper 
the  next  day : 

DIPLOMATIC  RECEPTION 
A  BRILLIANT   SCENE  AT  THE  WHITE   HOUSE 

A  Large  Number  of  Resident  People  among  the 
Throng — Mr,  Chamberlain  and  Dennis  Kearney 
among  the  Callers — Incidents  of  the  Evening. 

The  President  and  Mrs.  Cleveland  gave  the  first 
state  reception  of  the  season,  a  night  in  honour  of 


I30     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

the  Diplomatic  Corps.  The  event  was  most  bril- 
liant. The  White  House  was  in  gala  dress  for  the 
occasion.  The  Blue  Room  had  its  mantels  covered 
with  floral  mosaics,  and  the  window-ledges  were 
banked  with  blooming  plants,  poinsettas  and  azaleas. 
The  company  gathered  downstairs  fully  a  half  hour 
before  the  hour  for  the  reception  to  begin.  When 
the  receiving  party  entered  the  Blue  Parlour,  they 
passed  through  a  double  lineofwell-dressedhumanity, 
which  filled  the  vestibule  and  overflowed  into  the 
East  Room.  The  diplomats  were  having  a  general 
convocation  in  the  Red  Parlour,  admiring  the 
splendid  court  dress  of  Mr.  Preston,  who  wore 
gold  embroidery  to  no  end,  and  the  Chinese 
Minister  and  suite,  who,  in  addition  to  their 
usual  attire,  wore  elaborate  gold-embroidered  pic- 
ture pieces  in  the  middle  of  the  back  of  their 
outer  tunic. 

In  the  Blue  Parlour  quite  another  scene  was  tran- 
spiring before  the  entrance  of  the  receiving  party. 
There  were  there  grouped  Mrs.  John  M.  Wilson, 
Miss  Waller,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Westcott  and  Miss 
Gardner,  of  Boston  ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  P.  Vilas  and 
Miss  Vilas  ;  Mrs.  Sloane,  of  New  York,  daughter  of 
the  late  W.  H.  Vanderbilt ;  Miss  Johnson,  another 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    131 

guest  of  Mrs.  Whitney  ;  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Warner,  of 
New  York,  who  were  with  Mrs.  Lamont,  their 
hostess ;  Mrs.  ex-Governor  Carroll  and  Miss 
Irene  Carroll ;  Miss  Eleanor  Winslow,  the  Boston 
beauty. 

The  President  escorted  Miss  Bayard  downstairs, 
Mrs.  Cleveland  following  with  Secretary  Bayard. 
In  the  line,  Miss  Bayard  stood  next  to  Mrs.  Cleve- 
land, then  Mrs.  Fairchild  and  Mrs.  Whitney.  The 
ladies  were  elegantly  dressed.  Mrs.  Cleveland 
wore  ruby  plush  with  a  long  square  train.  The 
bodice  was  sleeveless  and  cut  square  at  the 
neck.  A  strip  of  gold  passementerie  ran  over 
the  shoulders  and  down  to  the  belt,  back  and 
front.  Ornaments  of  the  same  held  in  place  the 
full  drapery  of  the  front.  She  wore  her  diamond 
necklace.  Her  hair,  dressed  in  a  Greek  knot,  had 
a  diamond  rose,  a  diamond  butterfly,  and  a  diamond 
crescent  ornament.  The  fingers  of  her  right 
glove  were  tucked  under  the  left,  and  she  shook 
hands  heartily,  as  if  the  exercise  was  real  en- 
joyment. 

Miss  Bayard  wore  white  lace  over  white  silk  with 
train  of  white  cr^pe  and  necklace  of  pearls.  Mrs. 
Fairchild  wore  blue  moire  with  side  panels  of  gold- 


132     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

embroidered  net,  low  corsage,  diamonds,  and  pearl 
ornaments.  Mrs.  Whitney  wore  a  low-necked 
dress  of  white  brocaded  velvet.  The  apron  drapery 
was  formed  of  alternate  strips  of  point  lace  and 
white  satin  ;  diamond  bar  and  large  rose  diamond 
in  the  corsage. 

The  reception  was  not  without  incident.  The 
Diplomatic  Corps  in  its  brilliant  court  dresses, 
many  of  the  Ministers  accompanying  their  wives, 
passed  through.  The  English  Minister  came 
fashionably  late,  but  he  had  Mr.  Joseph  Chamber- 
lain, in  an  embroidered  coat  as  good  as  the  best  of 
them,  with  him.  The  deep  obeisance  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain made  to  Mrs.  Cleveland  and  her  lady  assistants 
was  only  equalled  by  the  air  of  good  fellowship  which 
marked  Mr.  Dennis  Kearney's  tour  on  the  same 
ground.  The  sand-lot  orator  saw  the  American 
Court  at  its  best. 

Miss  Winslow,  the  blond'e  beauty,  in  a  stately 
dress  of  white  tulle,  one  side  gay  with  blue  jet,  and 
in  her  fluffy  hair  a  butterfly  which  stirred  with  every 
movement,  divided  the  admiration  of  everybody 
who  knew  her  with  Miss  Adele  Grant,  the  beautiful 
brunette,  who  wore  an  art  dress  of  soft  wood  tints — 
a  clinging  fabric,  made  in  the  style  of  the  Directoire, 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    133 

high  puffs  at  the  shoulder,  and  the  short  waist  belted 
with  a  loosely  tied  sash. 

The  throng  was  immense,  keeping  up  until 
nearly  eleven  o'clock.  There  were  not  half  a  dozen 
Senators,  and  the  Supreme  Court  was  represented 
by  the  Chief  Justice.  The  resident  families  turned 
out  in  honour  of  the  occasion,  and  the  gathering  in 
the  Blue  Parlour  seemed  like  one  in  a  private  house. 
Altogether  the  reception  was  a  great  success,  both 
in  numbers  and  the  brilliancy  of  the  scene.  Out- 
side the  snow  fell  lightly,  and  the  lights  streamed  out 
across  the  darkness. 

In  the  corridor  upstairs  there  was  a  nice  little 
supper  for  the  receiving  party,  their  friends,  and 
those  of  the  Cabinet  after  the  reception  ended. 
Secretary  Whitney  and  Secretary  Bayard  pro- 
menaded the  corridors.  The  conservatories  were 
open,  and  a  great  part  of  the  company  took  a  few 
turns  there. 

It  was  somewhere  about  this  period  that  I  made 
the  acquaintance  of  a  Mrs.  Amory,  and  went  to  tea 
with  her  once  or  twice.  She  had  a  fund  of  amusing 
anecdotes.  I  remember  one  she  told  me  of  an 
erratic  dancing-master  in  a  class  she  had  been  in, 


134     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

in  her  younger  days.     His  **  riding  orders  "  were  as 
follows  : 

"Balance  to  your  partners, 
Balance  to  them  all, 
Man  with  the  bad  breath 
Balance  to  the  wall." 


I  suppose  that,  short  of  trying  the  '*  Fragrant 
Floriline,''  a  specific  largely  advertised  for  this  afflic- 
tion, it  was,  in  the  circumstances,  perhaps  the  best 
thing  he  could  do.  My  dear  old  mother  was 
immensely  tickled  with  this  story  when  I  got 
home. 

On  the  1 8th  Mr.  Chamberlain  dined  with  the 
President,  and  the  next  day  he  gave  his  second  big 
dinner  at  the  Arlington.  The  guests  comprised 
Mr.  Bayard,  Sir  Lionel  West,  Sir  Charles  Tupper, 
Justice  Field,  Judge  Davis,  Mr.  Wharton  of  the  State 
Department  (to  whom  I  have  previously  alluded), 
Mr.  John  Bigelow,  Dr.  Alexander  Graham  Bell 
of  phonographic  renown,  Bergne,  and  myself.  We 
went  to  a  dance  at  the  Whitneys'  afterwards.  How- 
ever late  we  got  back  to  the  hotel  after  these  func- 
tions, Mr.  Chamberlain  always  enjoyed  his  cigar, 
and  I  generally  kept  him  company.  We  seldom 
got  to  bed  much  before  three.     Bergne  as  a  rule 


c  >.^- 


1 


1' 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    135 

retired  rather    earlier.     He    couldn't    stand    very 
late  hours. 

I  have  previously  referred  to  Miss  Gwynn,  a  very 
charming  lady,  who  lived  with  another  pleasant 
little  woman,  Mrs.  Slater.  On  January  21,  Mr. 
Chamberlain  and  I  called  and  had  a  cup  of  tea  with 
Miss  Gwynn,  who  told  us  she  had  studied  palmistry, 
and  kindly  undertook  to  diagnose  the  lines  of  our 
hands.  She  took  the  Chief's  first.  She  said  he 
had  a  very  strong  line  of  luck  and  an  indomitable 
will.  She  went  on  to  say  he  was  a  good  son,  a  good 
brother,  but  a  cruel  lover.  He  was  absolutely 
without  heart,  and  could  subordinate  everything  to 
the  achievement  of  his  own  ends.  He  had  had  two 
great  troubles,  one  owing  to  a  death,  and  another 
to  a  cause  which  she  did  not  specify.  He  had  one 
terrible  line,  the  significance  of  which  she  would  not 
divulge.  Then  she  took  me  on.  I  was  liable  to 
accidents,  and  would  come  by  a  violent  death,  and 
should  avoid  travelling.  She  said  I  was  very 
methodical,  and  that  anything  I  undertook  I  would 
carry  out  in  my  own  way.  I  was  unlucky  and 
absent-minded,  but  lasting  in  my  affections.  I 
must  leave  those  who  know  us  both  to  form  their 
own  opinions  of  the  accuracy  of  these  diagnoses, 


136     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

merely  remarking  that  I  think  Mr.  Chamberlain  is 
what  may  be  termed  "  lucky."  The  occasions  on 
which  he  gambles  are  few  and  far  between,  but  he 
has  often  told  me  that  when  he  has  once  or  twice 
punted  a  louis  at  roulette  at  Monte  Carlo,  he  has 
invariably  won  a  maximum.  Moreover,  he  is  a 
strong  believer  in  his  luck.  As  to  my  own  luck  it 
varies  considerably,  but  on  the  whole  I  have  not 
much  to  complain  of.  But  I  did  think  the  other 
day,  when  a  bicycle  I  was  riding  in  the  Brompton 
Road  skidded  in  front  of  a  motor  bus,  that  Miss 
Gwynn's  forecast  of  my  final  exit  was  about  to  be 
realised  ! 

At  the  period  of  which  I  am  writing,  the  phono- 
graph was  in  its  infancy.  Dr.  Graham  Bell  was, 
in  conjunction  with  an  expert,  Mr.  Tainter,  carrying 
out  some  experiments  at  the  Volta  Laboratory  in 
Washington,  while  Mr.  Edison  was  working  on  similar 
lines  at  Philadelphia.  On  Sunday,  January  22, 
Mr.  Chamberlain,  Bergne,  and  I  accepted  an  invita- 
tion from  Dr.  Bell  to  inspect  his  instruments,  into 
one  of  which  we  all  three  said  something,  about  our 
impressions  of  America  and  the  Americans.  The 
record  was,  I  believe,  duly  deposited  in  some  museum 
at  Washington,  and  if  ever  I  again  visit  that  Capital, 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    137 

I  should  be  interested  to  hear  exactly  what  we  all 
said. 

Professor  Tainter  told  us  an  interesting  anecdote 
of  an  incident  that  had  occurred  a  few  months 
before  our  visit.  A  stranger  called  at  the  Laboratory 
and  said,  "  I  want  to  buy  one  of  those  machines  right 
away."  Tainter  told  him  that  they  were  not  yet  on 
the  market,  and  that  no  price  had  been  fixed.  But 
the  stranger  was  very  persistent  and  would  take 
no  denial,  nor  did  he  care  two  straws  how  much  he 
paid  to  gratify  his  desire.  He  named  a  very  large 
sum,  and  ultimately  Mr.  Tainter  agreed  to  let  him 
have  one  of  their  phonographs.  He  took  it  away 
with  him  and  a  week  later  hje  returned,  and  said  : 
**  I  don't  know  how  to  thank  you  enough,  sir,  for 
letting  me  have  that  machine.  My  poor  wife  was 
dying  when  I  got  home  with  it.  She  was  just  able 
to  speak  into  it  her  last  words,  *  To  be  or  not  to  be.' 
Then  she  died,  and  I  turn  it  on  every  day,  and  hear 
her  sweet  voice  still."  Tainter  assured  us  this  was 
an  absolute  fact.  It  was  a  weird  idea.  I  have  told 
the  story  to  heartless  men  who  aver  that  they  hear 
quite  enough  of  their  wives'  voices  as  it  is,  without 
wishing  to  hear  them  again  when  they've  crossed 
the    bar.     I    myself   possess    phonograph    records 


138     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

made  by  voices  of  friends  which  have  long  since 
been  silent,  but  I  can't  say  that  it  ever  affords  me 
very  much  enjoyment  to  turn  them  on. 

On  Thursday,  January  24,  Mr.  WiUie  Endicott — 
Mrs.  Chamberlain's  brother — and  I  called  and  took 
tea  with  Mrs.  Cleveland  at  the  White  House.  This 
was  the  occasion,  to  which  I  have  already  alluded, 
when  I  was  announced  as  *'  Mr.  Haycock,"  much 
to  the  lady's  amusement.  The  same  evening  Mr. 
Chamberlain  and  I  dined  with  the  Edwardes.  Miss 
Endicott  was  also  there,  and  Spring  Rice.  I  was 
about  to  retire  for  the  night,  about  12.30,  when  a 
representative  of  the  Washington  Post  was  announced. 
A  report  had  got  into  circulation  that  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain had  been  appointed  to  succeed  Lord  Lans- 
downe  as  Governor-General  of  Canada,  and  the 
Post  man  wanted  to  know  if  the  rumour  could  be 
confirmed  or  denied.  The  result  of  our  interview 
appeared  in  the  Post  of  the  following  day  : 

MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   SATISFIED 

NOT  ANXIOUS  TO   GIVE  UP   HIS   CAREER  FOR  THE 
GOVERNOR-GENERALSHIP   OF   CANADA 

Mr.  Chamberlain  authorises  an  emphatic  denial  of 
the  report  which  comes  from  Ottawa  by  way  of  New 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA     139 

York,  that  he  has  been  appointed  to  succeed  Lord 
Lansdowne  as  Governor-General  of  Canada.  Lord 
Lansdowne  was  appointed  by  Mr.  Gladstone  in 
1883  for  a  seven  years'  term,  which  has  two  years 
to  run,  and  he  has  neither  resigned  nor  expressed 
any  intention  of  resigning.  All  reports  about  the 
appointment  of  his  successor  are  purely  speculative 
and  entirely  premature.  Mr.  Chamberlain  has 
authorised  Mr.  Maycock,  who  is  associated  with 
him  in  the  fishery  negotiations,  to  say  that  he  would 
not  give  up  his  political  career  in  England  for  the 
Governor-Generalship  of  Canada. 

Towards  the  end  of  January  some  scurrilous 
paragraphs  appeared  in  various  newspapers  pub- 
lished in  Washington  and  Philadelphia  respecting 
Mr.  Chamberlain's  attentions  to  Miss  Endicott. 
They  were  embroidered  with  narratives  of  incidents 
which,  needless  to  say,  had  never  occurred,  and 
were  remarkable  examples  of  the  inventive  power 
of  sensational  journalists  on  the  "  other  side."  They 
naturally  caused  Mr.  Chamberlain  some  momen- 
tary annoyance,  but  of  course  he  had  no  alter- 
native but  to  treat  them  with  the  contempt  they 
deserved. 


140     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

One  very  agreeable  lady  I  met  at  some  party — ^the 
Whitneys',  I  think— was  Mrs.  Hooker.  She  hailed, 
to  the  best  of  my  recollection,  from  California,  and 
was  the  daughter  of  Senator  Stewart  of  Carson  City, 
Nevada.  We  went  together  on  February  i  to  a 
matinee  of  Romeo  and  Juliet ,  in  which  Mrs.  Brown 
Potter  and  Kyrle  Bellew  were  appearing  at  the 
National  Theatre.  I  suppose  one  way  or  another, 
in  this  country,  America,  and  various  European 
capitals,  I  have  attended  theatres  some  two  thousand 
times,  but  I  never  had  a  more  thrilling  experience 
than  on  this  particular  afternoon,  one  which  I  am 
not  likely  to  forget  in  a  hurry.  The  performance 
was  nearly  over.  The  third  and  last  scene  of  the 
5th  Act  was  *'  Verona  churchyard  with  tomb  of  the 
Capulets."  Juliet  was  lying  dead  opposite  the 
prompt  box  in  a  sloping  position  with  her  feet 
towards  the  audience.  Enter  Romeo  and  Mercutio 
from  the  right,  Romeo  with  a  flaming  torch  of  the 
foolscap  pattern  which  he  plunges  into  the  floor 
while  advancing  to  Juliet's  tomb.  I  watched  this 
torch  carefully  :  its  **  business  end  ''  did  not  pene- 
trate deeply  enough  into  the  stage  to  remain  in  an 
upright  position,  but  slowly  and  gradually  fell  on  to 
the  cardboard  wall  of  the  churchyard,  which,  as  I 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA     141 

fully  anticipated,  was  immediately  ablaze.  In  a 
moment  there  was  a  panic  and  a  cry  of  **  Fire ! "  Half 
the  stalls  were  on  their  feet.  It  was  then  that  I 
recalled  the  advice  of  my  old  friend,  Sir  Eyre  Massey 
Shaw,  to  be  sure  and  sit  still  if  ever  I  was  in  a  fire  at 
a  theatre  ;  but  it  requires  a  lot  of  presence  of  mind 
to  do  so,  and  Mrs.  Hooker  was  terrified.  Even  the 
defunct  Juliet  became  alarmed  and  sat  up.  All 
this  happened  in  much  less  time  than  it  takes  to 
describe  it.  However,  just  at  the  critical  moment, 
on  came  a  fireman  with  a  hose,  and  speedily  extin- 
guished the  flames,  much  to  the  relief  of  everyone 
in  the  house.  Order  was  restored,  Juliet  died  once 
more,  and  the  performance  ended  without  further 
incident. 

I  have  already  mentioned  some  of  the  large 
banquets  given  by  Mr.  Chamberlain,  and  also  those 
given  by  his  American  colleagues  in  his  honour  at 
the  Arlington  Hotel.  He  gave  four  or  five  others, 
with  the  details  of  which  it  is  unnecessary  to  weary 
the  reader.  With  one  single  exception,  not  a  jarring 
note  marred  any  of  these  festivities.  Nothing  could 
have  exceeded  the  cordiality  of  the  relations  which 
subsisted  between  my  Chief  and  the  many  promi- 
nent American  statesmen  of  all  shades  of  politics 


142     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

with  whom  he  was  brought  into  contact  during  our 
stay  at  Washington.  The  single  exception  to  which 
I  have  alluded  occurred  at  a  large  dinner  given  by 
Mr.  Chamberlain  in  a  private  room  at  the  Arlington 
early  in  February.  There  chanced  to  be  staying  at 
that  hotel  a  certain  Senator,  whose  name  it  would 
serve  no  useful  purpose  to  mention.  I  believe  he 
has  long  since  retired  from  the  arena  of  politics,  if 
indeed  he  is  not  engaged  in  some  sphere  of  activity 
in  another  planet.  He  was  by  no  means  an 
attractive  personality,  but  Mr.  Chamberlain,  who 
had  had  one  or  two  desultory  conversations  with 
him  at  the  hotel,  asked  me  to  send  him  an  invitation 
to  this  dinner,  which  he  accepted,  and  duly  turned 
up.  We  were  a  dozen  all  told,  including  the 
Chinese  Minister  in  his  native  garb.  We  had  a 
sumptuous  repast  at  a  round  table,  and  the  Senator, 
who  sat  next  to  me,  did  himself  remarkably  well. 
We  had  reached  dessert,  and  the  Chinaman  was 
busy  with  his  bananas.  Suddenly  the  Senator,  not 
without  difficulty,  rose  to  his  legs,  and  with  his 
right  arm  extended  thus  addressed  his  host,  who 
was  sitting  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  table  : 

"  Mr.  Joseph  Shamberlain,  sir.     I'm  pleased  to 
know  you,  sir,  and  am  proud  to  be  your  guest  this 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA     143 

evening.  But  there  is  one  thing,  sir,  I  would  Hke 
to  say  to  you  right  here/'  [At  this  juncture  every- 
one was  getting  hot  and  uncomfortable,  wondering 
what  was  coming,  with  the  exception  of  the  Chinese 
Minister,  who  understood  but  little  English,  and 
was  still  busily  engaged  with  his  bananas.]  ''  Sir, 
neither  I  nor  my  colleagues  in  this  country  have 
ever  been  able  to  understand  how  you  came  to 
desert  the  banner  of  that  great  man,  Mr.  Gladstone 
[with  emphasis  on  the  ''  stone  "].  People,  sir,  who 
do  that  kind  of  thing  in  this  country  are  known 
as  *  Mugwumps.'  "  A  good  deal  more  followed  in 
the  same  strain,  till  at  length  the  Senator,  having 
exhausted  his  energies  in  this  execrable  ebullition, 
resumed  his  seat.  For  the  benefit  of  the  uninitiated 
I  may  mention  that  "  mugwump  "  is  an  Indian 
word  signifying  a  captain  or  leader,  but  it  came  into 
political  use  by  its  application  in  derision  to  those 
members  of  the  Republican  party  who,  rejecting 
Mr.  Blaine,  resolved  to  vote  for  his  Democratic 
opponent,  Mr.  Grover  Cleveland.  It  was  a  study 
to  watch  Mr.  Chamberlain's  face  during  the  delivery 
of  this  ill-timed  philippic.  His  reply  was  brief  but 
incisive.  ''  From  the  remarks  that  have  fallen  from 
the  lips  of  my  friend  the  Senator  from    ...  I  can 


144         WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN 

readily  understand  that  he  is  wholly  incapable  of 
appreciating  the  motives  which  influenced  me  in 
severing  myself  from  Mr.  Gladstone."  It  was 
withering  and  overwhelming.  The  Senator  said 
no  more.  Mr.  Chamberlain,  metaphorically  speak- 
ing, had  wiped  the  floor  with  him.  Everybody 
breathed  a  sigh  of  relief,  and  the  Chinaman  finished 
his  bananas. 


CHAPTER   IX 

LAST  WEEKS  AT  WASHINGTON 

The  last  weeks  of  our  stay  in  Washington,  with  one 
exception,  were  uneventful.  We  had  any  amount 
of  strenuous  official  work  by  day  down  to  February 
15,  relieved  by  dinners,  plays,  and  dances  at  night. 
As  the  time  approached  for  our  departure  all  our 
good  friends  at  Washington  vied  with  one  another 
in  showing  us  unbounded  and  lavish  hospitality, 
notably  so  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Edwardes ;  Judge 
John  Davis  and  his  charming  and  gifted  wife  ;  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Hitt ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Endicott ;  Senator 
and  Mrs.  Don  Cameron  ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grant ; 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Loring  ;  Mrs.  Wallach  ;  Mrs.  Town- 
send  ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jerome  Bonaparte  ;  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Whitney  ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reuterskiold  (the 
Swedish  Minister),  and  others  too  numerous  to 
mention.  We  too  had  some  pleasant  little  suppers 
at  the  Arlington,  at  which  I  used  to  perform  on  the 
banjo.  More  appreciative  audiences  I  never  wish 
to  meet.  Not  only  did  some  of  my  English  comic 
songs,  notably  Corney  Grain's  *' Jarge's  Jubilee,"  and 

I4S  K 


146      WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN  THE 

"  He  did  and  he  didn't  know  why,"  prove  in  great 
demand,  but  it  was  a  treat  to  hear  some  of  the 
prettiest  women  and  cheeriest  men  in  Washington 
joining  in  the  chorus  of  "  Tenting  on  the  old  camp 
ground,"  a  ballad  that  attained  enormous  popu- 
larity during  the  war.  Sometimes  I  had  a  chorus 
of  quite  another  kind,  but  no  less  melodious  never- 
theless. I  allude  to  the  negro  attendants  at  the 
Arlington,  of  whom  there  was  a  very  large  congre- 
gation. I  remember  that  one  day,  when  alone,  I  was 
playing  a  few  chords  in  our  work-room,  when,  on 
opening  the  door  suddenly,  I  found  the  staircase 
crowded  with  these  darkies,  so  I  told  them  to  wait 
a  moment  and  Fd  give  them  a  tune  or  two.  To 
hear  those  coloured  "  pussons  "  sing  the  **  Swanee 
River  "  was  a  real  treat.  They  could  improvise 
parts,  and  their  voices  were  rich,  melodious,  and 
always  ''  on  the  key."  In  other  respects  they  were 
erratic  individuals ,  these  niggers .  Wild  horses  would 
not  induce  one  of  them  to  take  on  any  job  for  which 
he  wasn't  specifically  ear-marked,  so  to  speak.  I 
might  ring  my  bell  in  bed  in  the  morning  and  a 
black  head  would  bob  in  at  the  door  saying,  "  Do 
you  '  warnt '  anything  ?  "  **  Yes,  please,"  I  would 
reply  ;  "I  want  my  fire  lit."  ''  Sure  !  I'll  send 
along   the   engineer   right   away,"    would   be   the 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    147 

answer.  He  wasn't  going  to  touch  it,  not  he.  He'd 
brought  up  the  tea,  and  that  was  quite  enough  for 
him.  But  when  it  came  to  singing,  they  were  on 
common  ground,  and  quite  deHghtful  company. 

I  wish  I  could  remember  one  tithe  of  the  good 
stories  I  heard  in  Washington.  Senator  Evarts  had 
the  reputation  of  being  not  only  one  of  the  cheeriest 
raconteurs,  but  also  one  of  the  readiest  wits  in  the 
Capital.  A  lady  once  asked  him  if  drinking  so 
many  different  wines  did  not  make  him  feel  seedy 
the  next  day.  **  No,  madam,"  he  replied,  *'  it's  the 
indifferent  wines  that  produce  that  result."  Electric 
trams  had  only  recently  been  introduced  at  Wash- 
ington when  we  went  there.  There  were  a  fair 
number  of  Chinese  in  the  Capital,  most  of  whom 
kept  laundries.  The  effect  produced  on  one  of 
them  on  first  seeing  one  of  these  trams  is  best 
described  in  his  own  words  :  **  No  pushee  !  no 
pullee  !  go  like  hellee  all  the  samee."  Should  this 
meet  the  eye  of  the  attractive  wife  of  a  certain 
Senator,  I  wonder  if  she  will  remember  how  I 
laughed  when  she  told  me  that  story  !  Some  of 
those  American  ladies  have  a  keen  sense  of  humour, 
and  are  the  best  company  in  the  world  !  What 
a  contrast  to  some  of  our  staid  and  ultra-orthodox 
English  matrons  !  ! 


148     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

That  infant  phenomenon  Josef  Hofman  came  to 
the  ArHngton  early  in  February.  He  was  a  dear 
Uttle  boy  ten  years  old,  and  I  remember  giving  him, 
much  to  his  delight,  a  bunch  of  roses  from  a  pile 
which  adorned  our  dining-room  on  the  eve  of  one 
of  our  banquets.  His  piano-playing  was  something 
marvellous.  I  went  with  Miss  Gwynn  to  her  box 
at  Albaugh's  Opera  House  on  February  6,  which 
was  crammed.  He  played  among  other  things 
Weber's  Concertstlick ;  Beethoven's  Moonlight 
Sonata  ;  a  Chopin  waltz  and  polonaise  ;  a  gigue  by 
Bach  ;  a  pastorale  by  Scarlatti  ;  besides  improvising 
all  sorts  of  variations  on  given  themes.  There 
never  was  such  a  prodigy,  and  his  reception  was 
most  enthusiastic.  He  had  already  appeared  in 
London,  and  taken  the  town  by  storm.  Some  time 
later  he  was  seriously  ill  for  a  lengthened  period. 
Whether  he  ever  developed  into  a  musician  of  such 
eminence  as  his  childhood  foreshadowed  I  have 
failed  to  ascertain.  Stokes'  Cyclopcedia  of  Music 
and  Musicians,  beyond  observing  that  he  recovered 
from  his  illness  in  1894,  supplies  no  details  of  his 
later  career.  If  this  should  meet  the  eye  of  any 
reader  who  is  in  a  position  to  supplement  this  infor- 
mation, I  should  be  grateful  to  receive  it. 

I  have  alluded  to  our  concluding  weeks  being, 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    149 

with  one  exception,  uneventful  except  for  the  usual 
social  festivities.  The  exception  was  Wednesday, 
February  15,  and  though  it  happened  to  be  Ash 
Wednesday,  it  was  by  no  means  a  day  of  ''  sack- 
cloth and  ashes  ''  so  far  as  we  were  concerned.  It 
was,  in  short,  the  red-letter  day  of  our  Mission,  for 
our  official  mandate  came  to  an  end  by  the  signature 
of  a  Treaty  and  two  other  documents,  the  practical 
effect  of  which  was  to  terminate  the  trouble  over 
the  Canadian  fisheries  which  had  been  a  constant 
source  of  friction  for  the  best  part  of  a  century.  To 
this,  however,  I  must  devote  a  separate  chapter. 
The  Times  at  that  period  had  no  special  correspon- 
dent of  its  own  at  Washington,  but  was  repre- 
sented, and  very  ably  represented  too,  by  Mr.  Joel 
Cook,  whose  headquarters  were  at  Philadelphia. 
Joel  Cook,  himself  an  American  citizen,  was  the 
author  of  a  most  interesting  series  of  articles,  entitled 
A  Visit  to  the  States,  which  appeared  in  the  Times 
and  were  published  in  book  form  in  1887.  It  is  the 
most  comprehensive  vade  mecum  ever  compiled, 
and  may  with  advantage  be  studied  by  anyone 
contemplating  a  visit  to  the  great  Republic  for  the 
first  time.  In  response  to  an  invitation  from  Mr. 
Chamberlain,  Joel  Cook  came  from  Philadelphia  to 
Washington   the   day   after   the   signature   of  the 


ISO     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

Treaty,  and  we  jointly  and  severally  compiled  a 
long  cable  message  to  the  Thunderer  which  appeared 
in  its  issue  of  February  i8.  It  will  suffice  here  to 
reproduce  one  brief  extract : 

"  Mr.  Chamberlain,  when  asked  to  express  his 
views  on  the  result  of  the  negotiations,  said  :  *  I  am 
thoroughly  satisfied  with  the  result.  I  do  not  claim 
to  have  gained  a  victory.  No  sensible  man  wishes 
to  obtain  a  triumph  over  friends.  I  have  regarded 
this  difference  as  one  between  friends.  But  what  I 
do  claim  is  that  we  have  arrived  at  a  just  and  honour- 
able settlement,  which,  if  considered  on  its  merits, 
will  be  accepted  as  satisfactory  by  all  parties  con- 
cerned, and  will  terminate  a  controversy  which  has 
lasted  for  a  century,  and  has  more  than  once 
threatened  the  good  relations  of  the  two  great 
branches  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race.'  " 

The  following  paragraph  appeared  in  one  of 
the  local  papers  during  our  last  week  at 
Washington  : 

"  The  Hon.  Joseph  Chamberlain  is  about  to 
leave  Washington,  and  I  shall  not  be  contradicted 
if  I  say  that  a  very  considerable  part  of  Washington 
is  sorry.  Never  has  there  been  such  a  diner  out, 
and  a  giver  of  dinners,  in  this  town  as  the  gentleman 
who  is  going  back  in  a  few  days  to  his  seat  in  the 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    151 

House  of  Commons.  To  him  chiefly  is  it  attribu- 
table that  the  present  winter  has  been  the  greatest 
season  for  dinner  parties  that  Washington  has  ever 
known.  And  they  have  been  gay  and  enjoyable 
feasts  too,  for  the  Honourable  Joseph  has  his  wits 
about  him,  and  does  not  ask  any  odds  from  the 
keenest  of  Yankee  combatants  in  a  contest  of  wit 
and  persiflage,  any  more  than  he  needs  to  do  in 
dealing  with  matters  of  State.  The  ladies  especially 
will  miss  him,  for  rarely  have  they  had  such  a  guest. 
It  may  be  mentioned,  by  the  way,  that  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain has  not  been  so  exclusively  devoted  to  the 
daughter  of  a  Cabinet  officer  as  some  of  the  corre- 
spondents have  reported,  in  evidence  of  which 
statement  I  have  only  to  refer  to  the  fact  that  he 
gave  a  box  party  at  the  opera  on  Wednesday  evening 
to  Miss  Gwynn,  one  of  the  most  charming  and 
accomplished  young  ladies  in  Washington  society ." 

On  Monday  and  Tuesday,  February  27  and  28 
(the  latter  our  last  day  in  Washington),  we  were 
busy  packing  up  and  paying  farewell  visits.  It  was 
pleasant,  of  course,  to  feel  we  were  going  home,  but 
the  pleasure  was  not  unmixed  with  pain.  I  never 
realised  so  vividly,  before  or  since,  the  force  of 
Juliet's  words,  "  Parting  is  such  sweet  sorrow,'*  as 
when  the  time  came  to  say  **  Good-bye  "  to  so  many 
kind  and  valued  friends  on  the  other  side.  How- 
ever, all  things  have  an  ending.     Our  last  dinner, 


152  WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN 

and  a  very  agreeable  one,  was  at  Mrs.  Wallach's, 
Bergne  and  I  having  previously  lunched  with  Mrs. 
John  Davis  and  Mrs.  Don  Cameron.  Thus  ended 
as  pleasant  a  three  months  as  I  ever  spent,  or  am 
likely  to  spend  id  bos  ! 


CHAPTER   X 

"off  to   PHILADELPHIA   IN  THE  MORNING" 

We  took  our  final  departure  from  Washington  for 
Philadelphia  by  the  11.40  train  on  the  morning  of 
Wednesday,  February  29.  Sir  Lionel  West,  Spring 
Rice,  Arthur  Herbert  (who  had  just  come  to  the 
Legation  as  Second  Secretary),  and  Monsieur 
Gennadius,  then,  as  now  again,  the  Greek  Minister 
in  London,  and  at  that  time  on  some  special  business 
in  America  on  behalf  of  his  Government,  came  to  see 
us  off.  When  we  reached  Wilmington,  a  little  more 
than  halfway  between  Baltimore  and  Philadelphia, 
Captain  Clipperton,  then  our  consul  in  **  the 
Quaker  City,"  accompanied  by  a  deputation  of 
four  members  of  the  St.  George's  Society,  boarded 
the  train  and  travelled  with  us  to  Philadelphia.  The 
deputation  consisted  of  Mr.  Samuel  Lees,  President 
of  the  Society  ;  Mr.  George  Dixon,  Secretary  of  the 
Society ;  Mr.  J.  H.  Williams,  Secretary  of  the 
United  Lodges  of  the  Order  of  the  Sons  of  St. 
George;  and  Mr.  John  Lucas,  one  of  its  most 
prominent  members. 

153 


154     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

The  St.  George's  Society  is  a  very  ancient  institu- 
tion, claiming  to  have  been  founded  as  far  back 
as  1772.  It  consists  of  about  a  hundred  weahhy 
men,  and  its  funds  are  devoted  to  relieving  cases 
of  British  distress  in  Philadelphia.  Though  asso- 
ciated with,  it  must  not  be  confounded  with  the 
**  Order  of  the  Sons  of  St.  George,"  which  comprises 
thousands  of  members  in  every  State  of  the  Union. 
It  is  composed  of  working  men  exclusively 
English  by  birth  or  descent.  It  was  started  in 
1870,  when  three  Englishmen  were  brutally  mur- 
dered in  the  coal  regions  of  Pennsylvania.  Two  of 
the  known  murderers  and  their  families  were  quietly 
spirited  off  from  the  processes  of  the  law.  It  was 
in  the  days  of  the  well-remembered  '*  Mollie 
Maguires,"  an  organisation  of  assassins,  said  to  be 
a  wing  of  the  '^Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians,"  for  the 
extinguishing  of  which  both  the  civil  courts  and 
the  State  militia  were  forced  to  adopt  summary 
measures.  The  Order  of  the  Sons  of  St.  George 
grew  rapidly,  extending  from  State  to  State  wherever 
English  working  men  congregated  :  there  is  a  "  sick 
benefit "  of  from  12s,  to  20s.  per  week  during  sick- 
ness, and  a  funeral  allowance  of  from  3(^10  to  j£20  for 
a  member,  and  half  that  sum  for  the  funeral  of  a 
member's  wife.   The  weekly  dues  of  membership  are 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    155 

from  ^d,  to  y^d.  per  week,  and  the  fundamental  prin- 
ciple of  the  Order  is  to  make  provision  for  sickness 
and  death,  thus  preventing  any  member's  family  be- 
coming an  object  of  charity.  In  addition  to  this  the 
families  of  the  various  lodges  meet  together  socially 
on  stated  occasions,  thereby  keeping  alive  the  English 
love  of  country  and  the  festivities  of  her  fete  days. 
This  organisation  is  non-political,  unsectarian,  and 
exclusively  English  :  to  its  own  membership  it  is 
of  great  advantage  ;  it  lends  a  helping  hand,  and  its 
officers  are  always  ready  to  advise  and  to  assist  them 
when  landing  in  the  United  States. 

On  reaching  the  depot  in  Broad  Street  we  found 
a  fairly  large  crowd,  the  members  of  which,  having 
got  wind  of  Mr.  Chamberlain's  arrival,  accorded 
him  a  favourable  reception.  The  Philadelphia  Press 
of  the  following  day  wrote :  "  Either  for  protection 
against  dynamiters  or  as  a  subterfuge  to  avoid  Ameri- 
can reporters,  Mr.  Chamberlain  has  two  secretaries 
so  much  like  him  in  general  appearance  {})  that  it 
is  difficult  to  tell  which  is  the  star  of  the  trio,  and 
it  was  not  until  the  ex-Mayor  of  Birmingham  had 
raised  his  hat  in  deference  to  an  uncertain  cheer 
that  the  crowd  were  able  to  distinguish  him." 

Our  self-constituted  chaperons,  who  had  taken  us 
body  and  soul  under  their  aegis,  escorted  us  to  St. 


156     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

George's  Hall,  where  we  were  received  by  more 
leading  members  of  the  organisation,  and  inspected 
Sulley's  painting  of  Queen  Victoria,  which  hung 
in  the  main  hall,  and  had  just  come  back 
from  England,  where  it  had  been  sent  for  her 
Majesty's  Jubilee.  After  this  ordeal  we  drove  to 
the  Lafayette  Hotel,  where  we  had  engaged  rooms 
for  our  brief  visit. 

There  was,  however,  but  a  short  rest  for  us  here, 
as  we  had  to  attend  a  large  banquet  at  five  o'clock, 
given  by  the  Society  of  St.  George,  at  the  Union 
League.  They  gave  us  a  very  good  dinner,  as  will 
be  seen  from  the  menu.  Mr.  Samuel  Lees,  the 
President,  sat  at  the  head  of  the  table,  with  Mr. 
Chamberlain  on  his  right  and  Mayor  Fitler  on  his 
left.  I  suppose  there  were  about  a  hundred  present, 
all  told,  consisting  mostly  of  the  leading  members  of 
the  Society  and  their  invited  guests. 

MENU 

OYSTERS.      CHATEAU   SAUTERNE. 

Soup. 

BISQUE   A    LA   ROYAL. 

Fish. 
boiled  rock.    lobster  sauce, 
bermuda  potatoes.    cucumbers, 
wine:  liebfraumilch. 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    157 

Relevh. 

SADDLE  OF  SOUTHDOWN  MUTTON.   CURRANT  JELLY. 

STRING  BEANS.   POTATO  CROQUETTES. 

WINE  :  PONTET  CANET. 

Entries. 

SWEETBREAD   A   LA   REINE.      FRESH   MUSHROOMS.      TERRAPIN. 
ROMAN   PUNCH. 

RotL 

QUAILS.       CELERY   MAYONNAISE. 
WINE  :     MORIZET   SEC,   IPOMMERY    SEC. 

Cheese. 

ROQUEFORT  BRIE.   CREAM.   HOTHOUSE  TOMATOES. 

Entremets, 

FROZEN    FRUIT.       WAFERS. 

Dessert. 

ASSORTED    FRUIT.      ROAST   ALMONDS. 
COFFEE.      COGNAC.      CIGARS. 

The  hall  was  tastefully  decorated  with  the 
American  Stars  and  Stripes  intermingled  with 
Union  Jacks,  and  floral  decorations  of  palms  and 
numerous  baskets  of  cut  flowers.  The  flags  of  the 
two  nations,  three  of  each,  were  also  printed  in 
colours  on  the  obverse  of  the  menu  card. 

It  took  us  two  and  a  half  hours  to  get  through 
this  banquet,  and  then  the  chairman  proposed  the 
health  of  the  Queen,  which  was  drunk  to  the  accom- 


iS8     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

paniment  of  the  English  National  Anthem.  This 
was  followed  by  the  toast  of  the  President,  and  the 
singing  of  the  '*  Star-spangled  Banner." 

Then  came  Mr.  Chamberlain's  turn,  in  response 
to  a  few  words  of  welcome  by  the  chairman.  Mr. 
Chamberlain  said  that,  although  he  had  been  given 
to  understand  there  would  be  no  speeches,  he  was 
glad  of  the  opportunity  to  acknowledge  the  courtesies 
extended  to  him  by  the  Society,  as  well  as  American 
hospitality  generally.  It  was  no  new  thing  to 
Englishmen,  and  if  the  Society  imagined  that  the 
visitors  were  fit  objects  for  the  charity  they  so  freely 
dispensed,  it  grievously  erred.  His  party  had 
come,  he  continued,  on  an  important  diplomatic 
mission,  and  perhaps  his  hosts  thought  it  was  their 
part  to  **  take  them  in."  He  hoped  that  his  errand 
would  be  conducive  to  the  object  they  all  had  at 
heart — ^that  of  uniting,  still  more  effectually,  the 
friendship  between  England  and  America.  He 
concluded  by  saying  :  *'  I  see  opposite  to  me — 
symbolical  of  the  work  of  your  Society — the  two  old 
flags.  May  they  long  wave  together  and  tighten 
the  bond  between  our  countries." 

Among  the  speakers  that  followed  were  Mr.  Fitler, 
then  Mayor  of  Philadelphia ;  Lewis  Abrahams, 
President  of  the  Washington  branch  of  the  Society  ; 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA     159 

William  Waterall,  an  ex-President ;  Joel  Cook ; 
and  even  Bergne  and  I  were  compelled  to  say  a 
few  kind  words,  which  cost  nothing  beyond  some 
slight  embarrassment  to  our  two  selves.  Mr. 
Waterall,  in  the  course  of  his  remarks,  said  :  "  We 
feel  that,  in  doing  honour  to  our  distinguished 
visitor,  we  are  honouring  the  Queen  and  the  country 
he  represents.  Although  we  are  American  citizens, 
we  have  never  lost  the  love  for  the  land  of  our  birth. 
But  we  never  interfere  in  American  politics."  He 
advocated  the  settlement  of  international  disputes 
by  arbitration,  a  doctrine  that  appealed  to  the 
common  attribute  of  man — justice  ! 

The  Philadelphia  Press  of  the  next  day  in  its 
report  of  this  banquet  indulged  in  some  facetious 
personal  remarks,  of  which  I  quote  a  sample  : 

**  In  his  evening  dress  and  without  his  fur  coat 
Mr.  Chamberlain  looked  less  like  a  Comedian,  and 
more  like  the  Statesman.  His  face  while  the 
speeches  were  in  progress  was  an  object-lesson  for 
aspiring  diplomats,  and  his  tact  at  the  trying  portions 
of  the  banquet  was  as  happy  as  his  speech.  After 
the  Queen's  health  was  drunk  standing,  and  that 
of  the  President  was  proposed,  Mr.  Chamberlain 
was  the  only  gentleman  at  the  head  of  the  table  who 
rose  in  deference  to  it,  notwithstanding  John  L. 
Lawson's  command  to  *  sit  down.'      When  some  of 


i6o     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

the  Anglo-American  speakers  dropped  their  '  h's,' 
Mr.  Chamberlain's  countenance  was  sphinx-like  in 
its  lack  of  expression.  When  John  Lawson  com- 
pared Cromwell  to  Christ,  he  stared  vacantly  at  the 
chandelier,  and  it  was  only  when  Select  Councilman 
Freeman  launched  forth  into  a  bloodthirsty  defence 
of  war,  that  his  lips  showed  visible  signs  of  his  in- 
ward amusement." 


As  regards  poor  Bergne  and  myself,  the  following 
is  the  impression  we  left  on  the  mind  of  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  aforesaid  organ  : 

"  Messrs.  J.  H.  G.  Bergne  and  W.  R.  D.  May- 
cock,  Mr.  Chamberlain's  assistants,  were  the  next 
speakers.  Without  their  greatcoats  they  differ 
greatly  in  personal  appearance.  Mr.  Bergne  is  an 
old-looking  young  man  with  a  reserved  air.  He 
sat  through  the  speeches  with  one  leg  crossed  over 
the  other,  gazing  at  the  toe  of  his  patent  leather 
shoe.  Mr.  Maycock,  on  the  contrary,  is  large 
and  oval,  with  more  the  air  of  a  club  man  than  a 
diplomat." 

This  function  over,  we  walked  across  to  the 
Horticultural  Hall,  close  by,  where  we  found  an 
assemblage  of  some  two  thousand  members  of  the 
Order  of  the  Sons  of  St.  George.  The  Grand 
Secretary,  Mr.  Williams,  introduced  Mr.  Chamber- 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    i6i 

lain,  who  met  with  an  enthusiastic  reception.  Mr. 
Chamberlain  made  a  long  speech  to  them.  After 
referring  to  the  origin,  history,  and  objects  of  the 
Order,  he  expressed  his  hearty  sympathy  with  it, 
and  his  fervent  hopes  for  its  future  prosperity.  He 
assumed  that  the  majority  of  the  company  present 
were  British  Americans,  and  he  wanted  them  to 
consider  what  that  appellation  implied.  They  were 
Americans  first  of  all,  and  he  congratulated  them 
upon  their  choice,  for  in  that  Greater  Britain  be- 
yond the  seas  they  would  find  all  the  characteristics 
of  the  Great  Britain  they  had  left  behind  at  home. 
While  sharing  in  the  duties  and  responsibilities  and 
privileges  of  their  new  life,  and  in  the  future  fortunes 
of  America,  they  had  not  surrendered  their  great 
inheritance  of  the  past  of  England — the  thousand 
years  of  glorious  tradition.  Their  Order  had 
shown  that  allegiance  to  the  new  land  was  not  in- 
compatible with  affectionate  regard  for  the  old 
home. 

He  believed  that  the  cordial  friendship  of  these 
two  great  nations  was  the  best  guarantee  for  the 
peace  of  the  civilised  world,  and  it  was  to  promote 
that  object  that  he  came  there,  accepting  at  twenty- 
four  hours'  notice  the  difficult  Mission  with  which 

he  had  been  entrusted  by  the  Queen.    That  Mission, 

L 


i62     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

he  went  on  to  say,  had  accompHshed  its  purpose, 
and  the  result  is  now  submitted  for  the  sober  judg- 
ment of  the  American  people.  It  was  not  a  mere 
Fishery  Treaty,  but  one  of  amity  and  good  neigh- 
bourship— the  act  of  two  English-speaking  peoples. 
Canada  had  held  out  the  hand  of  friendship  to  her 
brothers  in  America,  and  he  believed  every  true 
American  would  be  in  favour  of  grasping  the  hand 
so  held  out.  The  differences  which  had  arisen 
should  not  be  regarded  as  a  dispute  between  hostile 
parties  :  it  was  no  more  than  a  difference  between 
friends,  mutually  desirous  of  removing  any  cause  of 
irritation.  Therefore  to  speak  of  concessions  having 
been  made  as  being  ignominious  was  an  abuse  of 
language.  There  had  been  no  surrender  of  any- 
thing which  it  was  honourable  to  maintain.  He  had 
been  four  months  in  America,  and  he  was  over- 
whelmed with  gratitude  for  the  cordial  hospitalities 
extended  to  him.  He  had,  it  was  true,  been  pained 
by  some  of  the  expressions  used  in  public,  and  in 
the  press,  in  reference  to  his  country  and  his  country- 
men. They  were  treated  as  if  they  were  foreigners 
and  a  rival  nation.  ''  I  decline,''  he  said  with  em- 
phasis, **  to  be  considered  a  foreigner  in  the  United 
States."  He  thought  sometimes  some  American 
Columbus    would    have    to    undertake    the    "  dis- 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    163 

covery  "  of  England— not  the  England  which  was 
so  frequently  depicted,  as  the  cruellest  and  foulest  of 
tyrants,  but  the  England  of  to-day,  the  true  mother 
of  free  nations  greater  than  herself. 

This  speech  was  heartily  applauded,  everybody 
singing  **  He's  a  jolly  good  fellow."  Then  pro- 
cessions were  formed,  and  we  three,  individually 
and  collectively,  shook  hands  with  over  two  thousand 
of  those  worthy  people,  more  than  one  of  whom  Mr. 
Chamberlain,  with  his  marvellous  memory  for  faces, 
recalled  having  met  in  their  boyhood  at  Birmingham 
schools.  It  had  been  a  strenuous  day  altogether, 
and  we  retired  to  rest  thoroughly  exhausted  and 
worn  out. 

The  next  morning  we  drove  in  two  carriages, 
accompanied  by  Clipperton,  Mr.  Lees,  Mr.  Wil- 
liams, and  Mr.  Lucas,  to  the  office  of  the  late  Mr. 
George  W.  Childs,  the  opulent  proprietor  of  the 
Public  Ledger,  one  of  the  largest  and  most  influ- 
ential newspapers  of  Philadelphia.  Mr.  Childs 
received  us  himself,  and  showed  us  an  interesting 
collection  of  pictures  and  other  curios  in  his  private 
office,  which  was  quite  a  museum  in  its  way.  Mr. 
Childs,  a  gentleman  rather  short  in  stature,  but  a 
very  agreeable  personality,  was  a  very  remarkable 
and  enterprising  man.     When  Dean  Stanley  visited 


i64     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

the  States  in  1878,  he  was  the  guest  of  Mr.  Childs 
at  Philadelphia.  The  Dean  incidentally  mentioned 
in  a  post-prandial  conversation  that  Westminster 
Abbey  was  conspicuous  by  the  absence  of  any 
suitable  memorial  to  some  of  the  earlier  English 
poets.  Mr.  Childs  at  once  took  the  hint,  and  erected 
the  memorial  window  to  Cowper  and  Herbert, 
which  is  now  in  the  Abbey.  He  further  contem- 
plated placing  a  window  in  memory  of  Shakespeare 
in  the  church  at  Stratford-on-Avon.  This  scheme, 
for  some  reason  or  another,  never  came  to  maturity, 
but  he  found  the  money  for  the  erection  of  the 
**  American  fountain "  at  Stratford,  with  which 
those  who  have  visited  that  interesting  town  are 
doubtless  familiar.  Sir  Henry  Irving  presided  at 
the  opening  of  it  on  October  17,  1887,  on  which 
occasion  Mr.  Phelps,  the  American  Minister,  de- 
livered a  speech.  Mr.  Childs,  however,  never  saw 
it  himself.  It  is  a  pretty  piece  of  architecture, 
adorned  with  a  clock,  and  provides  water  both  for 
man  and  beast.  But  it  would  have  been  better  had 
it  been  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  higher,  as  the  door 
under  the  arch  is  so  small  that  even  a  little  boy 
cannot  enter  it  without  stooping. 

From  the  Ledger  OfRce  we  went  to  A.J.  Drexel's 
banking  house,  and  thence  to  Mayor  Fitler's  office 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA     165 

in  Chestnut  Street,  where  the  operation  of  the  new 
City  Charter,  and  the  general  methods  of  adminis- 
tration, were  explained  to  us.  We  next  visited  In- 
dependence Hall,  where  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence was  adopted  in  1776,  and  where  we  saw 
an  interesting  old  bell.  This  bell,  originally  cast  in 
England  and  sent  to  Philadelphia,  has  running 
round  its  top  the  prophetic  inscription  :  "  Pro- 
claim liberty  throughout  the  land  unto  all  the 
inhabitants  thereof."  It  rang  out  in  joyous  peals  the 
news  of  the  signing  of  the  Declaration  of  Indepen- 
dence, and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  precious 
relics  in  America.  Some  fifty  years  before  we  saw 
it,  it  had  got  cracked,  and  is  no  longer  rung  on 
anniversaries  as  formerly.  It  hangs  from  the  roof 
of  the  corridor  in  the  hall,  where  it  cannot  be 
touched — a  wise  precaution,  relic-hunters  having 
chipped  no  end  of  chunks  off  its  rim.  It  was  in 
this  hall  that  George  Washington  delivered  his 
farewell  address  in  closing  his  term  of  service  as 
first  President,  so  it  is  altogether  a  very  interesting 
edifice.  We  finished  up  by  a  drive  round  Fair- 
mount  Park. 

We  dined  that  night  with  Mr.  Childs, who  occupied 
a  fine  mansion  adjoining  the  offices  of  his  paper, 
where  we  had  an  excellent   dinner,  followed  by 


i66     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

speeches.  We  all  had  to  say  something.  I  re- 
member making  some  fairly  felicitous  remark  about 
Mr.  Childs'  name  being  as  well  known  and  as  much 
respected  in  England  as  it  was  in  Philadelphia,  and 
the  pride  I  felt  at  being  his  guest  that  evening.  The 
Chief  complimented  me  warmly  on  these  spon- 
taneous utterances  when  he  got  back  to  the  hotel, 
saying  that  if  I  followed  him  much  longer,  I  should 
make  quite  a  distinguished  speaker.  Needless  to 
say,  this  compliment  from  so  eminent  an  orator 
pleased  me  enormously.  I  said  I  only  hoped  he 
would  give  me  the  opportunities.  There  were  quite 
a  lot  of  prominent  men  at  this  dinner,  whose  names 
are  inscribed  on  my  menu.  Wayne  MacVeagh, 
who  enjoyed  a  great  reputation  as  an  after-dinner 
speaker,  which  he  did  not  belie  on  this  occasion  ; 
Captain  Clipperton,  our  Consul  ;  J.  G.  Rosen- 
garten  ;  Dr.  William  Pepper  ;  Daniel  Dougherty  ; 
John  Russell  Young ;  Lindley  Smith ;  Judge 
Paxson ;  A.  J.  Drexel  ;  Mayor  Fitler ;  William 
V.  Mackean  ;  George  B.  Roberts  (President)  and 
Frank  Thomson  (Vice-President)  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Railway  ;  Colonel  Loudon  Snowden  ;  Joel 
Cook ;  Charles  Emory  Smith  ;  General  Horace 
Porter  ;  Colonel  A.  K.  McClure  ;  Charles  Francis 
Adams,  President  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  ; 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    167 

and  last  but  by  no  means  least,  the  eminent  inventor, 
Thomas  Alva  Edison. 

This  brought  our  festivities  at  Philadelphia  to  a 
close.  It  was  a  busy  and  interesting  city,  of  which 
we  would  gladly  have  seen  more.  There  were  about 
a  thousand  miles  of  paved  streets,  and  two  hundred 
thousand  dwelling  houses  in  it  at  that  time.  Doubt- 
less there  are  many  more  now.  Going  from  Wash- 
ington to  Philadelphia  is  rather  like  going  from 
Leamington  to  Birmingham,  so  great  is  the  contrast. 
Anyhow  we  saw  as  much  of  it  as  was  possible  during 
our  brief  stay  in  the  "  Quaker  City.'' 


CHAPTER   XI 

BACK  AGAIN   AT  NEW   YORK   AND   HOME 

We  left  Philadelphia  at  9.40  on  the  morning  of 
March  2,  in  a  special  car  kindly  placed  at  Mr. 
Chamberlain's  disposal  by  Mr.  Roberts,  President 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Road.  Mr.  Edison  accom- 
panied us,  having  business  in  New  York,  and  as 
we  sat  next  to  one  another,  I  had  a  long  and 
agreeable  conversation  with  him.  He  is  a  quiet 
and  very  reserved  man,  and  struck  me  as  much 
occupied  with  his  own  thoughts,  probably  evolving 
the  technique  of  some  new  invention  destined  to 
startle  creation.  He  has  no  great  love  for  England, 
I  gathered,  and  seldom  visits  this  country.  At  that 
time  he  resided  in  Philadelphia,  but  has  since  taken 
up  his  abode  in  New  Jersey.  Anyhow,  I  was  proud 
to  have  made  the  acquaintance  of  so  remarkable  and 
eminent  a  personage.  On  reaching  New  York  we 
went  to  our  old  quarters  at  the  Brevoort  House, 
and  lunched  there.  In  the  afternoon  we  called  on 
the  Bookers,  and  I  went  to  see  Mr.  Miller,  a  brother- 
in-law  of  George  Dyott,  an  old  schoolfellow   of 

mine.     Miller  was  a  great  racquet  player,  and  I  had 

168 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    169 

seen  something  of  him  and  partaken  of  his  hospi- 
taHty  when  we  first  landed. 

All  the  New  York  papers  of  this  day  gave  long 
telegraphic  summaries  of  the  despatches  we  had  sent 
home,  containing  the  result  of  our  labours,  which 
Lord  Salisbury  had  promptly  laid  before  Parliament, 
and  to  which  I  shall  allude  in  a  subsequent  chapter. 

In  the  evening,  at  the  invitation  of  Mr.  Erastus 
Wiman,  who  organised  the  banquet,  we  were 
sumptuously  entertained  by  the  Canadian  Club 
at  the  Brunswick  Hotel,  a  full  report  of  which 
appeared  in  the  Herald  of  the  following  day.  As 
this  was  the  first  and  only  occasion  on  which  Mr. 
Chamberlain  spoke  in  any  detail  publicly  about  the 
business  of  the  Mission  on  American  soil,  I  feel 
warranted  in  reproducing  the  report  in  extenso^  as 
it  certainly  has  an  historical  value  : 

HONOURING   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN 
ENTERTAINED   BY   THE   CANADIAN   CLUB  AT   DINNER 

The  Fisheries  Treaty  discussed  by  the  English  Com- 
missioner— Speeches  by  G.  E,  Foster,  Canadian 
Minister  of  Marine,  Erastus  Wiman,  Mayor 
Hewitt,  and  others — Secretary  Bayard  and  Sir 
Charles  Tupper  send  Regrets 

At  the  dinner  tendered  him  and  his  associates  by 
the  Canadian  Club  last  night,  Joseph  Chamberlain 


lyo     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

threw  aside  the  reserve  with  which  a  diplomatist  is 
usually  supposed  to  mask  his  opinions,  and  took 
his  hearers  entirely  into  his  confidence  concerning 
the  Fisheries  Treaty,  in  the  negotiation  of  which  he 
has  played  so  important  a  part.  His  speech  came 
as  a  surprise,  and  created  a  profound  impression. 
It  was  a  bold  and  ingenious  defence  of  the  Treaty 
against  the  attacks  upon  it  which  have  been  current 
both  here  and  in  Canada.  Mr.  Chamberlain  spoke 
with  great  force  and  earnestness,  and  concluded 
with  an  eloquent  appeal  for  judgment  on  the  Treaty 
upon  a  higher  plane  than  what  he  called  mere 
partisan  politics. 

Erastus  Wiman,  President  of  the  club,  presided 
with  his  usual  felicity.  At  his  right  were  Mr. 
Chamberlain,  Mayor  Hewitt,  and  W.  Lane  Booker, 
C.M.G.,  the  British  Consul-General  ;  on  his  left 
were  George  E.  Foster,  Canadian  Minister  of 
Marine  and  Fisheries,  and  J.  H.  G.  Bergne,  C.M.G., 
of  the  British  Foreign  Office.  There  were  also  at 
the  President's  table  Professor  J.  G.  Schurman, 
the  Rev.  Robert  CoUyer,  H.  W.  O.  Edye,  W.  Robert 
Hoare,  the  British  Consul ;  Henry  Lang,  the  Rev. 
D.  Parker  Morgan,  the  Rev.  Dr.  S.  Rainsford, 
General  Horace  Porter,  ex-Governor  D.  H.  Cham- 
berlain, E.  F.  Beddall,  Sir  Alexander  Gait,  George 
G.  Williams,  C.  N.  Jordan,  C.  J.  Cauda,  Nathaniel 
Niles,  Theodore  N.  Vail,  James  R.  Cuming,  J.  E. 
Larned,  Willoughby  May  cock,  Jonathan  A.  Lane, 
President  of  the  Boston  Merchants'  Association ; 
Jacob  Wendell,  and  W.  R.  Driver.  Among  the 
others  present  were  Dudley  Phelps,  J.  W.  Lovell, 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA     171 

Dr.  T.  Hallen,  G.  M.  Fairchild,  Colonel  Finlay 
Anderson,  George  Wilson,  secretary  of  the  New 
York  Chamber  of  Commerce  ;  Edgar  A.  Willis, 
Secretary  of  the  Toronto  Board  of  Trade ;  and  Dr. 
C.  R.  Agnew. 

Mr.  Chamberlain,  who  may  some  day,  if  he  cares 
for  the  honour,  be  Sir  Joseph,  looked  supremely 
happy.  In  lieu  of  the  accustomed  orchid,  there 
was  a  red  rose  in  his  buttonhole,  and  his  face  was 
wreathed  in  smiles.  Nearly  behind  him  was  a 
full-length  portrait  of  her  Majesty  the  Queen,  and 
perhaps  out  of  regard  for  her  august  presence  and 
that  of  the  guest  of  the  evening,  although  the 
bunting  was  numerous,  the  flag  of  Ireland  was 
conspicuous  by  its  absence.  The  Union  Jack  of 
England  and  the  Stars  and  Stripes  of  America  were 
frequently  entwined  in  loving  embrace.  In  other 
respects  the  decorations  were  profuse  and  pretty, 
thanks  to  Sir  Roderick  Cameron,  who  though 
absent,  sent  a  substantial  reminder  of  his  interest 
in  the  occasion,  in  the  shape  of  a  handsome  cheque. 
The  mandolin  orchestra  and  the  Schumann  Glee 
Club  agreeably  supplied  gaps  between  the  speeches. 
The  toasts  were  elucidated  with  apt  quotations 
from  Shakespeare.  But  perhaps  in  view  of  the 
recent  expressions  of  opinion  concerning  the 
Treaty,  the  following,  which  headed  the  menu, 
might  furnish  some  ground  for  a  bill  of  ex- 
ceptions : 

"  WE  ARE   CONTENTED   UPON   A   PLEASING   TREATY  " 


172     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

MR.  WIMAN's  felicitous   GREETING 

The  President  in  his  introductory  speech  com- 
mented on  the  significance  and  interest  of  the 
occasion,  and  proceeded  to  refer  to  the  Fisheries 
question  in  a  tone  marked  by  moderation  and  by  a 
desire  to  urge  the  promotion  of  good  feeUng  on 
both  sides.  He  spoke  in  terms  of  praise  of  the  work 
of  the  Commissioners,  and  urged  the  advantage  of  a 
poHcy  that  might  be  called  one  of  **  bear  and  for- 
bear "  between  two  such  nations  as  the  British  and 
the  American.     Said  he  : 

A  settlement  was  most  ardently  desired  :  a  good 
and  honest  and  well-equipped  body  of  men  have 
earnestly  and  laboriously  sought  the  grounds  for 
that  settlement.  By  mutual  concession,  and  by 
mutually  yielding  important  points,  this  ground  has 
been  discovered,  and  the  result  is  in  the  main  about 
as  much  as  could  be  achieved  under  all  circum- 
stances. At  any  rate,  it  is  significant  testimony  on 
behalf  of  the  Treaty  that  the  extremists  on  both 
sides  are  disappointed,  and  bitterly  assail  each 
other  for  the  advantages  gained.  (Applause.)  On 
the  middle  ground  between  these  two  extremes 
seems  the  only  tenable  position  of  safety,  and  on 
that  ground  the  Commission  and  the  Treaty  stand. 
Certainly  the  great  mass  of  the  public  are  eager  for  a 
settlement,  and  if  the  Treaty  is  not  confirmed,  it  will 
not  be  because  there  is  not  an  overwhelming  majority 
on  both  sides  of  the  line  who  would  like  to  see  it 
made  effective,  and  the  whole  question  dead  and 
buried  and  for  ever  out  of  sight.     (Applause.) 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA     173 


CHEERS  FOR  THE  GUEST  OF  THE  EVENING 

After  Mr.  Wiman's  speech  followed  the  toast  of 
"  The  President  of  the  United  States,"  which  was 
responded  to  by  three  hearty  cheers  and  the  **  Star- 
spangled  Banner,"  sung  by  the  Glee  Club.  Then 
the  health  of  the  Queen  was  drunk.  The  cheers 
were  heartier  even  than  those  that  greeted  the 
health  of  the  President,  and  when  **  God  save  the 
Queen  "  was  sung,  it  turned  out  that  nearly  every- 
body was  acquainted  with  the  song.  Then  came 
Mr.  Chamberlain's  speech.  It  might  perhaps  be 
regarded  as  significant  that  the  quotation  which 
followed  his  toast  was  from  Love's  Labour's  Lost. 
He  was  received  with  uproarious  applause,  and  was 
frequently  cheered. 

Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  :  On  behalf  of  my 
English  colleagues  and  of  myself,  I  thank  you 
sincerely  for  the  cordiality  of  your  reception.  It  is 
a  great  pleasure  to  me,  at  the  termination  of  my 
Mission  to  America,  to  be  permitted  to  enjoy  the 
hospitality  of  the  Canadian  Club,  which  was  tendered 
me  almost  upon  my  arrival.  In  the  interval  which 
has  elapsed,  I  have  seen  and  heard  and  learnt  a  great 
deal  which  has  been  of  the  deepest  interest  to  me  ; 
and  which  cannot  fail,  I  think,  to  be  profitable  to  me 
in  the  future. 

I  am  glad  to  say  that  the  greater  knowledge  I 
have  acquired  of  this  country  has  only  confirmed 
and  strengthened  the  favourable  and  kindly  feeling 


174     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

with  which  I  have  always  regarded  the  affairs  and 
the  people  of  America.  (Applause.)  It  would 
have  been  very  strange  had  it  been  otherwise,  for 
during  my  stay  here  I  have  received  from  everybody 
with  whom  I  have  been  brought  into  contact,  per- 
sonal kindness  and  encouraging  hospitality  and 
generous  consideration,  which  have  left  behind  a 
sentiment  of  overwhelming  gratitude  and  good  will. 
(Applause.) 

Mr.  President,  in  your  opening  remarks  you  have 
alluded  to  the  Mission  which  brought  me  to  this 
country.  You  are  aware  of  the  object  which  I  had 
in  view,  and,  as  you  have  said,  this  gathering  is 
specially  interested  in  it.  I  don't  suppose  that 
either  in  Canada  or  in  the  United  States  of  America 
there  is  any  person  so  bitter  or  so  absurd  as  to  dis- 
pute the  importance  of  good  relations  between 
Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  of  America, 
and  especially  between  the  United  States  of  America 
and  the  Dominion  of  Canada.  (Cries  of  Hear,  hear, 
and  applause.) 

For  thousands  of  miles  an  invisible  frontier  line 
separates  the  domains  of  the  greatest  of  England's 
colonies  from  the  vast  territories  of  the  United 
States,  and  in  spite  of  everything  that  political 
science  or  political  ignorance  (laughter)  can  do  to 
erect  barriers  between  nations,  this  social  and  com- 
mercial intercourse  between  the  two  countries  is 
great  and  is  continually  extending.  The  railway 
systems  are  so  interlocked  that  any  disturbance  of 
existing  relations  would  constitute  something  ap- 
proaching disaster,  and  might  imperil  hundreds  of 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    175 

millions  of  capital  that  is  now  invested  in  those  great 
enterprises.  And  yet,  gentlemen,  some  time  ago, 
and  possibly  even  now,  there  are  men  who  would 
contemplate  without  anxiety  such  a  disturbance  as 
that  which  I  have  suggested,  and  who  look  forward 
with  a  light  heart  to  a  commercial  war,  the  result  of 
which  no  man  can  foresee.  And  this  is  by  no  means 
the  worst  thing  that  might  happen  if  a  satisfactory 
and  friendly  agreement  is  now  admitted  to  be  im- 
possible. 

RIGHTS   UNDER  THE  EXISTING  TREATIES 

You  referred,  Mr.  President,  to  the  occurrences  of 
a  year  or  two  ago  in  1887,  and  still  later  in  1886. 
The  Canadian  Government,  with  the  full  support  of 
the  Government  of  Great  Britain,  acting  as  it  be- 
lieved in  the  exercise  of  its  undoubted  treaty  rights, 
found  itself  constrained  to  interfere  with  numbers  of 
American  fishing  vessels  pursuing  their  operations 
in  Canadian  waters.  This  interference,  whether  it 
was  justified  by  law  or  not,  naturally  and  inevitably 
provoked  great  indignation  and  ill-feeling  in  this 
country,  and  it  is  not  too  much  to  say,  that  for  some 
time  peaceful  relations  between  the  two  greatest, 
freest  nations  in  the  world — or  if  not  the  peaceful 
relations,  at  all  events  the  friendly  intercourse  be- 
tween them — was  at  the  mercy  of  the  officials  of 
either  of  them,  acting  at  great  distances  from  the 
central  authorities,  and  who  might  be  hot-headed, 
or  indiscreet,  or  unreasonable  in  the  exercise  of 
extremely  delicate  functions. 

Well,  I  remember  when  I  first  came  to  New  York 


176     WITH    MR,    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

I  was  told  by  a  very  distinguished  American  poli- 
tician that  I  should  find  one  of  the  great  difficulties 
in  the  way  consisted  in  this  :  that  the  fishery  ques- 
tion was,  as  you  have  said,  sir,  so  paltry  a  matter — 
that  is  in  comparison  with  the  great  American 
interests  with  which  this  country  has  to  deal  ;  that 
it  was  a  question  which  politicians  would  think  it 
safe  to  play  with.  Believe  me,  gentlemen,  there 
can  be  no  greater  mistake  than  that.  (Loud 
applause.)  The  question  which  arouses  national 
sentiment  is  not  a  question  to  be  trifled  with.  The 
worst  wars  which  have  disgraced  humanity  have 
proceeded  from  trifling  causes.  Nations  are  very 
often  more  apt  to  resent  petty  affronts  and  in- 
juries than  they  are  a  serious  invasion  of  national 
rights. 

And,  gentlemen,  this  was  the  state  of  things  with 
which  the  plenipotentiaries  of  the  two  countries  had 
to  deal,  when  three  months  ago  they  met  for  the  first 
time  at  Washington,  and  this  is  the  state  of  things 
to  which  there  are  people  in  both  countries  who 
apparently  desire  to  return.  If  we  had  treated  our 
responsibility  as  lightly  as  some  of  those  who 
criticise  the  result  of  our  labours,  we  should  have 
long  ago  relinquished  our  task  in  despair. 

CONTENDING  VIEWS   AND   CONFLICTING   INTERESTS 

You  will  readily  believe  that  it  was  not  an  easy 
task  for  us  to  reconcile  contending  views  and  con- 
flicting interests.  Both  sides  believed  that  they 
were  absolutely  and  entirely  right.     Both  sides  in 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    177 

controversies  always  do.  (Laughter.)  Neither 
side,  probably,  fully  appreciated  the  strength  of  the 
arguments  that  might  be  brought  forward  by  the 
other.  It  was  only  the  anxious  desire  of  all  of  us 
to  cement  and  confirm  the  friendly  relations  be- 
tween Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  that 
encouraged  us  to  pursue  our  labours. 

The  result  of  those  labours  is  now  before  you.  It 
is  submitted  not  to  the  impassioned  prejudices  of 
partisans,  but  to  the  calm  and  sober  judgment  and 
the  common-sense  and  reason,  and  above  all  to  the 
friendly  feelings  of  the  peoples  of  both  countries. 
(Loud  applause.)  I  have  seen  this  Treaty  de- 
nounced as  a  surrender.  It  is  rather  an  interesting 
fact  that  on  the  same  day  I  received  a  copy  of  an 
important  newspaper  published  in  Canada  which 
denounced  our  Agreement  as  an  abject  betrayal  of  all 
the  rights  of  Canada,  and  at  the  same  time  I  read 
an  article  in  an  influential  organ  published  in  New 
York,  which  declared  that  the  humiliation  of  the 
United  States  was  now  complete  (laughter),  that 
there  had  been  a  cowardly  betrayal — a  cowardly 
abandonment — of  all  the  claims  and  contentions  of 
this  country. 

It  may  appear  to  you  at  first  sight  that  these  views 
are  conflicting  and  inconsistent.  (Laughter.)  But, 
gentlemen,  that  would  be  a  hasty  judgment. 
(Laughter.)  They  are  absolutely  consistent  in  this, 
that  they  are  the  views  of  the  organs  of  the  oppo- 
sitions to  the  respective  Governments  which  are 
answerable  for  the  Treaty.  (Loud  laughter  and 
much  cheering.) 

M 


178     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

NO  SURRENDER  ON  EITHER  SIDE 

Now  I  will  venture,  with  some  knowledge  of  the 
subject,  to  say  to  you  that  there  has  been  no  sur- 
render at  all  on  either  side  of  anything  which 
national  honour  and  national  interests  demanded 
that  we  should  maintain  (cheers),  and  I  will  say 
that  in  this  Treaty  both  sides  have  substantially 
gained  what  they  contended  for,  and  that  the  only 
concessions  that  have  been  made  are  the  concessions 
which  honourable  men  would  gladly  tender  if  they 
are  endeavouring  to  settle  a  difference  between 
friends,  and  are  not  endeavouring  to  gain  an  unfair 
advantage  over  opponents.     (Cheers.) 

Now,  if  you  will  bear  with  me,  I  should  like  to 
take  this  opportunity  of  saying  a  few  words  as  to  the 
principal  provisions  of  this  alleged  capitulation 
(cheers),  and  at  the  outset  I  want  to  call  your 
attention  to  this  very  important  fact.  I  have  alluded 
to  the  irritation  which  was  caused  by  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  Canadian  Government  in  1886  and  1887. 
We  have  gone  to  the  roots  of  that  irritation.  We 
have  removed  its  causes  ;  and  I  can  tell  you  that  if 
this  Treaty  had  been  in  operation  in  the  beginning 
of  1886,  of  all  these  cases  of  interference  with  Ameri- 
can fishing  vessels,  there  would  not  have  been  six — 
I  do  not  believe  there  would  have  been  two. 
(Cheers.)  Now  that  is  at  least  an  important  fact 
to  bear  in  mind  when  you  are  told,  as  you  have  been 
told,  that  we  have  settled  nothing,  and  that  Canada 
has  conceded  nothing  in  order  to  secure  friendly  re- 
lations with  the  United  States  of  America.    (Cheers.) 


UNITED    STATES   AND   CANADA    179 

CONCESSIONS  MADE  BY  CANADA 

On  the  contrary,  I  say  that  in  this  matter  Canada 
has  conceded  everything  that  the  claims  of  humanity, 
the  claims  of  international  courtesy,  or  the  comity 
of  nations  can  possibly  demand,  and  at  the  same 
time  Canada  has  maintained,  as  she  was  bound  to 
maintain,  the  vital  and  essential  interests  of  her 
citizens.  (Cheers.)  I  do  not  believe  that  there  is 
any  international  jurist  of  the  slightest  reputation 
who  would  deny  that  Canada  had  the  legal  right  to 
refuse  the  great  majority  of  the  concessions  that 
have  been  made  in  this  Treaty. 

At  the  present  moment  the  relations  between  the 
two  countries  with  regard  to  fishery  operations  are 
regulated  by  the  Convention  of  1 8 1 8 .  That  we  have 
gone  back  to  a  Treaty  that  was  made  seventy  years 
ago  is  not  the  fault  of  Canada.  It  is  not  the  fault 
of  Britain.  It  is  the  act  of  the  United  States  of 
America,  the  Government  of  which  country  de- 
nounced successively  the  substitutes  for  the  Con- 
vention of  1 8 18,  which  have  been  arranged  in  the 
shape  of  the  Treaty  of  1854,  and  the  second  Treaty 
of  1 87 1.  By  the  action  of  the  United  States  of 
America,  the  condition  of  affairs  was  relegated  back 
to  the  Treaty  of  181 8. 

The  Treaty  of  18 18  declares  in  express  terms 
that  the  fishing  vessels  of  the  United  States  shall 
have  access  to  the  harbours  of  Canada  for  four  pur- 
poses, viz.,  for  wood,  for  water,  for  shelter  or  for 
repairs,  and  for  no  other  purpose  whatever.  It  is 
impossible  that  language  could  be  plainer,  and  yet 


i8o     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

at  the  present  moment  you  will  find  the  opponents 
of  the  present  Treaty  declare  altogether  for  the 
Treaty  for  which  it  is  a  substitute.  They  try  to 
construe  the  words  of  the  Convention  of  1818,  "  for 
no  other  purpose  whatever,"  as  if  they  were  for 
every  other  purpose  whatever.  (Laughter  and 
cheers.) 

GOOD   POLICY   ON  THE  PART  OF   CANADA 

But,  gentlemen,  although,  as  I  have  said,  the  legal 
rights  of  Canada  in  this  matter  were  unassailable,  I 
have  never  concealed  my  opinion,  and  I  state  it  here 
to-night,  that  it  was  only  good  policy  on  the  part 
of  Canada,  it  was  only  what  good  neighbourhood 
demanded  of  Canada,  that  she  should  not  interpret 
those  legal  rights  in  their  strictest  way  ;  but  that 
she  should  concede  to  a  friendly  nation  all  the  con- 
veniences and  privileges  that  she  could  possibly 
afford  without  serious  injury  to  her  own  subjects. 
(Cheers.)  Canada  declines  and  always  has  declined 
to  allow  her  ports  and  harbours,  which  Providence 
has  placed  in  close  proximity  to  the  great  fisheries 
of  the  Banks,  Canada  declines  to  allow  these  ports 
and  harbours  to  be  made  the  base  of  operations  for 
competitors,  who  rigidly  exclude  her  from  their 
markets .     (Cheers .) 

These  facilities  are  offered  freely  in  return  for  an 
equivalent.  As  long  as  the  equivalent  is  denied, 
Canada  feels  justified  in  declining  to  accord  those 
facilities,  which  are  essential  to  the  conduct  of  the 
fishery  operations  :  everything,  as  I  have  said,  which 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    i8i 

the  comity  of  nations  or  the  courtesy  of  nations  or 
the  convenience  of  the  fishermen  can  require  has 
been  and  will  be  freely  accorded  by  the  Canadian 
Government  under  the  Treaty  which  we  have  just 
made.     (Cheers.) 

ANOTHER  MATTER  SETTLED 

Well,  we  have  settled  another  matter,  which  has 
been  one  of  constant  controversy  since  this  Con- 
vention of  1818.  We  have  delimited  the  exclusive 
fishery  waters  of  Canada.  You  are  aware  that  it 
has  been  the  contention  of  the  Dominion,  supported 
by  high  legal  authority,  that  under  that  Treaty  the 
fishermen  of  the  United  States  were  debarred  from 
approaching  within  three  miles  of  any  of  the  bays  or 
harbours  of  Canada.  On  the  other  hand,  the  United 
States  have  contended  that  they  were  entitled  to  fish 
anywhere  three  miles  from  shore,  whether  in  bays 
or  outside  of  them. 

We  have  settled  that  difficulty  with  what  may  be 
called  a  compromise  ;  but  at  any  rate,  by  an  arrange- 
ment which  is  in  accordance  with  the  latest  inter- 
national laws,  in  agreement  with  the  principles  of 
the  North  Sea  Convention,  the  latest  instrument  of 
the  kind  in  European  diplomacy,  and  we  have  settled 
it  in  a  way  which  I  believe  will  be  satisfactory  to 
every  reasonable  and  fair-minded  man.  I  have 
seen  it  objected  that  we  have  not  included 
land-locked  bays,  that  the  Bay  de  Chaleur  and 
the  Bay  de  Miramichi  have  been  excluded.  Of 
course    they    are    excluded,    because    these    bays 


i82     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

come  under  the  exclusive  territorial  jurisdiction 
of  Canada. 

I  should  like  to  ask  any  American  who  may  be 
present  here  to-night  to  apply  the  three-mile  limit 
or  the  ten-mile  limit  to  the  shores  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  without  taking  care  to  exclude 
such  bays  as  Delaware  Bay  and  Chesapeake  Bay, 
or  other  similar  estuaries  of  the  coasts  of  the  United 
States  (cheers),  and  I  only  ask  of  Americans  that 
they  should  seek  to  be  content  to  do  to  Canada  as 
they  would  that  Canada  or  some  greater  power 
would  do  to  them.     (Cheers.) 

I  will  not  dwell,  although  I  attach  great  impor- 
tance to  them,  I  will  not  dwell  upon  those  pro- 
visions in  the  Treaty,  which  provide  for  a  prompt 
and  economical  jurisdiction  in  the  case  of  fishery 
offences,  which  limit  the  penalties  to  be  inflicted, 
and  which  specify  the  special  cases  to  which  for- 
feiture may  still  be  exacted  ;  but  you  will  see  that 
they  are  declared  by  the  same  spirit  which  has 
governed  the  provisions  of  the  rest  of  the  Treaty. 
They  are  all  consistent  with  a  spirit  and  with  an 
intention  of  amity  and  good  fellowship,  and  they 
have  been  inserted  in  order  to  remove  as  far  as 
possible  for  the  future  causes  of  irritation  and  of 
hardship.     (Cheers.) 

THINGS   DENIED  TO  FISHERMEN 

Under  the  Treaty  as  it  stands  there  are  only 
three  things  denied  to  the  fishermen  of  the  United 
States  in  Canadian  waters.    In  the  first  place,  they 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    183 

are  not  allowed  to  fish  in  the  territorial  waters  of 
Canada ;  and  they  have  told  us  again  and  again  by 
the  mouths  of  their  leading  representatives  that 
this  privilege  has  no  longer  any  value  for  them  ; 
that  they  repudiate  any  desire  to  acquire  it ;  that 
they  believe  it  is  worth  nothing,  and  that  certainly 
they  are  unwilling  to  pay  anything  for  it.  We  took 
them  at  their  word.  (Laughter  and  cheers.)  They 
will  not  have  the  privilege,  and  they  will  not  be  re- 
quired to  pay  for  it.  (Cheers  and  laughter.)  The 
other  two  privileges  from  which  they  are  utterly 
excluded  are  the  privilege  of  obtaining  supplies 
essentially  intended  for  the  prosecution  of  the  fishery 
industry  ;  the  shipping  of  crews  and  the  trans- 
shipment of  their  catch. 

Now,  gentlemen,  is  it  fair  that  these  privileges, 
which  are  part  of  the  geographical  advantages  of 
Canada,  should  be  conferred  upon  American  fisher- 
men without  any  equivalent  of  any  kind  ?  Is  it 
reasonable  that  two  great  countries  should  be  kept 
in  hot  water  because  these  gentlemen  decline  to  pay 
anything  for  privileges  from  which  they  are  ex- 
pressly excluded  under  a  solemn  Treaty  which  they 
have  obtained  on  previous  occasions  by  very  large 
concessions  on  their  part ;  which  at  the  present 
time  they  declare  to  be  worth  nothing  to  them- 
selves or  to  anybody  else  ?  But  even  these  things 
they  can  have  at  any  moment.  They  can  have 
them,  in  the  first  place,  at  any  time  when  the  Legis- 
lature of  the  United  States  may  see  fit  to  give  to 
the  consumers  of  the  United  States  a  cheaper  and 
a  more   abundant   supply   of   fish   (laughter   and 


i84     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

applause),  and  even  if  the  Legislature  of  the  United 
States  in  its  wisdom  should  deem  that  to  be  un- 
desirable, the  fishermen  can  still  have  these  privi- 
leges for  a  limited  period  of  two  years  under  what  is 
known  as  the  modus  vivendi,  on  payment  of  a  mode- 
rate licence  fee.  I  have  seen  it  stated  by  people  who 
apparently  are  unacquainted  with  the  circumstances 
of  the  fishers,  that  this  proposal  would  involve  the 
payment  of  S300  or  $400  by  each  fisherman,  and 
would  be  absolutely  ruinous  to  them.  Well,  the 
average  sfze  of  American  fishing  boats  engaged  in 
this  trade  is  less  than  100  tons,  therefore  the  annual 
fee  would  be  less  than  3^30,  or  about  $150. 

NOT  A  MONSTROUS  PROPOSAL 

But  when  it  is  said  that  this  is  a  monstrous  pro- 
posal, that  this  alone  ought  to  ensure  the  rejection 
of  the  Treaty — ^with  which  it  is  in  no  way  con- 
nected— I  would  venture  to  point  out  to  you  that  it  is 
a  proposal  freely  and  voluntarily  offered  by  Canada 
as  a  great  and  additional  concession,  as  a  proof  of 
friendship  and  goodwill,  which  Canada  will  only  be 
too  happy  to  withdraw  if  it  is  not  accepted  in  the 
same  spirit.  (Cheers.)  There  is  nothing  in  this 
proposal  which  is  compulsory.  If  the  fishermen 
think  that  the  advantages  offered  are  not  worth  the 
price  which  is  demanded,  and  which  we  think  to  be 
altogether  insignificant,  if  they  think  so,  they  are  not 
bound  to  avail  themselves  of  it ;  and  as  far  as  they 
are  concerned  the  proposal  may  be  a  dead  letter. 
(Cheers.) 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA     185 

I  can  quite  understand  that  many  people  in 
Canada  may  think  that  the  plenipotentiaries  have 
gone  too  far — that  they  have  gone  out  of  their  way 
in  making  this  offer  ;  but  our  feeling  was  that  there 
were  difficulties  attending  the  immediate  ratification 
of  this  international  document,  both  in  this  country 
and  in  Canada,  and  that  in  the  meantime  fishing 
operations  were  about  to  begin,  and  we  were  bound 
to  do  all  in  our  power  to  tide  over  the  interval  and 
avoid  the  irritation  which  would  otherwise  be  caused 
by  the  persistent  refusal  of  these  privileges.  But, 
as  I  have  said,  if  the  offer  is  misunderstood  or 
undervalued  by  those  for  whose  benefit  it  was  in- 
tended, nothing  will  be  easier  than  to  secure  its 
absolute  and  its  unconditional  withdrawal.  (Ap- 
plause.) 

ANXIOUS  TO   BE  UNDERSTOOD 

Now,  gentlemen,  I  hope  I  have  not  wearied  you 
(cries  of  "  No,  no  ")  by  dealing  in  some  detail  with 
the  separate  provisions  of  this  Treaty  ;  but  I  have 
been  anxious  before  I  left  your  shores  to  do  anything 
which  lay  in  my  power  to  remove  some  of  the  mis- 
apprehensions which  seem  to  me  to  prevail  in 
respect  of  it.  We,  the  plenipotentiaries  on  both 
sides, ,  animated  by  an  intense  feeling  of  anxiety  as 
to  future  possibilities,  if  an  agreement  were  not 
arrived  at,  animated  also  by  a  strong  desire  to  draw 
closer  the  ties  between  the  two  great  nations  of 
Britain  and  America,  have  prepared  and  submitted 
this  agreement.    The  responsibility  now  rests  upon 


i86     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

other  shoulders.  It  rests  in  the  first  place,  no 
doubt,  upon  the  people  of  the  United  States,  a 
country  where  public  opinion  is  all-powerful.  It 
rests  upon  the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  upon 
that  great  legislative  and  executive  body,  which  in 
the  past  history  of  the  country  has  played  so  dis- 
tinguished a  role.  And  for  my  part  I  cannot 
bring  myself  to  doubt  that  they  will  rise  to  the 
height  of  this  great  occasion  ;  that  they  will  not 
suffer  party  lines  or  party  interest  to  influence 
them  in  a  matter  of  international  interest ;  that 
they  will  do  all  in  their  power  to  aid  our  efforts  in 
promoting  a  concord  upon  which  the  peace  and 
the  civilisation  of  the  world  may  depend.  (Loud 
applause.) 

I  trust  that  they  will  remember  the  words  of 
General  Grant,  written  by  him  when  he  was  almost 
on  his  deathbed,  and  which  may  be  considered, 
therefore,  as  his  last  legacy  to  the  American  people. 
In  the  closing  chapter  of  his  Memoirs^  he  says  : 
**  England  and  the  United  States  of  America  are 
natural  allies  (applause),  and  ought  always  to  be  the 
best  of  friends."     (Loud  applause.) 

That  great  warrior,  who  had  fought  more  battles 
and  won  more  victories  than  any  man  in  history,  did 
not  look  upon  war  with  the  complacency  with  which 
it  is  regarded  by  irresponsible  politicians  and 
editors  of  newspapers,  and  he  thought  he  saw  the 
best  guarantee  of  peace  in  the  friendship  which  he 
regarded  it  as  his  duty  to  promote.  That  friend- 
ship, believe  me,  is  important  to  the  interests  of  both 
our  nations.     It  is  dictated  by  our  common  origin  ; 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    187 

by  the  ties  of  blood  and  all  history  ;   by  our  tradi- 
tions and  by  all  that  connects  us. 


BLOOD  THICKER  THAN  WATER 

What  says  the  American  poet  ? 

"  Thicker  than  water  in  one  rill 

Through  centuries  of  story, 
Our  Saxon  blood  has  flowed,  and  still 
We  share  with  you  its  good  and  ill, 

Its  shadow  and  its  glory !  " 

Gentlemen,  I  believe  that  there  is  no  higher 
ambition  for  a  statesman  in  either  country  than  to 
have  contributed  in  the  slightest  degree  to  draw 
closer  and  tighter  the  bonds  of  amity  that  should 
always  unite  all  the  branches  of  the  English-speaking 
people.  (Tremendous  cheering  and  waving  of 
handkerchiefs,  followed  by  a  call  of  "  Three  cheers 
for  Chamberlain,"  which  was  responded  to  with 
renewed  and  unabated  enthusiasm.) 

AN  official's  unofficial  REMARKS  ON  FISHERIES 

"  Our  Canadian  Guests  "  was  the  next  toast  on  the 
list,  and  coupled  with  it  was  the  name  of  George 
E.  Foster,  the  Canadian  Minister  of  Marine  and 
Fisheries,  whom  the  Chairman  introduced  with 
such  kindly  reference  as  to  draw  forth  round  after 
round  of  applause.  After  disclaiming  that  he  spoke 
as  official  representative  of  the  Canadian  Govern- 
ment, and  expressing  regret  at  the  absence  of  Sir 
Charles  Tupper  and  the  Minister  of  Justice,  and 


i88     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

also  paying  a  tribute  to  the  love  which  Canadians 
who  dwell  in  this  country  continue  to  cherish  for, 
their  native  land,  he  said  in  part  : 

Is  it  because  eighty  or  one  hundred  years  ago 
there  was  a  little  difference  between  your  ancestors 
and  our  ancestors  in  which  you  succeeded — happily 
for  the  general  civilisation  and  progress  of  the  world 
— that  any  of  the  ill-feeling  evolved  during  that 
struggle  should  still  continue  ?  As  the  bitterness 
engendered  by  your  own  great  war  of  twenty-five 
years  ago  has  died  out,  why  should  not  the  bitterness 
engendered  by  a  struggle  which  took  place  three- 
quarters  of  a  century  earlier  die  out  likewise  ? 
(Applause.)  From  1840  until  to-day  there  has 
never  been  a  year  during  which  the  Canadian 
Government  has  not  shown  a  disposition  to  meet 
the  people  of  the  United  States  more  than  half  way, 
so  far  as  commercial  relations  or  fishery  relations 
were  concerned.  (Applause.)  We  have  always 
been  anxious  for  reciprocal  trade  with  the  United 
States.    (Applause.) 

SECRETARY   BAYARD's   LETTER 

After  Mr.  Foster  had  concluded,  the  following 
letter  from  Secretary  Bayard  was  then  read  by  Mr. 
Wiman  : 

Department  of  State, 

Washington,  D.C, 

March  I,  1888. 

Erastus  Wiman,  Esq. 

My  dear  Sir, — I  did  not  receive  until  Monday 
last  the  card  of  invitation  to  the  banquet  to  be  given 


UNITED  STATES   AND    CANADA    189 

to  Mr.  Chamberlain  and  his  associates  in  the 
negotiation  of  the  Fishery  Treaty  by  the  Canadian 
Club,  in  New  York,  to-morrow  night.  With  it 
came  your  most  kind  and  courteous  personal  letter, 
and  I  am  truly  sorry  that  my  duties  here  compel  me 
to  be  absent  on  so  enjoyable  an  occasion. 

The  work  in  which  your  most  distinguished 
guests  have  been  here  engaged  is  surely  one  of  high 
honour  and  usefulness,  well  deserving  grateful  re- 
cognition at  the  hands  of  all  who  have  at  their  heart 
the  happiness  and  welfare  of  Canada  and  the  United 
States.  I  hope  the  Treaty  now  pending  for  ratifica- 
tion may  be  thoroughly  comprehended  on  both 
sides  of  the  border  and  be  tried  upon  its  honest 
merits.  As  its  arrangements  come  to  be  under- 
stood, the  more  it  will  be  approved  by  all  fair- 
minded  and  reasonable  men  as  an  honourable, 
practical,  and  just  settlement  of  a  controversy  that 
for  generations  has  baffled  adjustment  and  threatened 
the  friendly  status  of  two  neighbouring  States,  who 
have  no  just  cause  to  be  other  than  steady  friends. 
The  Treaty  has  been  framed  in  a  spirit  of  just  and 
mutual  conciliation  and  advantage,  and  I  earnestly 
hope  that  the  blindness  of  partisanship  or  the 
influence  of  local  selfishness  or  ignorance  may  not 
be  suffered  to  deprive  the  two  countries  of  its  great 
benefits.  Its  defeat  would  be  a  great  public  calamity, 
which  I  hope  patriotism  may  avert. 

Will  you  make  expression  of  my  regret  in  not 
being  able  to  join  you  in  paying  respect  to  your 
distinguished  guests,  and  believe  me  most  truly 
yours,  Thomas  F.  Bayard. 


I90     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

KIND  WORDS  FOR  OLD   ENGLAND 

The  next  toast  on  the  Hst  was  **  England  and 
America,"  but  as  W.  C.  P.  Breckinridge  of  Ken- 
tucky, who  had  been  designated  to  speak  to  it,  was 
absent,  the  toast  was  passed  over,  and  Professor 
J.  G.  Schurman  of  Cornell  University  replied  to 
"  The  United  States  and  Canada."  The  Professor 
is  a  native  of  Canada,  and  ridiculed  the  idea  of 
annexation. 

The  Rev.  Robert  Collyer  next  spoke  to  the  toast 
of  "  The  Mother  Land,"  and  said  that  although  the 
Republic  of  America  was  deep  in  his  heart,  he  must 
confess  that  his  love  for  Old  England  was  deeper 
still.  He  never  knew  how  much  he  loved  her  until 
somebody  said  tart  and  unfair  things  of  her.  He 
wound  up  as  follows  :  **  I  always  say  that  I  am  an 
American  and  an  Englishman.  I  don't  know  that 
I  think,  or  have  thought,  so  much  about  Canada. 
(Laughter.)  But  to-night  I  find  that  I  begin  to  think 
more  of  Canada  than  I  ever  did." 

MAYOR  HEWITT  APPROVES   THE  TREATY 

"  Manhattan  Island — the  Gateway  of  the  Western 
World,"  was  the  toast  assigned  to  Mayor  Hewitt. 
The  Mayor  said  : 

"  Canada  is  a  great  country,  but  when  you  re- 
member that  its  whole  population  is  less  than  that 
of  the  State  of  New  York,  what  produces  a  com- 
motion there  hardly  makes  a  ripple  in  this  country. 
(Laughter.)  " 


UNITED    STATES   AND   CANADA    191 

At  the  conclusion  of  this  banquet  we  drove  down 
to  the  docks,  and  retired  to  rest  on  the  Cunarder 
Umbria,  commanded  by  that  genial  and  expert 
navigator  Captain  W.  McMickan,  one  of  the  most 
popular  officers  of  the  fleet  in  those  days,  especially 
with  his  lady  passengers.  As  we  were  the  only 
persons  on  board,  it  was  rather  like  retiring  to  a 
mausoleum,  but  there  was  bustle  enough  the  next 
morning  when  we  faced  the  Atlantic  once  more, 
homeward  bound.  The  saloon  was  a  perfect  flower- 
show  of  magnificent  roses  and  choice  exotics  brought 
or  sent  by  friends  of  the  travellers  as  parting 
souvenirs.  Among  the  passengers  were  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Bradley  Martin  and  their  family,  and  Mrs. 
Winslow  and  her  two  pretty  daughters,  now  pro- 
minent Christian  Scientists. 

We  had  a  better  passage  home  than  on  the  out- 
ward journey,  a  strong  westerly  wind  being  behind 
us  nearly  all  the  way.  So  in  lieu  of  **  pitch  "  we 
had  any  amount  of  "  roll,"  perhaps  a  lesser  evil  of 
the  two,  but  nevertheless  the  reverse  of  conducive 
to  sleep  at  night.  I  spent  much  of  my  time  with 
the  Bradley  Martins,  who  had  a  sumptuous  suite 
of  cabins  to  themselves. 

On  the  night  of  March  4,  Mr.  Chamberlain  and 
I  retired  after  dinner  for  a  quiet  smoke  in  the 


192     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

captain's   cabin.      He  then  informed  me  he  was 
going  to  confide  to  me  an  important  secret  which 
he  knew  he  could  rely  on  being  in  safe  keeping.     I 
told  him  he  need  have  no  apprehension  on  that 
score.     He  then  unlocked  his  despatch  box,  and 
showing  me  a  very  large  and  pretty  photograph  of 
Miss  Endicott,  announced  his  engagement  to  that 
lady,  but  the  marriage  was  not  to  take  place  till 
after  the  Presidential   election  in  the  autumn.     I 
was,   of   course,   not   wholly   unprepared   for   this 
announcement,  but  it  was  the  first  authentic  in- 
telligence I  had  so  far  received,  and  I  congratu- 
lated him  heartily.     Beyond   his  own  family  and 
that  of  his  future  bride,  and  possibly  the  Presi- 
dent,  I    don't  think   a  single   soul  knew   of   the 
engagement  till  the  autumn  of  that  year,  and  I  felt 
flattered  at  my  Chief  taking  me  into  his  confidence. 
Of  course,  the  unauthorised  paragraphs  that  had 
appeared   in  the  press,  to  which   I   have  already 
alluded,  led  to  every  one  being  bombarded  with 
inquiries,  to  all  of  which  we  replied  that  we  knew 
nothing.     Mrs.  Henry  Edwardes,  who  always  was, 
and  still  is,  a  devoted  friend  of  Mrs.  Chamberlain, 
and  very  much  in  her  confidence  at  this  period,  did 
not  escape.    A  certain  reverend  gentleman  who  was 
acting  as  cicerone  to  a  young  English  nobleman 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    193 

travelling  in  the  States  and  Canada,  wrote  and  asked 
her  if  she  could  confirm  or  deny  the  rumour.  Mrs. 
Edwardes,  who  is  the  embodiment  of  diplomacy 
and  discretion,  naturally  and  very  properly  replied 
that  she  knew  nothing  about  it.  When  months 
later  the  engagement  was  given  out  and  became 
public  property,  this  same  divine  thought  fit  to 
write  her  a  homily  on  the  enormities  of  duplicity, 
and  the  condign  punishments  in  store  hereafter  for 
those  who  depart  from  the  truth.  Of  course  the 
disquisition  of  this  psalm-singing  humbug  was 
treated  with  the  contempt  it  deserved. 

For  the  benefit  of  such  of  my  readers  as  may  not 
be  versed  in  transatlantic  politics,  it  may  be  well 
to  explain  why  it  was  desirable  to  keep  Mr.  Cham- 
berlain's engagement  a  secret  till  later  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  1888.  Miss  Endicott  was  the 
daughter  of  a  Cabinet  Minister  in  Mr.  Cleveland's 
administration.  Mr.  Chamberlain  was  the  strongest 
opponent  in  this  country  to  Home  Rule,  though 
always  in  favour  of  a  liberal  measure  of  local  self- 
government  for  Ireland.  The  one  predominating 
thought  in  America  among  politicians  as  a  presi- 
dential election  approaches  is  which  way  the  Irish 
vote  will  be  cast.     On  that  largely  depends  the  result. 

So  in  America,  just  as  in  this  country,  the  Irish  vote 

N 


194     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

is  a  factor  to  be  seriously  reckoned  with.  It  will 
therefore  be  readily  understood  that  there  were  good 
grounds  for  apprehension  that  if  it  became  known 
that  the  daughter  of  a  Democratic  War  Minister  was 
the  affianced  bride  of  a  British  statesman  avowedly 
opposed  to  Home  Rule,  the  Irish  vote,  on  those 
grounds  alone,  might  go  solid  for  the  Republican 
candidate.  So  there  was  every  reason  to  keep  the 
engagement  a  profound  secret,  and  it  was  so  kept 
religiously  by  all  who  knew  it  till  the  following 
November. 

It  was  during  one  of  our  quiet  chats  in  mid- 
Atlantic  that  Mr.  Chamberlain  sounded  me  as  to 
what  form  of  recognition  Bergne  and  I  would  like 
for  our  services  when  we  got  home.  He  wanted 
nothing  for  himself,  and  was  quite  ready  to  approach 
Lorli  Salisbury  for  anything  that  would  be  most 
gratifying  to  us,  and  he  had  every  reason  for  feeling 
confident  that  his  Lordship  would  readily  acquiesce 
in  any  recommendation  he  thought  fit  to  make.  I 
knew  very  well  that  Bergne's  ambition  was  to  have 
a  "  K."  in  front  of  the  "  C.M.G.  "  he  already  en- 
joyed, and  told  Mr.  Chamberlain  so.  As  to  myself, 
I  had  to  choose  between  a  piece  of  ribbon,  such  as 
a  C.B.,  or  a  pecuniary  honorarium.  I  couldn't 
reasonably  expect  both.     My  finances  were  not  very 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    195 

flourishing  just  then,  and  my  ambition  was  to  take 
and  furnish  a  house,  having  enjoyed  the  discomfort 
of  **  furnished  apartments "  for  many  years  of 
married  life.  So  I  simply  said  that,  all  things  con- 
sidered, I  would  appreciate  a  grant  from  the  Ex- 
chequer more  than  anything  else.  That  is  the  sum 
total  of  all  I  had  to  do  with  the  matter.  I  was  given 
a  gratuity  of  a  very  munificent  character,  far  more 
perhaps  than  I  deserved.  Some  of  my  colleagues 
taunted  me  with  being  a  "  jobber  !  "  and  one — a  very 
dear  friend  too — ^went  so  far  as  to  say  he  would  not 
have  taken  it  had  he  been  in  my  shoes,  which  I  don't 
for  a  moment  believe.  People  don't  as  a  rule  refuse 
money  when  it  is  offered  to  them,  least  of  all  im- 
pecunious Government  officials.  Anyway,  that  is 
my  experience.  When  *'  My  Lords  of  the  Trea- 
sury," not  without  a  groan,  finally  sanctioned  the 
gratuity  Mr.  Chamberlain  had  proposed  for  me, 
I  wrote  and  told  him,  at  the  same  time  expressing 
my  cordial  thanks.  This  is  what  he  wrote  me  in 
reply : 

40  Princes  Gardens,  S.W., 
June  12,  1888. 

My  dear  Maycock, — I  am  very  glad  to  hear 
that  my  application  on  your  behalf  will  be  complied 
with,  and  am  happy  to  have  been  instrumental  in 
securing  a  recognition  of  services  which  I  know 


^ 


196     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

were  as  willingly  rendered  as  they  were  valuable. 
Believe  me,  yours  very  truly, 

J.  Chamberlain. 

Some  time  after  I  reached  home  I  happened  to 
be  dining  with  an  opulent  uncle,  a  very  dear  old 
fellow  and  a  very  gallant  soldier,  now  long  since 
called  to  his  rest.  I  told  him  that  I  had  had  the 
choice  of  honours  or  money  for  my  reward,  and  had 
elected  the  latter. 

"  Why  didn't  you  take  the  honours,"  he  said, 
"  and  come  to  me  if  you  wanted  money  ?  "  I  fear  my 
answer  was  rather  brutal,  but  I  am  nothing  if  not 
outspoken.  I  merely  remarked  that  as  all  he  had 
ever  given  me  since  my  childhood  was  a  cheap 
match-box,  which  I  still  highly  prized,  I  had  no 
particular  reason  for  thinking  that  an  attempt  to 
touch  him  for  a  "  monkey  "  would  be  favourably 
entertained.  After  that  we  passed  the  beans,  and 
changed  the  topic  of  conversation. 

We  had  a  grand  concert  on  the  night  of  March  7 
on  board  the  Umbria,  and  collected  £34  odd  for  the 
Liverpool  and  New  York  Seamen's  Orphanage. 
Mr.  Chamberlain  presided,  and,  being  in  his  happiest 
vein,  made  a  most  excellent  chairman.  I  append 
a  copy  of  the  programme  : 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    197 


PART   I 
Pianoforte  Solo:  Fantasie 

Song  :  "  'Tis  I " 

Song  :  "  A  Bird  in  Hand  "  .  . 
Song  :  "  The  Girl  from  Sligo  "  . 
Recitation  :  "  Burglar  Bill  "  . 
Pianoforte  Solo  :  "  Simplette  " 
Song  :  "  The  Palms  "... 
Recitation  :  "  Jim  Bloodso  "  . 
Song  :  "  Bid  me  Good-bye  "  . 
Song  and  Chorus  :  "  Three  Sailor  Boys 

Mr. 


.     .     .         Miss  Mali 

Mr.  Deny  A.  Lowitz 

Mr.  J.  T.  H.  Beasley 

.  R.  Brightman,  A.B. 

Mr.  W.  Maycock 

.     .  Miss  Dupee 

Mr.  Adolph  Kern 

Mr.  E.  p.  Rathbone 

Miss  Nelly  Robinson 

Beasley  and  Chorus 


PART   II 

Pianoforte  Solo  :  ''  Largo  " Miss  Dupee 

Song  :  "  In  den  Augen  liegt  das  Herz  "    .     Mr.  Adolph  Kern 

Song  :  "  Dear  Heart  " Mr.  Theo  Stewart 

Song  (banjo) :  "  A  Girl  with  an  Appetite  "      Mr.  W.  Maycock 

Song  :  "  Golden  Love  " Mrs.  Mackinnon 

Song  :  "  Auntie  " Mr.  Deny  A.  Lowitz 

Song  and  Chorus  :  "  The  Midshipmite  " 

Mr.  E.  p.  Rathbone  and  Chorus 
Comic  Song  :  '*  I'm  a  dude  " Mr.  A.  Hertz 

National  Anthems 


I  scored  a  big  hit  with  the  **  jo  ''  in  the  second 
part,  having  no  fewer  than  five  genuine  encores. 
Altogether  it  was  a  very  festive  evening.  Mr. 
Chamberlain  was  a  warm  devotee  of  the  banjo,  and 
enjoined  me  to  be  sure  and  bring  it  with  me  when 
I  came  to  Highbury.  We  reached  Queenstown 
safely  about  midnight  on  March  9  and  found  a  shoal 


198        WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN 

of  correspondence,  and  arrived  at  the  Liverpool  bar 
about  four  the  following  afternoon.  Mr.  William- 
son came  out  with  a  tender  and  took  us  ashore.  A 
very  enthusiastic  crowd  gave  Mr.  Chamberlain  a 
warm  welcome  on  the  landing  stage.  His  son, 
Austen,  came  to  meet  him  with  the  Mayor  and 
Mr.  Jesse  Collings.  Bergne  and  I  followed  and 
saw  them  off  at  Lime  Street  in  a  "  special  "  for 
Birmingham.  We  both  felt  quite  grieved  at  saying 
**  good-bye  "  to  our  esteemed  Chief,  with  whom  we 
had  had  such  a  pleasant  association  and  worked  in 
absolute  harmony  for  so  many  months. 


CHAPTER   XII 

WHAT  THE  MISSION  ACCOMPLISHED 

There  is  a  novel,  which  achieved  some  notoriety, 
entitled  Six  Chapters  of  a  Man's  Life.  My  aim  in 
compiUng  this  work  is  to  give  a  succinct  account  of 
*'  One  Chapter  "  of  a  man's  Hfe,  and  by  no  means 
an  unimportant  chapter  either;  for  not  only  did 
Mr.  Chamberlain  meet  with  a  lady  of  incomparable 
worth,  who  subsequently  became  his  devoted  wife, 
but  he  practically  found  a  peaceful  solution  of  an  in- 
tricate and  complicated  problem  that  at  one  moment 
had  reached  a  point  which  threatened  to  imperil  the 
friendly  relations  now  happily  subsisting  between 
this  country  and  the  United  States.  It  is  only 
right,  therefore,  to  explain  in  some  detail  precisely 
what  the  mission  accomplished,  otherwise  the 
record  would  be  incomplete.  I  am  not  divulging 
any  official  secrets  in  saying  that  at  one  moment 
the  negotiations  practically  came  to  a  deadlock.  In 
his  speech  at  Birmingham  on  March  20,  Mr. 
Chamberlain  himself  said  :    "  Although  there  were 

times  when  our  task  appeared  to  be  almost  hopeless, 

199 


200     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

yet  at  last  we  succeeded.''     It  was  after  our  return 
from  Canada  to  Washington  that  the  impasse  re- 
ferred   to    was    reached.     Mr.    Chamberlain    had 
come  to  an  understanding  with  Mr.  Bayard  before 
we  started  from  Washington  in  December,  that  if 
the   Dominion   Government   would   make   certain 
concessions,  the  Americans  would  on  their  part 
make  certain  corresponding  concessions,  and  thus 
a  settlement  would  be  reached.     There  is  no  need 
to  specify  in  detail  what  those  mutual  concessions 
were.     Suffice  it  to  say  that  on  the  faith  of  these 
assurances  we  went  to  Canada,  and,  as  a  result  of 
more  than  one  protracted  interview  with  Sir  John 
Macdonald,  in  which  Sir  Charles  Tupper  also  took 
part,  the  Dominion  Government  eventually,  though 
not  without  reluctance,  agreed  to  the  concessions 
they  were  asked  to  make.     Having  achieved  our 
object,  we  returned  to  Washington  in  the  full  belief 
that  the  Americans  would  fulfil  their  part  of  the 
bargain.     But  to  our  dismay  we  found  them  indis- 
posed to  do  so.     Mr.   Bayard  said  he  had  only 
spoken  for  himself,  and  had  not  pledged  his  col- 
leagues.   What  had  happened  during  our  absence 
in  the  Dominion  is  purely  a  matter  of  conjecture. 
Possibly  some   Senatorial    intervention   may  have 
influenced  the  President  and  his  advisers.     Be  that 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    201 

as  it  may,  the  attitude  of  the  American  plenipoten- 
tiaries had  undergone  a  marked  change,  and  the 
prospect  of  accompHshing  anything  looked  as  black 
as  the  countenances  of  the  negroes  in  the  hotel.  It 
was  at  this  crisis,  early  in  January,  that  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain and  I  took  a  walk  one  morning  towards  the 
Washington  Memorial.  He  then  told  me  of  his 
intention  to  make  an  announcement  in  the  Plenary 
Conference  that  afternoon,  that  further  parley  being 
apparently  useless,  he  had  resolved  to  break  off  the 
negotiations  and  return  home.  I  suggested  as  an 
alternative  that  we  might  utilise  Sir  Lionel  West : 
**  Get  him  to  go  and  see  Mr.  Bayard  at  once,  with  the 
gloomiest  countenance  he  can  assume.  Let  him 
tell  Mr.  Bayard  that  your  patience  is  exhausted,  and 
that  you  have  concluded  to  go  home  if  they  cannot 
see  their  way  to  granting  the  concessions  we  had 
every  reason  to  expect  would  be  accorded.  That 
will  give  them  time  to  think  it  over  anyhow." 

Well,  Mr.  Chamberlain  thought  this  a  good  idea, 
and  adopted  it.  West  went  and  saw  Bayard,  with  the 
result  that  when  the  Conference  met  that  afternoon, 
a  change  had  come  o'er  the  spirit  of  the  dream. 
A  strong  disposition  was  evinced  by  the  other 
side  to  be  more  conciliatory ;  by  the  next  meeting 
we   had   got   all  we  wanted ;    and  thenceforward 


202     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

all   went   as   merrily   as   the    proverbial   marriage 
bells. 

On  February  15,  the  plenipotentiaries  signed  a 
Treaty  and  a  Protocol  which  latter  constituted  a 
modus  vivendi.  The  Treaty  required  the  approval 
of  the  American  Senate  and  the  Legislatures  of 
Canada  and  Newfoundland.  The  Protocol,  being 
a  purely  administrative  arrangement,  required  no 
further  formality  to  bring  it  into  operation,  and  its 
practical  effect  was  to  remove  all  of  the  pre-existing 
difficulties,  which  was  eminently  satisfactory.  I 
append  the  text  of  these  two  instruments. 


Treaty  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States 
for  the  Settlement  of  the  Fishery  Question  on  the 
Atlantic  Coast  of  North  America.    Signed  at 
Washington^  February  15,  1888. 

Whereas  differences  have  arisen  concerning  the 
interpretation  of  Article  I  of  the  Convention  of  the 
20th  October,  1818  ;  Her  Majesty  the  Queen  of  the 
United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  and 
the  United  States  of  America,  being  mutually  de- 
sirous of  removing  all  causes  of  misunderstanding 
in  relation  thereto,  and  of  promoting  friendly  inter- 
course and  good  neighbourhood  between  the 
United  States  and  the  possessions  of  Her  Majesty 
in  North  America,  have  resolved  to  conclude  a 


UNITED    STATES   AND   CANADA    203 

Treaty  to  that  end,  and  have  named  as  their  Pleni- 
potentiaries, that  is  to  say  : 

Her  Majesty  the  Queen  of  the  United  Kingdom 
of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  the  Right  Honourable 
Joseph  Chamberlain,  M.P.  ;  the  Honourable  Sir 
Lionel  Sackville  Sackville  West,  K.C.M.G.,  Her 
Britannic  Majesty's  Envoy  Extraordinary  and 
Minister  Plenipotentiary  to  the  United  States  of 
America  ;  and  Sir  Charles  Tupper,  G.C.M.G.,  C.B., 
Minister  of  Finance  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada  : 

And  the  President  of  the  United  States,  Thomas 
F.  Bayard,  Secretary  of  State  ;  William  L.  Putnam, 
of  Maine  ;  and  James  B.  Angell,  of  Michigan  : 

Who,  having  communicated  to  each  other  their 
respective  full  powers,  found  in  good  and  due  form, 
have  agreed  upon  the  following  articles  : 

Article   I 

The  High  Contracting  Parties  agree  to  appoint 
a  Mixed  Commission  to  delimit,  in  the  manner 
provided  in  this  Treaty,  the  British  waters,  bays, 
creeks  and  harbours  of  the  coasts  of  Canada  and  of 
Newfoundland,  as  to  which  the  United  States,  by 
Article  I  of  the  Convention  of  the  20th  October, 
1 8 18,  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States, 
renounced  for  ever  any  liberty  to  take,  dry,  or  cure 
fish. 

Article   II 

The  Commission  shall  consist  of  two  Commis- 
sioners to  be  named  by  Her  Britannic  Majesty,  and 


204     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

of  two  Commissioners  to  be  named  by  the  President 
of  the  United  States,  without  delay,  after  the  ex- 
change of  ratifications  of  this  Treaty. 

The  Commission  shall  meet  and  complete  the 
delimitation  as  soon  as  possible  thereafter. 

In  case  of  the  death,  absence,  or  incapacity  of  any 
Commissioner,  or  in  the  event  of  any  Commissioner 
omitting  or  ceasing  to  act  as  such,  the  President  of 
the  United  States  or  Her  Britannic  Majesty,  respec- 
tively, shall  forthwith  name  another  person  to  act 
as  Commissioner  instead  of  the  Commissioner 
originally  named. 

Article   III 

The  delimitation  referred  to  in  Article  I  of  this 
Treaty  shall  be  marked  upon  British  Admiralty 
charts  by  a  series  of  lines  regularly  numbered  and 
duly  described.  The  charts  so  marked  shall,  on 
the  termination  of  the  work  of  the  Commission,  be 
signed  by  the  Commissioners  in  quadruplicate, 
three  copies  whereof  shall  be  delivered  to  Her 
Majesty's  Government,  and  one  copy  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  State  of  the  United  States.  The  delimitation 
shall  be  made  in  the  following  manner,  and  shall  be 
accepted  by  both  the  High  Contracting  Parties  as 
applicable  for  all  purposes  under  Article  I  of  the 
Convention  of  the  20th  October,  1818,  between 
Great  Britain  and  the  United  States. 

The  3  marine  miles  mentioned  in  Article  I  of  the 
Convention  of  the  20th  October,  18 18,  shall  be 
measured  seaward  from  low  water  mark  ;  but  at 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    205 

every  bay,  creek,  or  harbour,  not  otherwise  speci- 
ally provided  for  in  this  Treaty,  such  3  marine 
miles  shall  be  measured  seaward  from  a  straight 
line  drawn  across  the  bay,  creek,  or  harbour,  in 
the  part  nearest  the  entrance  at  the  first  point 
where  the  width  does  not  exceed  10  marine  miles. 

Article   IV 

At  or  near  the  following  bays  the  limits  of  ex- 
clusion under  Article  I  of  the  Convention  of  the 
20th  October,  1818,  at  points  more  than  3  marine 
miles  from  low  water  mark,  shall  be  established  by 
the  following  lines,  namely  : 

At  the  Bale  des  Chaleurs  the  line  from  the  light 
at  Birch  Point  on  Miscou  Island  to  Macquereau 
Point  light ;  at  the  Bay  of  Miramichi,  the  line 
from  the  light  at  Point  Escuminac  to  the  light  on 
the  eastern  point  of  Tabisintac  Gully  ;  at  Egmont 
Bay,  in  Prince  Edward  Island,  the  line  from  the 
light  at  Cape  Egmont  to  the  light  at  West  Point ; 
and  off  St.  Ann's  Bay,  in  the  Province  of  Nova 
Scotia,  the  line  from  Cape  Smoke  to  the  light  at 
Point  Aconi. 

At  Fortune  Bay,  in  Newfoundland,  the  line  from 
Connaigre  Head  to  the  light  on  the  south-easterly 
end  of  Brunet  Island,  thence  to  Fortune  Head  ;  at 
Sir  Charles  Hamilton  Sound,  the  line  from  the 
south-east  point  of  Cape  Fogo  to  White  Island, 
thence  to  the  north  end  of  Peckford  Island,  and 
from  the  south  end  of  Peckford  Island  to  the  east 
headland  of  Ragged  Harbour. 


2o6     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

At  or  near  the  following  bays  the  limits  of  ex- 
clusion shall  be  3  marine  miles  seaward  from  the 
following  lines,  namely  : 

At  or  near  Barrington  Bay,  in  Nova  Scotia,  the 
line  from  the  light  on  Stoddard  Island  to  the  light 
on  the  south  point  of  Cape  Sable,  thence  to  the 
light  at  Baccaro  Point ;  at  Chedabucto  and  St. 
Peter's  Bays,  the  line  from  Cranberry  Island  light 
to  Green  Island  light,  thence  to  Point  Rouge  ;  at 
Mira  Bay,  the  line  from  the  light  on  the  east  point 
of  Scatari  Island  to  the  north-easterly  point  of  Cape 
Morien  ;  and  at  Placentia  Bay,  in  Newfoundland, 
the  line  from  Latine  Point,  on  the  eastern  mainland 
shore,  to  the  most  southerly  point  of  Red  Island, 
thence  by  the  most  southerly  point  of  Merasheen 
Island  to  the  mainland. 

Long  Island  and  Bryer  Island,  at  St.  Mary's  Bay, 
in  Nova  Scotia,  shall,  for  the  purpose  of  delimita- 
tion, be  taken  as  the  coasts  of  such  bay. 

Article  V 

Nothing  in  this  Treaty  shall  be  construed  to 
include  within  the  common  waters  any  such  interior 
portions  of  any  bays,  creeks,  or  harbours  as  cannot 
be  reached  from  the  sea  without  passing  within  the 
3  marine  miles  mentioned  in  Article  I  of  the  Con- 
vention of  20th  October,  18 18. 

Article  VI 

The  Commissioners  shall  from  time  to  time  report 
to  each  of  the  High  Contracting  Parties  such  lines 


UNITED   STATES   AND   CANADA    207 

as  they  may  have  agreed  upon,  numbered,  described, 
and  marked  as  herein  provided,  with  quadrupUcate 
charts  thereof ;  which  Hues  so  reported  shall  forth- 
with from  time  to  time  be  simultaneously  pro- 
claimed by  the  High  Contracting  Parties,  and  be 
binding  after  two  months  from  such  proclamation. 

Article  VII 

Any  disagreement  of  the  Commissioners  shall 
forthwith  be  referred  to  an  umpire  selected  by  Her 
Britannic  Majesty's  Minister  at  Washington  and  the 
Secretary  of  State  of  the  United  States  ;  and  his 
decision  shall  be  final. 

Article   VIII 

Each  of  the  High  Contracting  Parties  shall  pay 
its  own  Commissioners  and  officers.  All  other 
expenses  jointly  incurred,  in  connection  with  the 
performance  of  the  work,  including  compensation 
to  the  umpire,  shall  be  paid  by  the  High  Contracting 
Parties  in  equal  moieties. 

Article   IX 

Nothing  in  this  Treaty  shall  interrupt  or  affect 
the  free  navigation  of  the  Strait  of  Canso  by  fishing 
vessels  of  the  United  States. 

Article  X 

United  States  fishing  vessels  entering  the  bays 
or  harbours  referred  to  in  Article  I  of  this  Treaty 


2o8     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

shall  conform  to  harbour  regulations  common  to 
them  and  to  fishing  vessels  of  Canada  or  of  New- 
foundland. 

They  need  not  report,  enter,  or  clear,  when 
putting  into  such  bays  or  harbours  for  shelter  or 
repairing  damages,  nor  when  putting  into  the  same, 
outside  the  limits  of  established  ports  of  entry,  for 
the  purpose  of  purchasing  wood  or  of  obtaining 
water  ;  except  that  any  such  vessel  remaining  more 
than  twenty-four  hours,  exclusive  of  Sundays  and 
legal  holidays,  within  any  such  port,  or  communi- 
cating with  the  shore  therein,  may  be  required  to 
report,  enter,  or  clear  ;  and  no  vessel  shall  be 
excused  hereby  from  giving  due  information  to 
boarding  officers. 

They  shall  not  be  liable  in  such  bays  or  harbours 
for  compulsory  pilotage  ;  nor,  when  therein  for  the 
purpose  of  shelter,  of  repairing  damages,  of  pur- 
chasing wood,  or  of  obtaining  water,  shall  they  be 
liable  for  harbour  dues,  tonnage  dues,  buoy  dues, 
light  dues,  or  other  similar  dues  ;  but  this  enumera- 
tion shall  not  permit  other  charges  inconsistent  with 
the  enjoyment  of  the  liberties  reserved  or  secured 
by  the  Convention  of  20th  October,  18 18. 

Article  XI 

United  States  fishing  vessels  entering  the  ports, 
bays,  and  harbours  of  the  eastern  and  north-eastern 
coasts  of  Canada  or  of  the  coasts  of  Newfoundland 
under  stress  of  weather  or  other  casualty  may  un- 
load, reload,  tranship,  or  sell,  subject  to  customs 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    209 

laws  and  regulations,  all  fish  on  board,  when  such 
unloading,  transhipment,  or  sale  is  made  necessary 
as  incidental  to  repairs,  and  may  replenish  outfits, 
provisions  and  supplies  damaged  or  lost  by  disaster  ; 
and  in  case  of  death  or  sickness  shall  be  allowed  all 
needful  facilities,  including  the  shipping  of  crews. 

Licences  to  purchase  in  established  ports  of  entry 
of  the  aforesaid  coasts  of  Canada  or  of  Newfound- 
land, for  the  homeward  voyage,  such  provisions  and 
supplies  as  are  ordinarily  sold  to  trading  vessels, 
shall  be  granted  to  United  States  fishing  vessels  in 
such  ports,  promptly  upon  application  and  without 
charge  ;  and  such  vessels  having  obtained  licences 
in  the  manner  aforesaid,  shall  also  be  accorded  upon 
all  occasions  such  facilities  for  the  purchase  of  casual 
or  needful  provisions  and  supplies  as  are  ordinarily 
granted  to  trading  vessels  ;  but  such  provisions  or 
supplies  shall  not  be  obtained  by  barter,  nor  pur- 
chased for  resale  or  traffic. 

Article   XII 

Fishing  vessels  of  Canada  and  Newfoundland 
shall  have  on  the  Atlantic  coasts  of  the  United  States 
all  the  privileges  reserved  and  secured  by  this  Treaty 
to  United  States  fishing  vessels  in  the  aforesaid 
waters  of  Canada  and  Newfoundland. 

Article   XIII 

The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  of  the  United 
States  shall  make  regulations  providing  for  the  con- 

o 


2IO     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

spicuous  exhibition  by  every  United  States  fishing 
vessel. of  its  official  number  on  each  bow  ;  and  any 
such  vessel,  required  by  law  to  have  an  official 
number,  and  failing  to  comply  with  such  regulations, 
shall  not  be  entitled  to  the  licences  provided  for  in 
this  Treaty. 

Such  regulations  shall  be  communicated  to  Her 
Majesty's  Government  previously  to  their  taking 
effect. 

Article   XIV 

The  penalties  for  unlawfully  fishing  in  the  waters, 
bays,  creeks,  and  harbours,  referred  to  in  Article  I 
of  this  Treaty,  may  extend  to  forfeiture  of  the  boat 
or  vessel  and  appurtenances,  and  also  of  the  supplies 
and  cargo  aboard  when  the  offence  was  committed  ; 
and  for  preparing  in  such  waters  to  unlawfully  fish 
therein,  penalties  shall  be  fixed  by  the  Court  not  to 
exceed  those  for  unlawfully  fishing  ;  and  for  any 
other  violation  of  the  laws  of  Great  Britain,  Canada, 
or  Newfoundland  relating  to  the  right  of  fishery  in 
such  waters,  bays,  creeks,  or  harbours,  penalties 
shall  be  fixed  by  the  Court,  not  exceeding  in  all  three 
dollars  for  every  ton  of  the  boat  or  vessel  concerned. 
The  boat  or  vessel  may  be  holden  for  such  penalties 
and  forfeitures. 

The  proceedings  shall  be  summary  and  as  inex- 
pensive as  practicable.  The  trial  (except  on  appeal) 
shall  be  at  the  place  of  detention,  unless  the  judge 
shall,  on  request  of  the  defence,  order  it  to  be  held 
at  some  other  place  adjudged  by  him  more  con- 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    211 

venient.  Security  for  costs  shall  not  be  required  of 
the  defence,  except  when  bail  is  offered.  Reason- 
able bail  shall  be  accepted.  There  shall  be  proper 
appeals  available  to  the  defence  only,  and  the  evi- 
dence at  the  trial  may  be  used  on  appeal. 

Judgments  of  forfeiture  shall  be  reviewed  by 
the  Governor- General  of  Canada  in  Council,  or  the 
Governor  in  Council  of  Newfoundland,  before  the 
same  are  executed. 

Article   XV 

Whenever  the  United  States  shall  remove  the 
duty  from  fish  oil,  whale  oil,  seal  oil,  and  fish  of  all 
kinds  (except  fish  preserved  in  oil),  being  the  pro- 
duce of  fisheries  carried  on  by  the  fishermen  of 
Canada  and  of  Newfoundland,  including  Labrador, 
as  well  as  from  the  usual  and  necessary  casks,  barrels, 
kegs,  cans,  and  other  usual  and  necessary  coverings 
containing  the  products  above  mentioned,  the  like 
products,  being  the  produce  of  fisheries  carried  on 
by  the  fishermen  of  the  United  States,  as  well  as  the 
usual  and  necessary  coverings  of  the  same,  as  above 
described,  shall  be  admitted  free  of  duty  into  the 
Dominion  of  Canada  and  Newfoundland. 

And  upon  such  removal  of  duties,  and  while  the 
aforesaid  articles  are  allowed  to  be  brought  into 
the  United  States  by  British  subjects,  without  duty 
being  reimposed  thereon,  the  privilege  of  entering 
the  ports,  bays,  and  harbours  of  the  aforesaid 
coasts  of  Canada  and  of  Newfoundland  shall  be 
accorded  to  United  States  fishing  vessels  by  annual 


212     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

licences,  free  of  charge,  for  the  following  purposes, 
namely :  ^ 

I.  The  purchase  of  provisions,  bait,  ice,  seines, 
lines,  and  all  other  supplies  and  outfits ; 

•2.  Transhipment  of  catch,  for  transport  by  any 
means  of  conveyance  ; 

3.  Shipping  of  crews. 

Supplies  shall  not  be  obtained  by  barter,  but  bait 
may  be  so  obtained. 

The  like  privileges  shall  be  continued  or  given  to 
fishing  vessels  of  Canada  and  of  Newfoundland  on 
the  Atlantic  coasts  of  the  United  States. 

Article  XVI 

This  Treaty  shall  be  ratified  by  Her  Britannic 
Majesty,  having  received  the  assent  of  the  Parlia- 
ment of  Canada  and  of  the  Legislature  of  New- 
foundland ;  and  by  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the 
Senate  ;  and  the  ratifications  shall  be  exchanged 
at  Washington  as  soon  as  possible. 

In  faith  whereof,  we,  the  respective  Plenipoten- 
tiaries, have  signed  this  Treaty,  and  have  hereunto 
affixed  our  seals. 

Done  in  duplicate,  at  Washington,  this  15th  day 
of  February,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1888. 


Protocol^  dated  February  15,  1888. 

The   Treaty   having    been    signed,   the    British 
Plenipotentiaries  desire  to  state  that  they  have  been 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    213 

considering  the  position  which  will  be  created  by 
the  immediate  commencement  of  the  fishing  season 
before  the  Treaty  can  possibly  be  ratified  by  the 
Senate  of  the  United  States,  by  the  Parliament  of 
Canada,  and  the  Legislature  of  Newfoundland. 

In  the  absence  of  such  ratification  the  old  con- 
ditions' which  have  given  rise  to  so  much  friction 
and  irritation  might  be  revived,  and  might  interfere 
with  the  unprejudiced  consideration  of  the  Treaty 
by  the  legislative  bodies  concerned. 

Under  these  circumstances,  and  with  the  further 
object  of  affording  evidence  of  their  anxious  desire 
to  promote  good  feeling  and  to  remove  all  possible 
subjects  of  controversy,  the  British  Plenipoten- 
tiaries are  ready  to  make  the  following  temporary 
arrangement  for  a  period  not  exceeding  two  years, 
in  order  to  afford  a  modus  vivendi  pending  the  ratifi- 
cation of  the  Treaty  : 

1 .  For  a  period  not  exceeding  two  years  from  the  v 
present  date,  the  privilege  of  entering  the  bays  and  ^ 
harbours  of  the  Atlantic  coasts  of  Canada  and  of 
Newfoundland  shall  be  granted  to  United  States 
fishing  vessels  by  annual  licences  at  a  fee  of  i| 
dollars  per  ton — ^for  the  following  purposes  : 

The  purchase  of  bait,  ice,  seines,  lines,  and  all 
other  supplies  and  outfits. 

Transhipment  of  catch  and  shipping  of  crews. 

2.  If,  during  the  continuance  of  this  arrange- 
ment, the  United  States  should  remove  the  duties 
on  fish,  fish  oil,  whale  and  seal  oil  (and  their  cover- 
ings, packages,  &c.),  the  said  licences  shall  be  issued 
free  of  charge. 


214     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

3.  United  States  fishing  vessels  entering  the  bays 
and  harbours  of  the  Atlantic  coasts  of  Canada 
or  of  Newfoundland  for  any  of  the  four  purposes 
mentioned  in  Article  I  of  the  Convention  of  the  20th 
October,  1818,  and  not  remaining  therein  more 
than  twenty-four  hours,  shall  not  be  required  to 
enter  or  clear  at  the  custom-house,  providing  that 
they  do  not  communicate  with  the  shore. 

4.  Forfeiture  to  be  exacted  only  for  the  offences 
of  fishing  or  preparing  to  fish  in  territorial  waters. 

5.  This  arrangement  to  take  effect  as  soon  as 
the  necessary  measures  can  be  completed  by  the 
Colonial  authorities. 

(Signed)  J.  Chamberlain. 

L.  S.  Sackville  West. 
Charles  Tupper. 

Washington,  February  15,  1888. 


Protocol,  dated  February  15,  1888. 

The  American  Plenipotentiaries  having  received 
the  communication  of  the  British  Plenipotentiaries 
of  this  date  conveying  their  plan  for  the  administra- 
tion to  be  observed  by  the  Governments  of  Canada 
and  Newfoundland  in  respect  of  the  fisheries  during 
the  period  which  may  be  requisite  for  the  considera- 
tion by  the  Senate  of  the  Treaty  this  day  signed,  and 
the  enactment  of  the  legislation  by  the  respective 
Governments  therein  proposed,  desire  to  express 
their  satisfaction  with  this  manifestation  of  an  in- 
tention on  the  part  of  the  British  Plenipotentiaries, 


UNITED    STATES   AND   CANADA    215 

by  the  means  referred  to,  to  maintain  the  relations 
of  good  neighbourhood  between  the  British  pos- 
sessions in  North  America  and  the  United  States  ; 
and  they  will  convey  the  communication  of  the 
British  Plenipotentiaries  to  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  with  a  recommendation  that  the  same 
may  be  by  him  made  known  to  the  Senate,  for 
its  information,  together  with  the  Treaty,  when  the 
latter  is  submitted  to  that  body  for  ratification. 

(Signed)  T.  F.  Bayard. 

William  L.  Putnam. 
James  B.  Angell. 

Washington,  February  15,  1888. 


Animadverting  on  the  salient  features  of  these 
two  instruments,  Mr.  Chamberlain  addressed  a 
long  despatch  to  Lord  Salisbury,  from  which  the 
following  is  an  extract  : 

**  In  the  course  of  the  discussion,  it  became 
evident  that  there  existed  a  substantial  agreement 
on  the  main  facts  of  the  case,  and  that  while  on  the 
one  hand  the  United  States  were  ready  to  recognise 
the  right  of  Canada  to  guard  the  interests  of  her 
fishermen  in  competition  with  those  of  the  United 
States,  and  to  withhold  any  special  advantages  con- 
ferred by  the  proximity  of  her  ports  and  harbours 
to  the  common  fishery  grounds,  and  not  expressly 
secured    to    the    United    States    by    Treaty,    the 


2i6     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

Canadian  Government,  on  the  other  hand,  were 
ready  to  afford  all  possible  convenience  and  assist- 
ance which  the  claims  of  humanity  or  the  courtesy 
of  nations  would  justify,  provided  that  these  con- 
cessions were  not  abused  or  construed  into  the 
surrender  of  privileges  essential,  or,  at  the  least, 
important,  to  the  successful  prosecution  of  the 
fishing  industry. 

**  The  Treaty  now  submitted  gives  expression  to 
these  views.  It  provides  for  the  full  concession  of 
all  commercial  facilities  to  fishing  vessels  of  the 
United  States,  whenever  and  so  long  as  the  pro- 
ducts of  Canadian  fisheries  are  admitted  free  into 
the  United  States. 

"  In  the  absence  of  such  an  arrangement,  the 
Treaty  establishes  the  future  position  of  the  re- 
spective parties  and  defines  their  rights.  It  pro- 
vides for  the  delimitation  of  the  exclusive  fishing 
waters  of  the  British  Colonies,  substantially  on  the 
basis  of  the  North  Sea  Fishery  Convention.  It 
establishes  a  prompt  and  economical  procedure  for 
dealing  with  breaches  of  the  Treaty  or  of  any  laws 
and  regulations  affecting  the  fisheries  ;  and  while 
expressly  excluding  American  fishermen  from  ob- 
taining fishing  supplies,  it  pledges  the  Govern- 
ments of  Canada  and  Newfoundland  to  afford  to 
them  every  assistance  and  convenience  that  can  be 
fairly  asked  for  on  grounds  of  humanity  or  inter- 
national courtesy. 

'*  It  also  enlarges  the  conditions  under  which 
American  fishermen  have  hitherto  enjoyed  the 
rights  secured  to  them  by  the  Convention  of  1818. 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    217 

**  Your  Lordship  will  observe  that  the  Plenipo- 
tentiaries have  exchanged  Protocols  on  the  subject 
of  a  modus  vivendi  for  a  period  of  two  years,  in 
order  to  allow  ample  time  for  the  consideration 
by  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  and  by  the 
Legislatures  of  Canada  and  Newfoundland  of  the 
principal  instrument. 

**  By  this  arrangement,  United  States  fishermen 
will  enjoy  temporarily  the  advantages  and  com- 
mercial facilities  contemplated  by  the  Treaty  in 
consideration  of  a  licence  issued  at  a  moderate 
fee  by  the  Governments  of  Canada  and  Newfound- 
land. 

"  It  may  be  hoped  that  in  this  way  all  possibility 
of  the  recurrence  of  the  irritating  incidents  which 
marked  the  fishery  season  of  1886,  and  in  a  less 
degree  that  of  1887,  may  be  obviated.  I  venture  to 
hope  that  these  arrangements  will  be  approved  by 
Her  Majesty's  Government,  and  that  they  may 
assist  in  confirming  and  extending  the  friendly  and 
cordial  relations  between  the  United  States  and 
Great  Britain. 

**  I  have  great  pleasure  in  saying  that  the  relations 
between  the  British  Plenipotentiaries  have  been  of 
the  most  cordial  and  harmonious  character  through- 
out the  whole  of  this  protracted  discussion.  The 
desire  felt  by  Sir  Lionel  West  and  myself  to  remove 
all  just  cause  of  irritation  has  been  fully  shared  by 
Sir  Charles  Tupper,  whose  intimate  knowledge  of 
the  subject  of  controversy  has  materially  contributed 
to  the  successful  issue  of  the  negotiations.  I  have 
also  to  acknowledge    the  great  advantage  I  have 


2i8     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

derived  from  the  tact  and  large  experience  of  Sir 
Lionel  West. 

**  Mr.  Winter,  Attorney-General  of  Newfoundland, 
was  in  Washington  during  the  greater  part  of  the 
proceedings,  and  was  able  to  keep  the  British  Pleni- 
potentiaries fully  informed  of  the  views  of  his 
Government.  At  the  request  of  the  British  Pleni- 
potentiaries, Mr.  Winter  was  invited  to  lay  before 
the  Conference  the  special  case  of  Newfoundland, 
and  presented  a  Memorandum  dealing  with  the 
subject,  which  has  already  been  forwarded  to  your 
Lordship." 

Mr.  Chamberlain  concluded  this  despatch  with 
a  warm  eulogium  of  the  services  which  Bergne  and 
I  had  rendered,  and  his  appreciation  of  the  great 
assistance  we  had  been  to  him. 

Early  in  May  1888,  after  a  protracted  debate, 
the  Bill  which  Sir  Charles  Tupper  as  Minister  of 
Finance,  in  an  exhaustive  and  masterly  speech,  had 
introduced,  was  passed  by  the  Dominion  Parlia- 
ment, thus  giving  effect  to  the  Treaty  so  far  as 
Canada  was  concerned.  About  the  same  time  the 
Newfoundland  Legislature  also  accepted  it. 

We  were  always  apprehensive,  however,  that  the 
Treaty  might  be  rejected  by  the  American  Senate, 
and,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  it  was  so  rejected  on  August 
21,  by  a  majority  of  three,  twenty-seven  Democrats 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    219 

voting  in  favour  of  ratification,  and  thirty  Re- 
publicans opposing  it.  It  wasn't  a  question  of  the 
merits  of  the  Treaty,  but  a  strict  party  vote.  The 
Times  correspondent  at  New  York  telegraphed  as 
follows  : 

**  Probably  extreme  political  partisans  never  made 
a  greater  error,  even  from  the  narrowest  point  of 
view.  The  Senators  from  the  mode  of  their  elec- 
tion, and  the  length  of  their  tenure,  never  closely 
reflect  popular  opinion.  Accordingly,  although  the 
popular  vote  long  ago  removed  the  Republican 
majority  from  the  lower  house,  that  party  retains 
power  in  the  Senate.  The  chief  motive  of  this  re- 
jection is  to  embarrass  the  Administration,  in  which 
it  will  fail.  Whether  it  succeeds  in  producing  a 
Commercial  War  with  Canada,  or  Diplomatic 
tension  with  Great  Britain,  either  event  will  solidify 
the  entire  population  of  the  United  States  against 
the  Republican  Leaders." 

Now  although  the  privileges  accorded  by  the 
modus  Vivendi  were  nominally  secured  for  two  years 
only,  local  legislation  enacted  in  Canada  and  New- 
foundland, and  renewed  from  year  to  year,  enabled 
American  fishermen,  on  payment  of  the  licence  fee 
of  $1 .50  per  register  ton,  to  pursue  their  calling  in  the 
Canadian  and  Newfoundland  bays,  and  although  it 
became  necessary  to  submit  to  the  Hague  tribunal, 


220         WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN 

for  arbitration,  certain  minor  questions  of  detail 
respecting  the  interpretation  of  the  Treaty  of  1818, 
which  it  is  unnecessary  to  discuss  here,  the  whole 
question  was  finally  and  satisfactorily  disposed  of 
by  a  further  Treaty  signed  at  Washington  ^  on  July 
20,  19 1 2,  and  duly  ratified  by  the  President  on 
November  15  of  that  year.  As  Sir  Charles  Tupper, 
in  a  letter  to  the  Times  of  January  20,  1914,  ex- 
plained, Sir  Allen  Aylesworth,  the  Canadian  Minister 
of  Justice  who  acted  as  the  British  Agent  at  the 
Hague  Arbitration,  admitted  that  the  Instruments 
signed  by  Mr.  Chamberlain  and  his  colleagues  at 
Washington  in  February  1888  formed  the  basis  of 
the  final  settlement.  Bearing  this  in  mind,  and 
bearing  also  in  mind  that  no  friction  of  any  moment 
has  ever  arisen  with  the  United  States  in  regard  to 
the  fishing  rights  of  Americans  in  Canadian  waters 
since  the  negotiations  of  1887-88,  the  reader  can 
come  to  but  one  conclusion  as  to  the  eminently 
satisfactory  and  far-reaching  results  achieved  by 
Mr.  Chamberlain's  mission,  and  the  important  chap- 
ter which  it  marks  in  his  official  life. 

1  Parliamentary  Paper,  Treaty  Series,  No.  22,  191 2  (Cd  .  6450). 


CHAPTER    XIII 

AT  BIRMINGHAM 

Birmingham,  needless  to  say,  lost  no  time  In  accord- 
ing their  beloved  townsman  a  cordial  **  welcome 
home,"  and  in  marking  its  appreciation  of  the  work 
he  had  accomplished.  Bergne  and  I  were  bidden  to 
Highbury  for  the  occasion,  and  a  most  enjoyable 
time  we  had  there.  On  the  afternoon  of  March  28, 
at  a  meeting  of  the  town  council,  the  mayor,  Mr. 
Maurice  Pollack,  presented  Mr.  Chamberlain  with 
an  illuminated  Roll,  conferring  on  him  the  honorary 
freedom  of  the  Borough,  a  privilege  which  he  was 
the  first  to  enjoy.  The  same  evening  a  banquet  was 
given  in  his  honour  at  the  Town  Hall.  The  toast 
of  *'  Our  Guest  "  was  proposed  by  Dr.  Dale  and  re- 
sponded to  by  Mr.  Chamberlain.  Then  the  Right 
Hon.  John  Bright  proposed  the  toast  of  *'  Our 
Kinsmen."  As  it  was  the  last  speech  in  public  ever 
made  by  that  great  statesman  and  orator  (he  died  the 
following  year  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight),  I  need 
hardly  apologise  for  reproducing  it  textually,  as  well 
as  Mr.  Chamberlain's.  The  report  is  taken  from 
The  Birmingham  Daily  Gazette  of  March  29,  1888. 


222     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

Mr.  Chamberlain,  in  the  course  of  his  reply,  said  : 
You  know  that,  beyond  all  things,  I  value  the  good 
opinion  of  my  fellow-citizens,  amongst  whom  the 
greater  part  of  my  life  has  been  spent.  (Cheers.)  I 
have  proved  again  and  again  the  falsehood  of  the 
proverb  that  a  man  is  not  a  prophet  in  his  own 
country — (hear,  hear) — and  at  all  times  I  have  found 
the  most  honourable  interpretation  of  my  motives 
and  my  actions,  the  most  generous  appreciation  of 
such  services  as  I  have  attempted  to  render  here  in 
Birmingham,  amongst  my  own  people,  in  the  town 
of  my  adoption  and  my  affection,  and  with  which 
all  the  past  associations  of  my  life  are  inseparably 
connected.  (Cheers.)  I  was  sure  when  I  went  to 
America  that  I  should  be  followed  by  your  good 
wishes  and  your  hearty  sympathy,  and  that  in 
Birmingham,  at  any  rate,  I  should  have  nothing 
to  fear  from  hostile  critics  or  candid  friends. 
(Laughter  and  cheers.)  I  have  no  doubt  that  you 
were  amused,  as  I  have  been  myself,  at  the  ingeni- 
ous surmises  that  were  current  elsewhere  as  to 
the  motives  which  prompted  my  acceptance  of  the 
honourable  task  that  was  entrusted  to  me  by 
the  Government.  (Cheers.)  On  any  question  the 
simplest  explanation  is  the  last  which  always  sug- 
gests itself  to  a  certain  class  of  mind — (laughter) — 
but  you  will  have  no  difficulty  in  believing  that,  in 
doing  as  I  did,  I  only  followed  the  precepts  that 
have  been  urged  again  and  again  from  this  platform 
by  the  leaders  of  opinion  in  Birmingham  :  that  no 
man,  except  under  absolute  necessity,  can  honour- 
ably refuse  a  public  duty,  or  the  chance  of  a  public 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    223 

service.  I  knew  that  the  prospects  of  my  mission 
were  not  very  hopeful,  that  they  even  justified  the 
predictions  of  absolute  failure  with  which  I  was 
assailed  ;  but  at  least  there  was  the  hope  that  I 
might  be  able  to  do  something  to  promote  peace 
and  goodwill  between  the  two  greatest  nations  of 
the  earth,  and  to  knit  closer  together  the  bonds  that 
should  unite  all  English-speaking  peoples — (cheers) 
— and  above  and  beyond  that  hope  I  had  the  cer- 
tainty that  the  great  majority  of  my  fellow-country- 
men would  approve  of  this  object,  and  would  judge 
with  leniency  any  one  who  undertook  it.  (Hear, 
hear.)  One  by  one  the  anticipations  of  evil  have 
proved  to  be  unfounded.  I  was  altogether  un- 
prepared for  the  warmth  of  the  hospitality,  for  the 
universal  kindness  and  goodwill  from  all  classes  and 
from  all  parties  on  the  other  side  of  the  water. 
(Cheers.)  In  the  next  place,  I  found  the  American 
plenipotentiaries  to  be  men  of  distinguished  ability, 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  all  the  circumstances 
of  their  case,  and  firm  in  the  defence  of  what  they 
believed  to  be  their  rights  ;  but  I  found  them  also 
men  of  fair  and  judicial  minds,  jealous  of  the  honour 
and  good  faith  of  the  American  people,  and  anxious 
to  promote,  as  far  as  in  them  lay,  an  honourable  and 
an  amicable  settlement.  (Cheers.)  The  Canadian 
Government  and  its  representatives  were  equally 
desirous  of  terminating  the  existing  irritation.  Al- 
though there  were  times  when  our  task  appeared 
to  be  almost  hopeless,  yet  at  last  we  succeeded. 
(Cheers.)  At  this  stage  our  duty  is  discharged,  and 
our  work  is  now  submitted  to  the  legislatures  of  the 


224     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

three  Governments  concerned.  It  is  not  for  me  to 
anticipate  their  decision,  but  I  observe  that  already 
the  prophets  of  evil  are  again  at  work — (laughter) — 
but  I  hope  they  will  be  again  mistaken.  (Hear, 
hear.)  In  any  case,  I  am  convinced  that  if  our 
Treaty  be  judged  upon  its  merits  and  apart  from 
political  considerations  it  will  commend  itself  to  the 
vast  majority  of  the  people  of  the  United  States  and 
of  Canada.  I  should  like  to  speak  for  a  moment  on 
the  future  relations  between  ourselves  and  our  giant 
offspring.  (Cheers.)  Americans  are  very  sensitive 
to  English  opinion— (hear,  hear) — although  I  never 
could  discover  that  they  cared  a  straw  for  the  judg- 
ment or  criticism  of  foreign  nations.  I  ventured  to 
tell  my  American  friends  that  there  was  universal 
amongst  all  classes  in  Great  Britain  a:  pride  not 
altogether  unmixed  with  envy  at  the  great  expansion 
of  their  country  and  its  extraordinary  prosperity, 
and  at  the  increasing  intelligence  and  cultivation  of 
the  people.  (Cheers.)  I  told  them  that  to  be  an 
American  was  in  itself  a  passport  to  the  good  offices 
and  the  goodwill  of  every  Englishman — (cheers) — 
and  on  the  other  hand  an  Englishman  in  America 
finds  himself  still  at  home.  How  can  it  be  other- 
wise ?  The  language,  the  literature,  the  laws,  and 
the  religion  are  the  same.  The  institutions  are 
modelled  in  the  best  spirit  of  English  freedom.  The 
differences  are  only  trivial  and  superficial.  They 
are  not  more  important  than  the  differences  which 
separate  Englishmen  and  Scotsmen  or  Welshmen 
and  Englishmen.  The  two  nations  are  indeed 
only  branches  of  a   greater  nationality  which^  has 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    225 

retained,  under  varying  conditions,  the  persistent 
qualities  and  characteristics  of  the  Anglo-Saxon 
race,  and  if  this  be  true,  surely  it  follows  that  any 
serious  quarrel  between  ourselves  and  America  is 
now  impossible.  (Cheers.)  The  very  extent  and 
complexity  of  our  common  interests  make  contro- 
versy from  time  to  time  almost  inevitable,  but  we 
may  at  least  determine  that,  as  far  as  in  us  lies, 
these  differences  as  they  arise  shall  be  settled  as 
between  friends  and  kinsfolk,  and  not  as  between 
enemies  and  rivals.     (Cheers.) 

Mr.  Bright,  who  was  loudly  cheered  on  rising  to 
propose  the  next  toast,  "  Our  Kinsmen,''  said  :  It 
has  been  my  fortune — I  will  say  my  good  fortune — 
to  have  had  to  meet  very  large  audiences  in  this 
noble  hall,  and  to  address  them  on  many  subjects 
of  great  interest  to  myself  and  to  my  countrymen 
generally.  I  may  say  on  no  occasion  have  I  risen 
to  address  a  meeting  in  this  building  with  more 
entire  sympathy  with  its  object  than  that  which 
I  feel  in  standing  before  you  on  this  occasion. 
(Hear,  hear.)  When  I  saw  that  my  friend  and 
colleague  Mr.  Chamberlain  had  been  offered  the 
mission  to  the  United  States,  and  had  accepted  it, 
I  wrote  to  tell  him  that  I  thought  the  Government 
had  made  a  good  choice,  and  that  he  was  wise  in 
the  acceptance  of  the  office — (hear,  hear) — and  that 
I  could  but  hope  for  him  and  believe  all  the  success 
which  he  and  the  Government  and  the  country 
could  hope  for  and  could  wish  for.  (Cheers.) 
Well,  what  we  have  seen  is  this,  that  he  has  re- 
turned successful  with  his  colleagues  in  the  great 


226     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

work,  and  we  can  honestly  congratulate  him  on  his 
success,  and  can  hope  that  there  may  remain  for  him 
many  other  occasions  on  which  he  may  render 
great  services  to  his  country.  The  toast  or  the 
sentiment  which  I  have  been  asked  to  propose  is 
**  Our  Kinsmen  "  in  America,  that  is,  in  the  United 
States  and  in  the  Dominion  of  Canada.  (Cheers.) 
Now  I  like  the  word  "  our  kinsmen  "  very  much. 
When  I  read  it  it  strengthened  the  disposition  which 
I  had  to  be  here  this  evening,  and  really  I  think  we 
have  a  right  to  call  all  these  people  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Atlantic  **  our  kinsmen."  Are  they  not  so  ? 
Are  they  not  people  of  our  own  blood  }  A  hundred 
years  ago,  a  little  over,  the  Republic  of  the  United 
States  was  founded.  Who  were  the  men  who  are 
now  held  by  all  historians  to  have  been  the  founders 
of  that  Republic  ?  There  were  great  men  dis- 
covered there  that  the  world  before  did  not  know 
of ;  at  the  same  time  the  world  discovered  there 
were  very  small  men  in  this  country.  Our  small 
men  legislated  so  as  to  bring  about  the  Colonial 
rebellion,  and  then  the  war  was  carried  on  in  a 
manner  so  utterly  disgraceful  and  discreditable  that 
it  was  quite  impossible  that  this  country  should  suc- 
ceed. Then,  in  regard  to  these  great  men  in  the 
United  States  of  whom  I  speak — they  were  in 
reality  either  English  or  British — ^we  read  of  them 
now  as  great  men  who  founded  the  Republic.  But 
they  were  all  our  own  countrymen  ;  and  at  that 
time  they  were  subjects  of  the  English  Crown,  and 
if  they  had  come  over  to  this  country  they  might 
have  stood  for  any  constituency,  and  might  have 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    227 

been  returned  to  and  might  have  sat  in  the  English 
Parliament.  So  that  whatever  great  glory  and  re- 
putation— reputation  I  v^ould  rather  say — is  to  be 
given  to  them,  we  have  at  least  a  kind  of  share  in  it. 
Look  at  their  names.  They  are  great  men,  Wash- 
ington and  Hamilton  and  Jeiferson  and  the  family 
of  Adamses,  which  furnished  two  Presidents  of  the 
United  States  and  three  Ministers  for  the  United 
States  to  the  English  Government  and  Crown. 
You  may  add  to  them  Benjamin  Franklin,  and  pro- 
bably several  others.  Well,  all  these  are  the  great 
men  of  the  American  history  of  the  last  120  years, 
and  all  these  men  were  at  that  time  our  countrymen, 
and  therefore  I  think  we  may  hold  ourselves  to  be 
their  kinsmen  and  they  our  kinsmen.  Now,  if 
these  names  which  I  have  mentioned,  these  great 
men  were  our  kinsmen,  then  I  take  it  that  their 
descendants  may  be  considered  our  kinsmen  ;  and 
if  the  people  of  the  United  States  are  akin  to  us  the 
people  of  Canada  are  even  more  nearly  so,  for  they 
have  at  a  more  recent  period  emigrated  from  this 
country  to  Canada,  and  therefore  they  are  our 
kinsmen.  Although  this  great  question,  this  irri- 
tating question,  which  for  the  whole  of  this  century 
almost  has  troubled  the  condition  of  things  between 
Great  Britain  and  the  United  States — although 
that  question  is  apparently  on  the  verge  of  being 
permanently  and  honourably  adjusted,  still  there 
are  other  questions  that  are  before  us,  and  before 
the  people  of  the  United  States  and  Canada,  of 
considerable  difficulty.  But  I  hope  they  will  not 
be  forced  to  be  questions  of  danger.    Take,  for 


228     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

instance,  the  question  of  commerce  between  the  two 
countries.  (Hear,  hear.)  If  you  were  in  the  ex- 
treme east  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada  with  your 
back  to  the  Atlantic,  and  you  looked  straight  across 
the  continent  to  the  Pacific,  you  would  have  an 
imaginary  line  of  near  3000  miles  in  length  ;  on 
the  right,  the  north,  you  would  have  five  millions, 
or  not  quite,  I  think,  of  Canadians,  and  I  think  you 
would  have  sixty  millions  of  the  population  of  the 
United  States.  Now,  what  have  these  people 
done  ?  The  sixty  millions  of  the  population  of  the 
United  States  have  built  up  a  wall  the  whole  length 
of  this  3000  miles,  not  of  bricks  or  of  stone,  but  of 
Acts  of  Congress,  and  they  call  it  by  the  general 
name  of  *'  tariflF " — (laughter) — and  on  the  other 
side  the  five  millions  of  Canadians  have  built  a  wall 
also  of  the  same  length,  and  pretty  nearly  of  the 
same  height,  and  they  call  that  also  **  tariflF,"  but 
these  walls  are  there  for  the  purpose  of  intercepting 
commerce  between  the  sixty  millions  on  the  south 
and  the  five  millions  on  the  north.  (Cheers.)  And 
the  five  millions  on  the  north  have  done  another 
thing.  They  have  turned  a  corner,  and  run  their 
tariflF  wall  on  the  eastern  coast  of  the  continent 
northward,  and  thus  have  done  their  best  also  to  a 
large  extent  to  shut  out  commerce  with  the  mother 
country.  Now,  I  think,  that  is  a  fair  statement  of 
the  unwisdom  of  our  kinsmen  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Atlantic.  But  this  system,  as  systems  so  stupid 
and  foolish  generally  do,  fails  to  give  satisfaction  on 
the  northern  side  of  the  country.  The  Canadians 
complain  that  they  are  shut  out  from  free  commerce 


UNITED    STATES   AND   CANADA    229 

with  the  millions  of  neighbours  in  the  south  ;  and 
of  course  some  persons  in  the  south  complain  that 
they  are  shut  out  by  this  barrier  from  the  trade  they 
might  have  with  the  millions  of  the  Canadian  popu- 
lation ;    and  the  Canadians  say  that  their  trade  is 
blocked,  and,  in  point  of  fact,  they  are  very  badly 
treated.     They  cannot  buy  things  they  would  like 
to  buy,  and  cannot  sell  things  they  would  like  to  sell. 
They  can  neither  buy  nor  sell  with  freedom,  and 
they  wish  those  barriers  to  be  thrown  down.     Well, 
I  think  that  is  a  very  sensible  wish.     An  old  friend 
of  mine,  the  late  Edward  Ellis,  who  was  member  for 
Coventry  for  a  great  many  years,  had  a  property  in 
Canada  ;  in  the  later  years  of  his  life  he  paid  a  visit 
to  the  United  States,  and  he  went  to  look  at  his 
property,  as  was  very  natural,  and  when  he  came 
back,  in  talking  to  me  about  it,  he  entered  into 
the  subject  of  the  possible  connection  between  the 
United  States  and  Canada,  speaking  then  of  it  as 
a  political  connection  that  was  possible.     At  some 
future  time,  he  said,  he  was  quite  certain  that  if 
that  connection  took  place,  and  if  Canada  became 
a  portion  of  the  United  States,  that  his  Canadian 
estate  would  immediately,  or  very  soon,  be  doubled 
in  value.     Well,  he  knew  what  he  was  talking  about, 
and  if  it  was  true  of  his  estate  it  would  be  true  to 
some  extent  of  perhaps  hundreds  and  thousands  of 
estates  north,  if  the  tariff  barrier  were  removed.    My 
opinion  is  that  if  economical  facts  of  that  nature  are 
so  strong  there  will  be  a  tendency  that  can  hardly 
be   resisted   to   get   over   the   sentiment,   however 
strong  and  however  commendable,  that  it  is  better 


230     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

for  the  Canadians  to  be  associated  politically  with 
Great  Britain  than  politically  with  the  American 
Union.  This  is  a  matter  which  is  pressing  on, 
because  there  is  a  large  portion  of  the  Canadian 
population,  a  considerable  portion  at  any  rate,  who 
believe  themselves  to  be  greatly  injured  by  the 
commercial  difficulties  between  them  and  their 
kinsmen  in  the  United  States,  and  there  are,  I 
believe,  more  than  a  million  of  Canadians  who 
have  gone  south,  and  are  living  in  the  United 
States.  The  consequence  is  that  the  pressing 
interest  of  the  populations  is  such  as  to  raise 
for  discussion  a  question  which,  I  say,  may 
be  one  of  considerable  difficulty  ;  but  I  hope  it 
will  be  one  that  will  not  lead  to  any  dangerous 
collision  between  the  United  States  and  this 
country.  (Cheers.)  We  have  had  some  discussion 
lately,  as  you  know,  about  what  is  called  the  federa- 
tion of  the  Empire.  There  is  a  member  of  the 
House  of  Peers,  rather  a  lively  and  a  plucky  noble- 
man. Lord  Rosebery — (cheers) — ^who  has  been 
making  speeches,  interesting  speeches,  but  the  most 
interesting  to  me  and  the  longest,  is  that  on  the 
reform  of  the  House  of  Lords.  (Cheers.)  Now 
the  speech,  as  I  said,  was  a  long  one,  I  think  it  was 
at  least  five  columns  I  read  with  great  interest.  It 
was  a  speech  of  singular  ability,  and  the  only  fault 
in  it  was  this,  that  however  eloquent  were  its  pas- 
sages, when  you  came  to  examine  it  thoroughly,  you 
found  that  they  lead  to  nowhere.  (Cheers.)  I 
spoke  of  him  as  a  plucky  nobleman.  Well,  he  is  a 
member  of  the  order  of  the  peerage  for  whom  I 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    231 

have  great  sympathy  and  a  great  respect.  He  has 
taken  under  hand  two  very,  what  a  contractor  would 
call  two  very  big  jobs.  (Cheers.)  One  of  them  is 
the  reform  of  the  House  of  Lords,  and  the  other  is 
the  Federation  of  the  Empire.  (Laughter.)  Now, 
the  question  of  the  House  of  Lords  is  one  upon 
which  one  might  say  a  good  deal,  and  perhaps  one 
might  say  something  quite  as  sensible  as  anything 
which  was  said  by  Lord  Rosebery  or  any  of  his  peers 
who  spoke  on  that  interesting  question  ;  but,  if 
you  like,  we  will  leave  the  House  of  Lords  for  some 
other  opportunity.  (Laughter.)  The  question  will 
grow  ;  but  we  will  pass,  if  you  will  allow  me,  to  the 
question  of  the  Federation  of  the  Empire,  and  with 
regard  to  that  I  have  read  a  great  number  of  speeches 
upon  it.  I  always  read  what  people  say  about  that 
subject,  because  I  am  one  of  those  who  think  the 
whole  scheme  or  project  is  impossible,  and  no 
better  than  a  dream.  (Hear,  hear.)  Lord  Rose- 
bery, I  don't  know  whether  he  meant  to  refer  to  me, 
but  he  spoke  of  those  who  treated  the  question  as  a 
dream,  and  something  not  at  all  practical  or  practi- 
cable. We  will  see.  Let  us  go  back  for  a  moment 
to  a  little  over  100  years,  the  year  1776,  when  the 
declaration  of  American  Independence  was  signed  ; 
or  the  year  1783,  when  the  treaty  between  the 
revolted  colonies  and  this  country  was  signed,  and 
the  Independence  of  America  was  secured  for  ever. 
Let  us  go  back  to  the  time  only  ten  years  after  that 
treaty  was  signed.  What  was  the  condition  of  this 
country  ?  We  were  entering  on  a  war,  the  greatest 
war  the  country  was  ever  engaged  in — one  that 


232     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

caused  the  slaughter  of  more  men  and  a  waste  of 
more  treasure  than  any  other  war  this  country  was 
ever  engaged  in — ^the  great  war  with  the  French 
RepubHc  and  the  French  Empire — and  that  war 
lasted,  with  scarcely  any  intermission,  I  think  only  a 
few  months,  for  more  than  twenty  years.  Now, 
suppose  that  the  American  colonies  had  not  re- 
volted, or  suppose  our  stupid  fathers  at  the  time 
had  conquered  them  and  subjected  them,  what 
would  have  been  the  result  ?  Why,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  the  American  colonies  would  have  been 
involved  in  the  twenty  years'  war  in  which  this 
country  was  involved.  I  think  it  was  much  better 
that  they  were  attending  quietly  to  their  own  busi- 
ness and  going  on  in  their  own  way.  (Hear,  hear.) 
Therefore  it  would  have  been  an  enormous  calamity 
for  the  colonies  of  the  United  States — for  the 
thirteen  revolted  colonies — if  they  had  continued 
connected  with  this  country,  liable  to  all  the 
calamities  of  that  frightful  war  which  for  more 
than  twenty  years  ravaged  not  only  great  portions 
of  Europe,  but  subjected  the  population  of  this 
country  to  miseries  and  sufferings  which  no  historian 
has  attempted  to  describe,  nor  can  any  of  us,  with 
the  greatest  power  of  imagination,  in  the  least  degree 
picture  to  ourselves.  (Hear,  hear.)  Unfortunately 
for  us,  our  war  policy  is  not  abandoned.  We  are 
always  getting  into  some  mischief,  and  I  am  sorry 
to  say  that  apparently  it  does  not  matter  in  the  least 
which  party  is  in  power.  (Laughter.)  I  should 
like  to  ask  the  advocates  of  federation  whether  they 
find  that  Canada  and  the  many  great  colonies  that 


UNITED   STATES   AND   CANADA    233 

cluster  in  the  South  Pacific,  the  AustraUan  colonies, 
will  be  willing  to  bind  themselves  to  the  stupid 
foreign  policy  of  war.  (A  Voice  :  "  Yes.")  Will 
they  be  willing  to  undertake  the  responsibility  of 
entering  into  wars  the  seat  of  which  is  10,000  miles 
away,  and  in  which  they  cannot  have  the  slightest 
interest,  and  when  they  may  not  have  been  in  the 
least  consulted  as  to  the  cause  of  quarrel  which  this 
country  was  rushing  into  ?  In  my  opinion  the 
colonies  will  never  stand  it,  and  if  I  were  a  Canadian, 
or  Victorian,  or  New  South  Wales  man,  or  Queens- 
lander,  or  New  Zealander,  I  would  take  good  care, 
as  far  as  I  was  concerned,  that  my  voice  should  never 
go  in  favour  of  the  policy  of  the  old  country  as  far  as 
that  was  concerned.  It  would  be  much  better  for 
humanity  and  for  us  that  these  colonies  should  be 
under  governments  of  their  own  and  independent, 
and  should  not  enter  into  quarrels  in  which  they 
were  not  concerned,  but  endeavour  to  maintain 
their  own  honour  and  not  take  part  in  the  miserable 
quarrels,  contests,  and  wars  which  for  a  long  time 
past  have  disfigured  the  history  of  the  kingdom  in 
which  we  live.  (Cheers.)  Now,  there  are  in  my 
opinion  two  things  which  make  what  is  called  the 
federation  quite  impossible.  First  of  all,  if  you  go 
to  the  Australian  colonies,  you  find  the  colony  of 
Victoria,  of  which  Melbourne  is  the  capital,  is 
strongly  Protectionist,  and  they  will  not  deal  freely 
even  with  the  adjoining  colony  of  New  South  Wales 
or  with  the  mother  country.  On  the  other  hand, 
New  South  Wales  is  entirely  against  Protection  and 
strongly  for  Free  Trade.    You  know  probably  that 


234     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

the  Minister  of  that  colony  is  a  townsman  of  your 
own — Sir  Henry  Parkes.  (Cheers.)  We  see, 
without  employing  any  argument  to  prove  it,  that 
under  these  conditions  there  can  be  no  kind  of 
federation  or  unison  between  them  for  common 
purposes,  and  the  difference  will  probably  continue 
to  widen,  and  federation  between  them,  and,  it  may 
be,  between  Victoria  and  other  colonies  also,  will 
become  pretty  nearly,  if  not  absolutely  impossible. 
There  is  another  reason  which  makes  it  impossible, 
that  is  the  existence  of  our  foreign  policy,  especially 
in  the  East  of  Europe,  which  is  constantly  setting 
up  a  peril  that  we  are  about  to  go  to  war  with  the 
great  empire  of  Russia  on  matters  in  which  we  have 
really  no  interest  whatever.  I  think  it  is  quite 
hopeless  to  expect  there  should  be  federation  be- 
tween our  wide  colonies  and  their  vast  populations, 
and  the  people  and  the  Government  of  this  country. 
I  feel  the  whole  thing  is  a  dream  and  an  absurdity, 
but  it  does  not  follow  that  you  may  not  do  a  great 
many  things  by  binding  the  colonies  to  us  and 
creating  a  perpetual  friendship,  I  hope,  between 
them  and  the  mother  country.  Now,  what  can  one 
say  of  the  future  of  our  race  and  of  our  kinsmen  ? 
Is  that  merely  a  dream  }  By  no  means.  I,  who 
have  no  belief  in  this  scheme  of  federation,  have 
the  greatest  possible  belief  in  the  great  future  of 
those  colonies,  and  in  that  future,  also,  I  hope  there 
will  be  strengthened  amicable  connection  with  this 
country.  (Hear,  hear.)  In  this  country  we  are 
rearing  a  population  which,  probably,  by  the  end  of 
the  century  will  be  forty  millions.     In  Canada  and 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    235 

Australia  there  are,  I  think,  at  least  ten  millions  of 
what  we  call  our  kinsmen  and  fellow-subjects,  but 
in  the  United  States  at  this  moment  there  are  sixty 
millions  of  population,  which,  by  the  end  of  this 
century,  in  all  probability  will  reach  one  hundred 
millions.  (Cheers.)  Of  these  hundred  millions  I 
suppose  three-fourths  will  be  persons  of  our  own 
blood.  In  this  country  and  in  Canada  and  in  the 
United  States  there  are,  or  soon  will  be,  150  millions 
of  population,  nearly  all  of  which  owes  its  birth  and 
origin  to  the  comparatively  small  country  in  which 
we  live.  It  is  a  fact  which  is  not  paralleled  in  any 
past  history,  and  what  may  come  in  the  future  to 
compare  with  it  or  excel  it,  it  is  not  for  us  to  speak, 
or  even  with  any  show  of  reason  to  imagine.  We 
have  in  all  these  millions  the  same  language,  the 
same  literature,  mainly  the  same  laws,  and  the  in- 
stitutions of  freedom.  May  we  not  hope  for  the 
highest  and  noblest  federation  to  be  established 
among  us  } — that  is  a  question  to  which  I  would 
ask  your  special  and  sympathetic  attention  —  of 
the  noblest  kind  of  federation  amongst  us,  under 
different  governments  it  may  be,  but  united  by 
race,  by  sympathy,  by  freedom  of  industry,  and 
by  communion  of  interests  ;  and  by  a  perpetual 
peace  we  may  help  to  lead  the  world  to  the  better 
time  which  we  long  for,  and  which  we  believe  in — 
(cheers) — although  it  may  not  be  permitted  to  our 
mortal  eyes  to  behold  it.  (Cheers.)  Now  towards 
this  noblest  confederation,  that  is,  of  sympathy 
between  us  and  the  Canadians  and  the  United  States 
and  the  Australians,  even  this  meeting  assembled 


236     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

here  to-night  within  this  hall — details  of  which  by 
to-morrow  will  be  published  for  the  knowledge  and, 
I  hope,  for  the  sympathy  and  the  instruction  of 
many  of  our  countrymen — this  meeting  itself  is 
doing  something  towards  that ;  and  I  think  it  is  a 
matter  of  which  Birmingham  may  be  proud  that 
my  friend  here  near  me,  your  eminent  citizen,  has 
been  able,  by  a  good  fortune  which  statesmen  may 
envy,  and  by  an  exertion  of  abilities  which  are 
peculiar  and  singular,  and  not  in  many  cases  ex- 
celled or  equalled,  that  he  has  been  able  to  render 
a  service  to  his  country  and  to  the  blessed  cause  of 
peace  which  will  give  him  pleasure  I  hope  to  the 
last  hour  of  his  life.  (Loud  cheers.) 
The  toast  was  drunk  with  enthusiasm. 

Some  years  before  I  went  to  America,  I  happened 
to  be  dining  with  the  late  Henry  Labouchere  at 
Pope's  Villa,  Twickenham,  and  among  other  in- 
teresting people  whose  acquaintance  I  made  that 
night  was  Miss  Braddon  (Mrs.  Maxwell).  I 
had  always  cherished  a  strong  desire  to  meet 
the  author  of  Aurora  Floyd  and  Lady  Audley^s 
Secrety  novels  which  had  enthralled  me  as  a  boy. 
Miss  Braddon  was  at  that  time  engaged  in  the 
preparation  of  a  new  book,  the  title  of  which  I 
forget  for  the  moment,  the  salient  features  of  which, 
however,  turned  on  the  siege  of  Paris  by  the 
Germans,  and,  as  "  Labby  "  was  correspondent  of 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    237 

the  Daily  News  in  Paris  all  through  that  eventful 
period,  he  was  naturally  well  qualified  for  supplying 
Miss  Braddon  with  all  the  necessary  incidents  and 
local  colour  during  that  strenuous  time.  So  it  may 
be  imagined  the  conversation  was  most  interesting. 
I  remember  ''  Labby  "  saying  to  me,  ''  If  ever  I 
come  to  the  Foreign  Office,  I  shall  at  once  abolish 
all  Ambassadors  and  Diplomatic  Agents.  Consuls 
could  quite  well  do  all  that  is  necessary.  If  ever 
the  need  arose  of  sending  a  special  commissioner  to  a 
foreign  country,  I  should  give  him  a  despatch  before 
he  started  to  send  home  in  due  course,  reporting 
the  result  of  his  mission."  I  tell  this  story  as  it  is  so 
characteristic  of  Labouchere,  who,  as  we  all  know, 
could  never  be  taken  seriously,  and  never  really 
meant  what  he  said.  Nor  did  his  utterances  quite 
fit  in  with  the  line  he  took  when  the  supplementary 
estimates,  embodying,  inter  alia,  the  cost  of  our 
mission,  £3900,  came  up  for  discussion  in  Parlia- 
ment on  March  i,  1888,  in  supply.  I  quote  from 
the  Times  report  of  the  following  day  : 

Mr.  Labouchere  said  that  he  would  assume  with 
respect  to  the  special  mission  to  the  United  States 
that  the  best  man  possible  had  been  sent  out,  that 
the  best  possible  treaty  had  been  signed,  and  that 
the  time  chosen  for  the  mission  was  the  best  time. 


238     WITH   MR.   CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

though  it  used  to  be  a  rule  of  diplomacy  that  it  was 
a  radical  mistake  to  treat  with  the  United  States  just 
before  a  Presidential  election,  when  there  probably 
would  not  be  a  majority  in  the  Senate  to  ratify  a 
treaty.  His  objections  were  entirely  of  a  financial 
character.  Diplomacy  cost  this  country  £241,000 
in  purely  political  matters  ;  and  besides  this  there 
was  the  Consular  service.  In  the  United  States 
we  had  an  eminent  representative  who  received  a 
salary  larger  than  that  of  the  Prime  Minister. 
Obviously,  the  permanent  legation,  which  costs 
about  £8000  a  year,  ought  to  have  negotiated  this 
treaty.  Last  year  there  was  the  mission  of  Sir  H. 
Drummond  Wolff,  which  involved  a  large  expendi- 
ture. He  objected  to  these  missions  as  not  being 
necessary,  and  also  to  their  excessive  cost.  The 
House  was  rather  surprised  when  so  large  an  amount 
as  3^3 900  was  asked  for  the  Washington  mission. 
They  were  more  surprised  when  they  were  told 
that  this  was  not  all. 

Sir  J.  Fergusson — That  was  a  mistake  ;  the 
vote  of  £3900  covers  the  whole  expenditure. 

Mr.  Labouchere  said  that  the  sum  was  itself  so 
monstrous  that  more  would  have  been  too  out- 
rageous.    Mr.    Chamberlain (**  Order,    order." 

The  hon.  member  then  turned  to  Mr.  CoUings, 
amid  laughter.)  The  right  hon.  member  for 
Birmingham's  travelling  expenses  would  be  £180. 
His  hon.  friend  said  that  would  be  second-class — 
(laughter) — but  it  was  not  so — it  would  be  first- 
class.  Suppose  the  sum  were  £190.  The  right 
hon.  gentleman  left  on  October  29  and  returned  on 


UNITED    STATES   AND   CANADA    239 

March  i.    After  deducting  the  two  voyages,  about 
109  days  would  be  left.     Thus  the  expenditure  was 
at  the  rate  of  ^33  or  £34  a  day.     Now  at  Wash- 
ington,   as    everybody    knew,    there    were    fixed 
charges  ;    about  $5  (or  3^1)  a  day.     Then  suppose 
the  right  hon.  gentleman  were  allowed  £1  2i  day  for 
wine — (laughter) — and  allowances  were  also  made  for 
incidental  expenses.     Then  about  ^5  a  day  would 
be  a  reasonable  allowance.     It  might  be  said  that 
the  right  hon.  gentleman  was  hospitable.     But  we 
had  a  Minister  there.  Sir  L.  Sackville  West,  who 
received  a  salary  intended  to  be  spent  in  hospitality. 
Sir   Charles   Tupper   was   sent   by  the   Canadian 
Government,  but  he  should  be  much  surprised  if 
the  Canadian  Government  authorised  so  lavish  an 
expenditure.     It  was  not  necessary  that  our  repre- 
sentative  should   live   like   a   prince   and   practise 
princely  hospitality  at  our  expense.     He  would  not, 
however,  move  for  the  reduction  of  the  vote,  as, 
though  he  objected  to  its  excessive  amount,  his 
main  objection  was  to  the  mission  itself.    As  his 
hon.  friend  (Mr.  Collings),  who  also  came  from 
Birmingham,  voted  with  him  last  year  against  Sir 
Drummond  Wolff's  mission,  no  doubt  he  would 
also  vote  with  him  on  this  occasion.     (Laughter.) 
The  talk  of  the  noble  sacrifices  made  by  politicians 
who  went  on  these  special  missions  was  all  claptrap. 
Gentlemen  were  glad  to  go  out  and  obtain  some 
sort  of  political  position  by  spending  the  country's 
money  and  enjoying  themselves.     The  House  ought 
once  and  for  all  to  oppose  these  special  missions^  which 
ought  to  be  discharged  by  our  permanent  Ministers. 


240         WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN 

He  moved  to  reduce  the  vote  by  £3900,  the  cost  of  the 
special  mission  to  the  United  States, 

Note  the  words  italicised  !  "  Labby  "  was  al- 
ways hostile  to  Mr.  Chamberlain  over  the  Home 
Rule  question,  and  never  forgave  him  for  severing 
himself  from  the  Gladstonians.  It  was  "  gall  and 
wormwood  "  to  the  member  for  Northampton  to 
feel  that  Mr.  Chamberlain  had  had  a  "  good  time  " 
and  that  his  mission  had  been  successful.  The  vote 
was  ultimately  carried  by  a  majority  of  246. 


CHAPTER   XIV 


l'envoi 


I  HAVE  already  alluded  to  the  reasons  which  made 
it  desirable  that  Mr.  Chamberlain's  engagement 
should  be  kept  secret  till  the  result  of  the  Presi- 
dential election  was  announced  on  November  7, 1888, 
on  which  date  Mr.  Chamberlain  was  on  board 
the  Aurania  in  mid-Atlantic  bound  for  New  York. 

I  had  taken  a  berth  for  him  and  his  man-servant 
in  my  name.  The  Aurania  sailed  from  Liverpool 
on  November  3.  Mr.  Chamberlain  managed  with 
extraordinary  cleverness  to  get  from  Birmingham 
to  Liverpool,  and  into  his  cabin,  without  a  single 
soul  recognising  him,  nor  were  his  individuality  or 
presence  discovered  when  the  vessel  stopped  at 
Queenstown  to  pick  up  the  mails.  There  were  no 
wireless  messages  in  those  days.  The  murder  was 
not  out  till  the  Aurania  reached  New  York  on  the 
1 2th,  by  which  time  President  Harrison's  election 
was  known,  and  there  was  no  longer  any  need  for 
secrecy.    The    next    day    the    New    York    World 

241  Q 


242     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

favoured  its  readers  with  the  following  sample  of 
its  facetiae  : 


MAYCOCK  IS   CHAMBERLAIN 

HOW  THE  BRITISH  STATESMAN  CAME  OVER  AFTER 
HIS   BRIDE 

He  dropped  his  alias  when  the  steamer  got  away  from 
Liverpool — Mrs,  Par  an  Stevens  was  a  fellow- 
passenger,  and  she  also  tried  to  conceal  her 
identity — She  chats  about  the  coming  wedding. 

A  gentleman  with  a  shaven  face,  very  pale,  with 
keen  blue  eyes  and  a  nervous  manner,  sat  in  one  of 
the  forward  state-rooms  of  the  Aurania  yesterday 
morning  talking  in  a  quick,  energetic  way  to  another 
gentleman  sitting  near  him.  A  week  ago  the  pale- 
faced  gentleman  had  registered  as  "  Mr.  W.  Maycock 
and  man-servant.''  As  soon  as  the  ship  cleared 
Liverpool,  however,  he  had  this  changed  to  *'  Right 
Hon.  Joseph  Chamberlain,  M.P."  He  comes  over 
to  marry  the  daughter  of  Secretary  Endicott.  A 
slick-looking  man  was  Joseph,  with  a  rich  dressing- 
gown,  trimmed  in  fur,  wrapped  about  him,  and  an 
officer's  hat  set  jauntily  on  the  side  of  his  head. 

"  There  is  no  journal  I  would  like  to  talk  to  more 
than  The  World,''  said  he,  as  he  glanced  up  from  a 
letter  he  was  reading  ;  "  but  you  know  I  am  here  on 
purely  private  business,"  and  his  face  relaxed  and 
he  smiled  joyously.  '*  I  suppose  my  mission  has 
been  cabled  over,  and  I  feel  assured  that  under 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    243 

the  circumstances  my  desire  for  privacy  will  be 
respected." 

"  What  do  you  think  of  Lord  Sackville  ?  " 

"  I  think  that  if  there  is  any  moral  to  be  drawn  it 
would  not  be  to  encourage  me  to  talk  freely,"  and 
again  Mr.  Chamberlain  smiled. 

"  And  the  Parnell  trial  ?  " 

*'  Really,  I  can  tell  you  nothing  new.  You  have 
later  news  here  than  I  could  give  you.  Personally 
I  do  not  desire  to  express  any  opinion  on  the  subject. 
The  World  brings  me  the  first  news  of  your 
recent  election,"  he  continued.  "  It  must  have 
been  very  exciting." 

*'  And  how  will  it  affect  the  fishery  question  ?  " 
was  asked  with  the  most  persuasive  suggestiveness. 

Mr.  Chamberlain  stared  straight  out  to  sea  with  a 
far-away  look  in  his  eye,  and  then,  as  if  he  had  settled 
the  question  with  himself  that  there  would  be 
nothing  gained  by  publicity,  he  smilingly  declined 
to  say  anything.  He  would  not  even  say  how  long 
he  would  remain  in  the  United  States. 

"  I  am  going  straight  on  to  Washington,"  said  he, 
"  and  expect  at  no  time  to  see  very  much  of  New 
York.  My  plans  for  the  future  are  not  yet  fully 
formed." 

As  the  big  steamer  came  slowly  up  the  North 
River  Mr.  Chamberlain  held  a  hurried  consultation 
with  the  captain,  and  as  Pier  39  was  passed,  a  ladder 
was  let  down  from  the  deck  and  Mr.  Chamberlain 
prepared  to  descend  it.  Everybody  crowded  around 
to  see  him  go  down.  He  was  carefully  dressed, 
and  his  clothes  were  cut  in  the  latest  English  style. 


244     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

He  wore  a  heavy  cloth  overcoat  and  loosely  fitting 
trousers  of  a  dark,  subdued  check  pattern,  a  silk  hat, 
terra  cotta  gloves,  darker  than  those  worn  here,  a 
red  tie  confined  by  a  gold  band,  and  an  eyeglass.  He 
carried  a  heavy  English  walking-stick  in  his  hand. 
His  leaving  the  vessel  by  the  ladder  was  a  dangerous 
attempt,  as  the  Aurania  was  moving,  and  as  the 
steps  kept  swaying  backward  and  forward,  threaten- 
ing to  throw  the  athletic  lover  into  the  river,  or  to  be 
ground  between  the  pier  and  the  steamship.  He 
managed  to  get  down  safely,  and  the  crowd  gave  him 
a  hearty  cheer.  He  lifted  his  hat,  waved  a  farewell, 
and  tripped  away  with  a  step  as  brisk  and  light  as 
though  twenty  years  had  been  deducted  from  his  age. 

The  Custom-House  officials  granted  him  every 
courtesy  to  facilitate  his  departure,  and  he  rushed 
for  the  ten  o'clock  train  for  Washington,  which  he 
missed  by  a  few  minutes.  He  then  went  to  the 
Brevoort  House  and  caught  a  later  train  in  the 
afternoon. 

The  passengers  say  he  was  very  pleasant  and 
chatty,  and  appeared  impatient  to  join  his  bride 
that  is  to  be.     There  was  no  one  to  meet  him. 

The  last  time  Mr.  Chamberlain  was  here  he  was 
constantly  attended  by  a  detective,  whose  duty  it 
was  to  keep  English-hating  Irish- Americans  from 
murder.     No  detectives  were  apparent  this  time. 

The  wedding  will  be  very  quiet,  and  only  a  few 
will  be  invited  to  witness  the  ceremony.  No  formal 
invitations  will  be  issued,  and  only  a  few  relatives 
from  Boston  and  the  President  and  Mrs.  Cleveland, 
the  members  of  the  Cabinet  and  their  wives,  and  a 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    245 

few  high  officials  will  be  present.  Miss  Endicott 
will  wear  a  travelling  gown.  It  is  to  be  a  house 
wedding.  It  is  barely  possible  that  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain and  his  charming  bride  may  remain  in  the 
United  States  a  short  time,  paying  a  series  of 
family  visits,  and  arrive  in  England  shortly  before 
Christmas. 

The  Hon.  Joseph  Chamberlain  was  not  the  only 
person  on  the  Aurania  who  came  over  with  a  desire 
to  conceal  their  identity.  Mrs.  Paran  Stevens 
registered  simply  as  Mrs.  Stevens. 

*^  I  thought  I  could  avoid  identification  in  that 
way,"  she  said,  with  a  laugh.  *' The  New  York 
papers  have  been  publishing  severe  things  about 
me — cruel,  malicious  things.  It  was  dreadful. 
Why,  in  Paris  the  police  and  the  people  sympathised 
with  me  in  my  trouble  and  did  all  they  could  for  me, 
and  my  own  papers  assailed  me." 

Mrs.  Stevens  was  gently  led  away  from  the  con- 
templation of  her  troubles  by  inquiry  touching  the 
coming  Chamberlain-Endicott  wedding. 

**  No  one  in  England  or  Paris  seems  to  know 
anything  about  it.  Society  is  in  a  great  state  of 
curiosity  for  particulars.  You  know  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain, who,  by  the  way,  is  a  good  friend  of  mine,  has 
kept  everything  extremely  quiet.  I  know  Miss 
Endicott  quite  well.  She  is  a  charming  lady, 
refined  and  brilliant,  and  I  prophesy  for  her  a  great 
social  career,  if  she  cares  for  it.  There  is  a  mania 
among  Englishmen  of  wealth  and  title  for  marrying 
American  girls  now,  you  know.  From  what  I  have 
seen  abroad  these  matches  seem  to  be  happy  ones. 


246     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

But  about  the  election,  wasn't  it  a  great  sur- 
prise ?  And  poor  Mr.  Hewitt,"  and  both  of  Mrs. 
Stevens's  hands  went  up  and  her  eyebrows  were 
raised  pathetically.  "  Of  course  he  did  not  wish 
to  be  elected.  Poor  fellow !  Now  don't  go  off 
and  say  I  am  trying  to  seek  notoriety.  I  don't 
want  to  be  interviewed,  and  I  positively  decline  to 
say  anything  about  my  diamonds." 

Nor  was  the  chaff  about  Mr.  Chamberlain  travel- 
ling in  my  name  confined  to  the  American  papers, 
as  will  be  seen  from  the  following  extract  from 
Funny  Folks  of  November  24,  1888,  a  journal  long 
since  defunct  : 

HAILING  THE   BRIDEGROOM 
A   PRIVATE   CABLEGRAM   FROM   OUR   OWN   ANANIAS 

**  Mr.  Willoughby  Joecock  ?  "  I  inquired  face- 
tiously, as  I  boarded  the  cars  on  a  down-Eastern 
(U.S. A.)  railroad  one  day  this  week,  and  found  my- 
self face  to  face  with  the  conquering  Chamberlain 
and  his  fair  Yankee. 

"  Maycock,  if  you  please,"  replied  the  statesman. 
"  When  I  travel,  I  use  that  incog-nomen — if  you 
will  allow  me  the  little  quip — to  avoid  a  bother  with 
the  silly  persons  who  are  always  running  after  a 
celebrity  Hke  myself,  don't  you  know." 

*'  Just  so,"  I  smiled.  "  But  allow  me  to  con- 
gratulate you  on  your  marriage." 

Mrs.  Chamberlain  had  turned  her  head  away, 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    247 

and  was  not  paying  any  attention  to  our  conversa- 
tion. 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Joseph.  "  She  is  a  dear 
creature — and  then  her  family  is  so  tip-top,  you  see. 
Old  Knickerbocker  stock,  sir !  Ancestors  came 
over  to  America  in  the  Plymouth  Rocky  and  landed 
at  Mayflower,  I  understand." 

'*  And  how  did  you  leave  her  Pilgrim  Father  ?  " 
I  inquired. 

"  Endicott !  Oh,  he  was  in  capital  health  and 
spirits,  having  just  married  his  daughter  to  m^," 
crowed  Mr.  Chamberlain.  *'  I've  invited  him  to 
come  along  with  us  to  Europe,  and  be  introduced 
to  a  Duchess  or  two  ;  but  his  wife  thinks  it  might 
corrupt  his  Democratic  morals,  so  he  probably 
won't." 

I  considered  for  a  moment,  and  then  said  : 

**  You  are  as  firm  as  ever  on  the  Union,  I  pre- 
sume ?  " 

"  Firmer,  if  anything,"  said  Mr.  C.  *'  Look  at 
our  Union,  for  example.  Do  Mary  and  I  desire 
Separation,  and  would  it  be  good  for  us  if  we  did  ? 
No,  sir!" 

**  But  it  is  not  a  question  of  Separation,"  I  re- 
marked. "  It  is  one  of  Home  Rule.  Surely,  Mrs. 
Chamberlain  is  a  little  bit  of  a  Home  Ruler  in  her 
way  ?  " 

Joseph  flushed  like  a  peony — like  an  M.P.-ony, 
in  fact. 

''  Pooh,  sir  !  "  he  said.  "  Nothing  of  the  sort. 
She  knows  my  political  principles  too  well  to  dream 
of  such  a  thing." 


248     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

Here  Mrs.  Chamberlain  struck  in. 

**  T guess  Fd  have  you  a-Hght  and  pro-cure  me 
about  five  cents  worth  of  chewing-gum,  my  dear," 
drawled  she. 

"  But  if  the  train  should  go  on  without  me,  love  ?  " 
quoth  Joseph,  who  evidently  thought  it  beneath  his 
dignity  to  run  on  small  errands  for  anybody. 

''  The  cars  wait  at  this  de-pot  for  ten  minutes,  I 
reckon,"  cooed  the  lady,  dreamily,  *'  and  I'm  sorter 
sot  on  gum,  I  am." 

There  was  that  in  her  tones  which  caused  her  lord 
to  depart  on  his  mission  with  alacrity.  Bowing  to 
the  bride,  I  followed  him. 

**  I  fancy  you're  mistaken  in  your  idea  that  Mrs. 
Chamberlain  is  not  a  Home  Ruler,"  I  observed  with 
subtle  irony. 

"  Eh,  sir — how's  that  ?  "  queried  Joseph,  un- 
easily. 

*'  Wait  till  she  gets  you  to  Highbury,  and  you' II  see, ^^ 
I  replied,  in  meaning  accents. 

And  then,  Mr.  Editor,  I  mingled  with  the  gadding 
crowd,  and  Joseph  walked  pensively  off  in  search  of 
that  chewing-gum.  Mary  will  avenge  the  Liberal 
Party  yet,  sir,  take  my  word  for  it. 

iV[r.  and  Mrs.  Chamberlain  were  married  at 
Washington  on  November  15,  1888,  and  on  their 
return  to  Birmingham  in  the  following  January, 
Bergne  and  I  paid  our  second  visit  to  Highbury  to 
attend  the  festivities  which  Birmingham  accorded 


THE   ENTRANCE-HALL 
Highbury 


THE   DRAWING-ROOM 
Highbury 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    249 

to  the  right  honourable  gentleman  and  his  bride,  the 
following  report  of  which  is  taken  from  the  Birming- 
ham  Daily  Post  of  January  9,  1889  : 


THE    WELCOME    TO    MR.    AND 
MRS.   CHAMBERLAIN 

PRESENTATION   OF  ADDRESSES   AND   GIFTS   AT  THE 
TOWN   HALL 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chamberlain's  public  welcome 
home  was  given  to  them  last  evening,  and  given  in 
a  fashion  which  left  nothing  unexpressed  of  what  it 
was  in  people's  hearts  to  say,  and  assured  the  lady 
of  Highbury  of  a  full  share  of  that  cordial  affection 
which  is  entertained  by  all  classes  of  the  citizens  of 
Birmingham  for  her  distinguished  husband.  The 
greeting  was  paid  in  the  Town  Hall,  where  Mr. 
Chamberlain  has  secured  some  of  his  most  famous 
political  triumphs,  and  where,  as  the  event  showed, 
he  was  destined  to  enjoy  a  social  triumph  not  less 
flattering  or  memorable  than  they.  The  assembly 
which  came  together  within  its  walls  was  richly 
representative  of  the  talent,  the  fashion,  and  the 
wealth  of  our  city  ;  and  the  occasion  of  the  gathering 
was  so  potently  gracious  as  to  heal  the  hearts  of 
many  persons  of  those  political  sores  which  it  is  the 
weakness  of  poor  human  nature  to  foster  and  dis- 
play. Not  only  all  classes,  but  all  parties,  were 
there,  and  in  the  mouths  of  all  there  were  the 
kindliest  words.    As  for  the  Town  Hall  itself — so 


250     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

gaunt  and  cold  at  other  times — It  presented  un- 
questionably the  most  brilUant  spectacle  it  has  ever 
had  occasion  to  afford.  Apart  from  that  greatest  of 
embellishments  which  a  great  building  receives 
from  an  animated  and  fashionable  throng,  its  every- 
day aspect  was  so  skilfully  and  lavishly  disguised  by 
adornments  of  another  kind  that  it  looked  veritably 
beautiful.  We  ought  at  once  to  say  that  the  super- 
vision of  this  matter  of  decoration  had  been  in  the 
hands  of  Mr.  C.  E.  Mathews,  who  commanded  the 
resources  of  Messrs.  Marris  &  Norton,  of  Birming- 
ham, and  of  Messrs.  Hewitt  &  Co.,  of  Solihull. 
The  floor  of  the  hall  had  the  semblance  of  a  great 
drawing-room.  Its  walls  were  brightened  with 
mirrors  and  sideboards,  and  draped  with  a  blue 
fabric  and  Oriental  curtains  ;  and  it  was  furnished 
not  only,  as  is  customary  on  such  occasions,  beneath 
the  great  gallery,  but  over  the  whole  floor-space, 
large  and  numerous  rugs  softening  the  footfall. 
Beneath  the  orchestra  there  was  a  continuous  line  of 
mirrors,  so  placed  as  to  give  to  the  reflection  an 
effect  almost  kaleidoscopic,  but  prevented  from 
bewildering  the  glance,  because  they  were  recessed 
between  ivied  pillars  of  virgin  cork,  graced  by  a 
growth  of  some  of  the  more  freely-spreading  orchids. 
In  the  corners  below  and  above,  and  across  the 
whole  front  of  the  orchestra,  so  closely  placed  as  to 
conceal  from  sight  the  formal  woodwork,  there  was 
a  charming  arrangement  of  palms  and  poinsettias,  of 
the  pretty  hanging  grass  isolepsis,  and  of  cyclamens, 
marguerites,  euphorbias,  lilies  of  the  valley,  and 
ericas.     Some  choice  orchids  set  off  the  narrow 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    251 

ledge  which  runs  along  the  top  of  the  orchestra 
entablature.  The  lighting  of  the  hall  was  distin- 
guished by  a  somewhat  extensive  employment  of 
incandescent  lamps,  which  served  to  secure — ^what 
is  rare  at  such  gatherings — a  brilliant  illumination 
beneath  the  galleries.  The  most  pleasing  decorative 
morsel,  however,  was  concealed  from  the  public 
view,  and  was  in  the  nature  of  a  small  retiring-room 
for  Mr.  Chamberlain's  party  at  the  entrance.  The 
company  began  to  assemble  at  half-past  seven 
o'clock,  although  the  principal  guests  were  not  to 
arrive  until  a  quarter  to  nine.  But  at  eight  o'clock 
a  concert  programme  began  to  be  rehearsed,  which 
was  just  short  enough  and  choice  enough  to  make 
one  wish  that  it  might  have  been  prolonged.  The 
vocalists  were  Miss  Edwardes,  Mr.  Alfred  Jordan, 
and  Mr.  W.  Lee  Mathews  ;  and  Mr.  C.  W.  Perkins 
contributed  two  organ  solos. 

When  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chamberlain  arrived  they 
were  received  in  the  porch  by  Alderman  Johnson, 
Mr.  C.  E.  Mathews,  and  the  chairmen  of  the  various 
presentation  committees.  Accompanied  by  Messrs. 
Austen  and  Neville  Chamberlain,  by  Miss  Chamber- 
lain and  the  Misses  Ada,  Hilda,  and  Ethel  Chamber- 
lain, by  Lady  Mandeville,  and  by  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Edwardes  (visitors  from  America),  they  advanced 
without  delay  into  the  hall.  A  little  bustle  near  the 
doors  and  a  burst  of  music  from  the  organ,  peaHng 
forth  "  Hail,  Columbia  !  "  apprised  the  assembly 
of  their  arrival,  and  people  rose  to  their  feet  and 
cheered.  The  cheer,  it  is  true,  was  briefer  than  it 
would  have  been  save  for  one  circumstance.     It  is 


252     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

difficult  to  cry  **  Hurrah  !  "  and  impossible  to  clap 
one's  hands  when  busily  engaged  in  adjusting  a 
lorgnette — and  that  was  almost  instantly  the  occupa- 
tion of  the  fairer  section  of  the  audience.  Mrs. 
Chamberlain  was  apparently  armed  against  this 
universal  scrutiny  by  her  own  sense  of  admiration 
for  the  bright  scene  before  her.  That,  and  the 
unmistakable  cordiality  of  the  applause,  combined 
to  heighten  the  fresh  colour  of  her  cheeks,  and  to 
bring  to  her  face  a  singularly  pleasing  smile.  She 
was  dressed  with  much  simplicity  and  taste  in  a  robe 
of  pale-pink  corded  silk,  with  a  plain  body  and 
festooned  skirt.  The  dress  was  set  off  with  a  bow 
of  satin  ribbon  of  the  same  colour,  worn  on  the 
right  shoulder  ;  and  for  ornaments  she  wore  upon 
a  close  coiffure  a  crescent  of  sapphires  and  diamonds, 
upon  the  left  breast  a  diamond  star,  and  round  the 
neck  a  string  of  diamonds.  The  party,  of  which 
she  was  chiefly  the  centre  of  interest,  advanced  up 
the  hall  through  a  lane  of  gazers,  and  stood  for  a  few 
moments  facing  the  assembly  beneath  the  orchestra. 
The  pause  gave  opportunity  for  an  interesting  little 
ceremony,  the  presentation  by  a  young  lady,  the 
daughter  of  Dr.  Hallwright,  of  a  very  pretty  bouquet 
to  Mrs.  Chamberlain.  The  cheering  broke  out 
afresh,  and  with  affirmed  emphasis,  when  they 
moved  towards  the  committee-room  for  the  purpose 
of  ascending  to  their  places.  Upon  the  orchestra 
Lady  Mandeville  sat  next  to  Mrs.  Chamberlain  on 
Mr.  Chamberlain's  right,  and  beyond  her  ladyship 
came  Miss  Chamberlain  and  the  Misses  Chamber- 
lain.   Upon  the  left  were  Mrs.  Stringer,  Alderman 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    253 

Johnson,  Mr.  C.  E.  Mathews,  and  other  gentlemen 
connected  officially  with  the  various  presentations. 
After  another  cheer  the  audience  settled  com- 
fortably down  to  feast  its  eyes  and  ears.  The  making 
of  speeches  continued  for  about  three-quarters  of  an 
hour,  and  was  uniformly  felicitous  and  acceptable. 
Afterwards,  for  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Chamberlain  moved  about  among  the  com- 
pany on  the  floor,  the  one  greeting  old  friends  and 
the  other  making  new  ones. 

Mr.  C.  E.  Mathews  made  the  first  presentation — 
that  of  an  illuminated  address  to  Mr.  Chamberlain 
and  a  necklet  of  rich  Oriental  pearls  to  Mrs.  Cham- 
berlain, on  behalf  of  the  citizens  of  Birmingham. 
He  said  :  Ladies  and  gentlemen, — It  falls  to  my 
lot  to  present  to  Mr.  Chamberlain  an  address  from 
many  hundreds  of  his  fellow-citizens — (cheers) — 
and  signed  on  their  behalf  by  Mr.  Alderman  Johnson, 
chairman  of  the  Executive  Committee  ;  by  Mr. 
Baily  and  Mr.  Barton,  the  hon.  secretaries  ;  by 
myself,  as  chairman  of  the  Address  and  Presentation 
Sub-committee  ;  by  Mr.  David  Davis,  hon.  secretary 
of  that  sub-committee  ;  by  Mr.  G.  H.  Cartland, 
treasurer  and  chairman  of  the  Finance  Sub-com- 
mittee ;  and  by  Mr.  Charles  Harding,  hon.  secretary 
of  that  committee.  (Cheers.)  **  To  the  Right 
Hon.  J.  Chamberlain,  M.P.  Sir, — ^A  large  number 
of  your  fellow-citizens  and  well-wishers  desire  to 
offer  you  a  hearty  and  affectionate  welcome  on  your 
return  from  your  second  visit  to  the  United  States. 
On  your  first  visit  you  were  charged  by  the  British 
Government,  but  with  the  ready  assent  of  men  of 


254     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

all  political  parties,  with  the  conduct  of  a  difficult 
and  delicate  negotiation.     It  is  owing  to  no  fault  of 
yours  that  the  agreement  unanimously  arrived  at 
by  the  chosen  representatives  of  all  Governments 
interested  in  that  question  has  for  the  present  not 
been  ratified  by  the  American  Senate.     It  is  enough 
for  us  to  know  that  you  have  displayed  in  that 
negotiation  your  well-known  qualities  of  sagacity, 
prudence,  and  good  sense,  and  that  you  won  golden 
opinions  from  all  sorts  of  people.     (Cheers.)     Your 
second  visit  was  of  a  purely  domestic  character — 
(loud  cheering) — on  the  result  of  which  we  offer 
you  our  warmest  and  most  sincere  congratulations. 
(Renewed   cheering.)      The   lady   of  your  choice, 
sir,  would  always  be  welcomed  in  Birmingham — 
(cheers) — but  her  welcome  is  the  greater  because 
she  comes  from  amongst  our  own  kinsfolk  across  the 
sea  to  reside  in  a  city  which  has  always  taken  special 
interest  in  the  prosperity  and  welfare  of  America 
and  her  people.     (Cheers.)     We  ask  leave  to  offer 
to  Mrs.  Chamberlain  a  case  of  jewels  ;  but  as  **  to 
loyal  hearts,  the  value  of  all  gifts  must  vary  as  the 
givers,''  we  ask  her  acceptance  of  them  as  some 
token  of  the  cordiality  of  our  welcome,  and  of  the 
depth  of  our  regard.     (Hear,  hear.)     Sir,  in  your 
case,  the  future  counts  for  at  least  as  much  as  the 
past.     We  earnestly  hope  that,  whatever  dignities 
may  be  in  store  for  you,  you  may  always  be  able  to 
promote  the  material  prosperity  and  the  corporate 
usefulness  to  the  city  which  you  have  so  faithfully 
served — (cheers) — and  that  for  many  years  to  come 
you  may  enjoy  to  the  full  that  domestic  tranquillity 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    255 

and  personal  happiness  without  which  all  honours 
that  can  be  conferred,  either  by  State  or  city, 
must  lose  half  their  interest  and  all  their  charm. 
(Cheers.)  Ladies  and  gentlemen,  this  really  ought  to 
have  been  presented  by  my  friend  and  your  friend, 
Mr.  Alderman  Johnson,  the  chairman  of  the  Ex- 
ecutive Committee,  but  it  is  at  his  suggestion  and 
by  his  desire  that  I  now  endeavour  to  express  your 
sentiments  towards  the  distinguished  guests  who 
honour  us  with  their  company  on  this  occasion. 
Your  name,  Mr.  Chamberlain,  is  a  household  word 
amongst  us — (hear,  hear) — and  after  two  visits  to 
the  United  States  you  come  back  again  to  the  city 
of  your  adoption  *'  to  dwell  amongst  your  own 
people."  (Cheers.)  On  the  occasion  of  your  first 
visit  to  the  States  you  went  as  representative  of  this 
country  to  conduct  what  is  rightly  called  in  the 
address  a  difficult  and  delicate  negotiation.  It  is 
not  in  mortals,  sir,  to  command  success,  but  you  at 
least  have  done  your  best  to  deserve  it — (hear,  hear) 
— ^and  you  have  amply  justified  the  confidence 
reposed  in  you  both  by  the  English  Government 
and  the  English  people.  (Cheers.)  Your  second 
visit,  sir,  was,  as  the  address  says,  purely  of  a 
domestic  character,  but  not  less  interesting  to  us 
in  Birmingham  on  that  account.  (Cheers.)  That 
also,  if  I  may  venture  to  say  so,  was  the  outcome  of 
a  fishing  expedition — (a  laugh,  followed  by  loud 
cheering) — entered  into,  I  will  not  say  with  a  more 
definite  purpose,  though  it  certainly  has  received 
a  more  immediate  reward.  (Cheers.)  On  your 
return,  sir,  it  seemed  to  us  that  we  should  be  hiding 


256     WITH   MR.    CHAMBERLAIN   IN   THE 

our  own  feelings  if  we  did  not  offer  to  you  and  to 
Mrs.  Chamberlain  some  sort  of  public  welcome,  if 
we  did  not  assure  you  as  a  statesman  of  our  un- 
shaken confidence — (hear,  hear) — and  as  a  citizen  of 
our  private  esteem.  (Cheers.)  This  meeting,  Mr. 
Chamberlain,  interesting  as  it  is,  has  no  political 
significance.  (Hear,  hear.)  If  some  of  those  who 
in  past  years  have  worked  with  you  in  political  or  in 
municipal  matters  are  not  here  to-night  to  join  in 
our  welcome,  their  absence  is  not  owing  to  any  fault 
of  ours.  (Hear,  hear.)  We  welcome  the  states- 
man who  by  his  power  and  ability  has  won  for  him- 
self with  unusual  rapidity  so  conspicuous  a  place  in 
the  front  rank,  and  who  has  shown  by  the  constant 
and  faithful  discharge  of  his  public  duties  that  he  has 
no  private  interests  to  accomplish  or  personal  ends 
to  serve.  (Cheers.)  Your  political  views,  sir,  for 
the  purposes  of  this  meeting,  may  be  right  or  they 
may  be  wrong.  It  is  enough  for  us  to  say,  in  the 
words  of  that  veteran  statesman,  whose  sick-bed  we 
have  watched  with  such  a  personal  grief — (hear,  hear) 
— and  whose  recovery  we  have  hailed  with  such  a 
personal  joy — (cheers) — that  the  man  who  is  faithful 
to  the  dictates  of  his  own  honest  convictions,  can 
never  be  unfaithful  either  to  his  constituents  or  to 
his  country.  (Cheers.)  In  these  days,  sir,  political 
changes  are  as  sudden  as  they  are  unaccountable. 
(Laughter.)  Political  memories  are  short,  and  the 
friend  of  yesterday  is  but  too  often  the  opponent  of 
to-day,  and  who  shall  venture  to  predict  what  may 
happen  to-morrow  ?  If,  in  the  immediate  future, 
you  should  find  any  defections  in  the  ranks  of  those 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    257 

on  whom  you  once  relied,  then,  sir,  rely  on  the 
closer  confidence  and  the  warmer  sympathy  of  those 
who  are  still  true  to  you.  (Cheers.)  We  welcome 
you,  sir,  as  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  the  most 
patriotic  of  our  local  public  men.  (Hear,  hear.) 
We  have  not  forgotten  the  services  you  have  ren- 
dered to  the  cause  of  education,  or  that  you  were 
three  times  Mayor  of  Birmingham — (cheers) — or 
that  you  recreated,  as  it  were,  our  great  municipality 
— (cheers) — and  that  you  taught  us  that  the  fore- 
most and  best  amongst  us  may  find  in  the  faithful 
discharge  of  municipal  duty  an  ample  field  for 
an  honourable  ambition.  (Cheers.)  Above  all,  sir, 
we  welcome  the  man  who  for  many  years  has  so 
closely  identified  himself  with  the  public  and  the 
private  life  of  Birmingham,  who  has  served  in  his 
own  person  every  honourable  office,  and  has  en- 
deared himself  to  thousands  of  our  people  by 
numberless  instances  of  thoughtfulness,  generosity, 
and  goodwill.  (Cheers.)  And  now,  what  shall  I 
say  of  the  charming  and  winsome  lady — (loud 
cheers) — ^whom  you,  sir,  have  induced  to  leave  her 
home  on  the  other  side  of  the  water,  and  to  take  up 
her  residence  amongst  us.  At  least,  madam,  you 
have  not  come  amongst  strangers — (hear,  hear) — for 
English  and  Americans  can  never  be  strangers  to 
each  other.  (Loud  cheers.)  It  is  true  that  you 
have  left  a  brighter  and  a  sunnier  country  than  ours, 
but  you  have  come  to  a  people  who — ^at  any  rate 
when  you  are  present — ^will  always  carry  plenty  of 
sunshine  in  their  hearts.  (Cheers.)  In  what  words 
shall  I  give  you  the  hearty  greeting  of  this  teeming 

R 


258     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

and  industrious  population  ?  I  know  of  no  sweeter 
words  than  those  which  Shakespeare  puts  into  the 
mouth  of  Lorenzo  when  he  greets  Portia  on  her 
return  to  Belmont — ^words  so  simple  that  every 
child  can  appreciate  them,  and  so  comprehensive 
that  they  need  no  addition  : 

"  Dear  lady,  Welcome  home/' 

(Loud  cheering.)  I  ask  you,  madam,  to  accept  from 
us  our  little  marriage  gift.  Would  that  it  were 
better  than  it  is  !  But  put  into  the  scale  the  good 
wishes  that  accompany  it  and  it  cannot  be  alto- 
gether without  its  value.  (Cheers.)  That  your 
life,  madam,  may  be  as  bright  as  those  gems,  and 
that  you  may  have  a  happy  new  year  for  every  pearl 
upon  that  string — (hear,  hear) — is  the  hearty  aspira- 
tion of  all  those  whom  I  am  privileged  to  represent 
to-day,  who  desire  to  express  to  your  husband  their 
thanks  for  the  past  and  their  hopes  for  the  future, 
and  to  you  their  affectionate  welcome  and  their 
cordial  regard.  (Loud  cheers.)  Mr.  Mathews 
then  presented  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chamberlain  the 
gifts  of  the  citizens. 

Mrs.  E.  H.  Stringer  then  read  the  following 
address  to  Mrs.  Chamberlain,  and  presented  the 
diamond  star  :  '*  Madam, — ^We,  the  Members  of 
the  Women's  Liberal  Unionist  Association  of 
Birmingham,  together  with  some  Conservative 
Unionists  who  desire  to  be  associated  with  us  on 
this  occasion,  offer  you  a  hearty  welcome  and  most 
friendly  greeting.  You  do  not  come  among  us  as 
a  stranger,  for  it  is  our  privilege  to  claim  kinship 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    259 

with  you  on  the  ground  of  a  common  ancestry.  We 
rejoice  in  the  opportunity  of  doing  united  honour 
to  Mr.  Chamberlain  and  yourself.  We  record  with 
deep  gratitude  our  conviction  that  he  has  been  a 
power  for  good  throughout  the  land  ;  that  his  voice 
has  been  heard  by  Hstening  thousands  in  support 
of  those  principles  to  which,  not  England  alone, 
but  every  civilised  country,  owes  its  greatness.  In 
coming  amongst  us  it  is  your  happy  lot  to  be  dowered 
with  that  wealth  of  interest,  sympathy,  and  kindly 
affection  which  Mr.  Chamberlain's  fellow-towns- 
men offer  as  a  marriage  portion  to  his  bride.  We 
pray  that  for  many  years  to  come  his  life  of  patriotic 
service  may  be  continued,  and  that  the  fullest 
measure  of  human  happiness  may  be  granted  to  you 
both.  We  request  your  acceptance  of  the  gift  we 
offer,  believing  that  it  will  have  for  you  a  value 
beyond  that  which  attaches  to  its  intrinsic  worth, 
from  its  being  an  expression  on  our  part  of  warm- 
hearted welcome  to  your  new  home  in  the  old 
country."     (Cheers.) 

Mr.  E.  J.  Smith  said  it  was  his  pleasing  duty  to 
inform  Mr.  Chamberlain  that,  though  his  con- 
stituents cordially  approved  of  the  general  resolution 
of  their  fellow-citizens,  they  did  not  want  to  lose 
their  individuality  in  such  common  action.  Con- 
scious of  the  honour  their  representative  conferred 
upon  them,  they  wanted  their  confidence  in  and 
admiration  and  affection  for  him  to  be  adequately 
expressed.  (Cheers.)  Mr.  Smith  then  formally 
introduced  Mr.  W.  Tonks  and  Councillor  Jacobs, 
and  the  former  gentleman  read  the  address  from 


26o     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

the  constituency,  which  was  as  follows  :  "  From 
the  citizens  of  the  West  Division  of  Birmingham  to 
the  Right  Hon.  Joseph  and  Mrs.  Chamberlain  on 
the  occasion  of  their  marriage. — It  is  with  the  liveliest 
satisfaction  that  we,  the  electors  of  the  West  Division 
of  the  City  of  Birmingham,  offer  you  our  sincere 
congratulations  upon  the  happy  event  of  your 
marriage.  We  ask  you,  madam,  to  accept  our 
respectful  and  hearty  welcome.  You  come  to  our 
island  home  representing  a  noble  family  of  long 
descent  in  a  great  country  connected  with  us  by 
the  nearest  ties  of  race,  and  joining  with  our  own 
in  its  aspirations  for  the  highest  civilisation.  We 
welcome  you  as  the  wife  of  our  member,  whom  we 
have  long  recognised  as  one  of  England's  foremost 
statesmen,  and  who  possesses  to  the  full  our  esteem 
and  confidence.  We  pray  that  every  happiness 
which  heaven  can  bestow  may  be  yours  in  the  new 
sphere  upon  which  you  have  entered.  May  we  ask 
the  acceptance  of  the  suite  of  gold  jewellery  herewith, 
as  a  slight  tangible  expression  of  our  earnest  and 
united  feelings  ?  To  you,  sir,  we  repeat  with 
special  emphasis  the  sentiments  it  has  been  our 
pleasure  and  privilege  to  express  on  other  occasions. 
We  cannot  forget  that  it  was  in  our  midst  that  your 
public  life  began.  As  legislator,  statesman,  and 
orator,  you  enlist  our  highest  sympathies  ;  as  our 
representative  in  Parliament  you  possess  our  entire 
confidence  ;  and  as  one  who  has  lived  and  worked 
so  long  and  so  worthily  amongst  us,  we  offer  you  our 
sincere  and  heartfelt  admiration.  We  pray  that 
God  may  bless  your  union,  and  that  an  illustrious 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    261 

life  may  be  brightened  by  unclouded  domestic 
happiness,  and  by  the  loving  regard  of  a  great 
people.'' — Mr.  E.  J.  Smith,  in  handing  to  Mrs. 
Chamberlain  the  gift  of  jewellery  from  electors,  said 
that  jewels  of  far  more  intrinsic  value  had  been 
presented  that  evening,  but  a  special  claim  was  made 
for  those  from  West  Birmingham  that  placed  them 
in  a  unique  position.  They  were  the  handiwork 
of  Mr.  Chamberlain's  own  constituents,  and  be- 
longed to  a  class  of  jewellery  which  deserved  more 
recognition  than  had  been  given  it.  (Laughter.) 
To  Mrs.  Chamberlain,  he  thought,  their  value 
would  be  higher  from  the  fact  that  they  were  the 
work  of  willing  hands  and  earnest  hearts.  In  every 
thread  of  that  beautiful  and  delicate  work  there  had 
been  woven  a  kindly  wish  and  fervent  hope  for  the 
happiness  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chamberlain.  (Cheers.) 
Mr.  Chamberlain  was  received  with  loud  cheering 
on  rising  to  acknowledge  the  presentations.  He 
said  :  Ladies  and  gentlemen, — You  will  readily 
believe  that  I  do  not  find  it  easy  to  express  the 
feelings  which  have  been  raised  by  the  addresses 
that  have  just  been  read,  and  by  the  cordial  welcome 
which  you  have  given  to  my  wife,  and  the  proofs 
of  continuous  kindness  which  you  have  shown  to 
myself.  I  have  been  accustomed  to  rely  upon  this 
kindness  in  all  the  relations  of  my  life,  and  it  is  quite 
true  that  I  felt  no  little  confidence  that  you  would 
extend  to  Mrs.  Chamberlain  the  regard  you  have 
always  shown  to  me.  (Cheers.)  But  you  have  sur- 
passed my  hope  and  expectations  in  the  warmth  of 
your  greeting,  and  in  the  determination  that  you 


262     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

have  shown  not  to  treat  as  a  stranger  the  kinswoman 
who  comes  to  you  from  across  the  sea,  and  returns 
to  the  country  which  her  ancestors  left  behind  them 
more  than  250  years  ago.  (Cheers.)  She  will  tell 
you  that  we  have  often  talked  of  Birmingham,  and 
that  I  have  dwelt  upon  the  peculiar  closeness  of  the 
ties  which  bind  me  to  this  great  constituency — 
(hear,  hear) — and  now  she  bids  me  say  to  you  that 
she  shares  all  the  interest  that  I  have  ever  felt  in  its 
institutions  and  in  its  people,  in  the  public  and 
private  life  of  the  city  in  which  she  has  elected 
to  dwell.  (Cheers.)  She  accepts  with  the  greatest 
pleasure  the  tokens  of  your  friendship  and  regard. 
She  will  cherish  them  amongst  her  choicest  pos- 
sessions, as  evidence  at  once  of  the  sincerity  with 
which  you  have  welcomed  her  as  a  member  of  this 
great  community,  and  additional  evidence  of  the 
generous  consideration  that  you  have  always  shown 
to  her  husband.  I  have  tried  to  persuade  her — I 
am  not  certain  that  I  have  even  yet  succeeded — 
(laughter) — that  by  her  marriage  she  has  renounced 
the  protection  of  the  flag  under  which  she  was  bom 
— (laughter) — and  has  become  a  British  subject. 
(Hear,  hear.)  But,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  although 
I  neither  hope  nor  expect  to  essen  her  love  for  the 
country  she  has  left — (hear,  hear) — I  know  that  she 
is  prepared  to  take  up  her  life  amongst  us,  in  the 
country  to  which  she  has  come,  in  all  its  fullness,  and 
that  she  will  say  with  Ruth  of  old,  "  Thy  people 
shall  be  my  people."  (Loud  cheers.)  I  noticed 
two  leading  ideas  in  the  addresses  which  have  been 
presented,    and    in    the    graceful    speeches    which 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    263 

accompanied  them  ;  and  upon  these  I  would  say- 
one  or  two  words.  They  emphasize,  in  the  first 
place,  what  I  have  called  the  exceptional  relations 
which  have  always  subsisted  between  Birmingham 
and  myself.  I  have  lived  amongst  you  pretty  nearly 
all  my  life.  All  my  active  work  has  been  done  in 
your  midst  and  inspired  by  your  spirit,  and  that  is 
in  itself  a  little  unusual  in  our  political  history.  In 
America,  I  believe,  it  is  almost  unheard  of  that  any 
man  should  sit  either  for  the  House  of  Represen- 
tatives or  the  Senate  except  as  representing  the 
district  in  which  he  resides.  But  here  the  contrary 
rule  has  almost  prevailed,  and  it  is  very  rare  indeed 
to  find  a  prominent  politician  who  has  had  any 
lengthened  personal  connection  with  the  district 
which  he  represents.  (Hear,  hear.)  I  do  not  know 
what  may  be  the  reason  for  this  difference,  but  I  can 
only  say  for  myself  that  in  my  own  case  all  the 
pleasure  I  have  ever  felt  in  the  political  strife,  all 
the  strength  that  has  been  given  me  to  pursue  it, 
have  been  increased  by  the  sense,  which  has  never 
failed  me,  that  I  have  always  had  behind  me  the 
support,  and  the  encouragement,  and  the  sympathy 
of  my  own  people — (loud  cheers) — of  the  people 
who  know  me  best,  who  have  made  me  what  I  am, 
and  whose  support  has  never  failed  me  in  every 
time  of  difficulty,  and  which  has  laid  me  under  a 
weight  of  obligation  which  I  am  only  too  ready  to 
acknowledge,  and  which  I  can  never  adequately 
repay.  (Cheers.)  No,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  ours 
is  not  a  mere  political  connection.  If  need  were  to 
prove  it,  I  should  find  it  in  your  statement,  Mr. 


264     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

Mathews,  that  to-night  members  of  alKpoHtical 
parties  are  represented.  (Cheers.)  I  say  that  ours 
is  a  relationship  which,  I  think,  I  may  venture  to 
call  a  personal  friendship — (hear,  hear) — and  it  has 
been  cemented  by  many  years  of  mutual  knowledge 
and  mutual  trust  and  confidence.  When  I  have 
been  travelling  out  of  this  country  I  have  had  re- 
peated proofs  of  the  existence  of  this  feeling  in  the 
jfriendly  greetings  of  Birmingham  men  who  have 
seized  the  opportunity — they  being  for  the  time 
voluntarily  expatriated — to  recall  their  associations 
with  the  old  town  and  with  myself ;  and  when 
the  other  day  my  engagement  was  announced  I  had 
numerous  expressions  of  the  same  sentiments  from 
all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men  and  from  many 
distant  places.  And  now  I  cannot  refrain  from 
mentioning  that  within  the  last  day  or  two  I  have 
been  touched  and  gratified  by  a  note  which  I  re- 
ceived from  a  Birmingham  man  in  the  wilds  of 
Canada,  in  a  place  which  only  a  few  years  ago  was 
a  mere  outpost  of  civilisation  among  the  Indians, 
who  sends  me  his  congratulations  and  good  wishes 
and  a  little  token  of  his  regard  and  his  gratitude  in 
the  shape  of  a  sample  of  his  skill.  (Cheers.)  Ladies 
and  gentlemen,  I  am  prouder  of  it,  of  having  excited 
this  feeling  amongst  my  fellow-townsmen,  than  I 
am  of  anything  else  in  my  public  life  ;  and  if  I  have 
ever  been  prompted  to  do  any  service  to  Birming- 
ham, if  any  opportunity  should  hereafter  arise,  I 
say  it  has  been  more  than  repaid  by  the  generous 
recognition  I  have  already  received.  I  know  that 
I  do  not  stand  alone  in  my  devotion  to  our  city. 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    265 

No  Birmingham  man  who  has  been  permitted  to 
take  a  part  in  its  active  busy  Hfe,  who  has  assisted 
in  any  degree  in  its  amazing  development,  but  feels 
that  gratitude  to  the  mother  city  which  is  the  foun- 
dation of  local  patriotism,  which  distinguishes 
Birmingham,  I  think,  above  all  great  cities  of  the 
Empire,  which  has  been  the  secret  of  our  past 
success,  and  which  is  the  earnest  of  our  future 
progress — (cheers) — and  sure  as  I  am  that  you 
share  this  feeling  with  me,  I  join  with  you  in  the 
hope  that  we  may  be  permitted  to  co-operate, 
without  regard  to  differences  on  other  points,  in  the 
endeavour  to  secure  the  prosperity  of  our  town  and 
the  welfare  and  the  happiness  of  the  vast  population 
which  finds  a  home  within  it.  (Hear,  hear.)  The 
other  idea  which  runs  through  the  addresses  which 
have  been  read  is  the  sense  of  kinship  with  the  nation 
across  the  Atlantic  from  which  my  wife  has  come. 
That  is  not  at  all  a  new  feeling  in  Birmingham, 
which  has  always  been  sympathetic  with  the  people 
of  the  United  States,  and  never  more  so  than  in  the 
time  of  their  greatest  trial  in  the  great  crisis  of  the 
union,  when  the  eloquent  voice  of  our  senior  member 
— (cheers) — now,  unfortunately,  hushed  for  a  time 
by  illness,  was  raised  again  and  again  in  this  very  hall 
to  defend  the  integrity  of  the  Republic  against  those 
who  sought  or  who  desired  its  destruction  ;  and 
that  feeling  of  nearness  has  grown,  and  has  been 
constantly  maintained  in  Birmingham,  while  at  the 
same  time  it  has  developed  and  extended  to  the  rest 
of  the  United  Kingdom,  until  at  last  I  believe  there 
is  now  one  sentiment  of  universal  goodwill  and  of 


266     WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN   THE 

pride  in  the  extraordinary  achievements  of  a  kindred 
race,  and  of  their  advance  in  all  that  constitutes  the 
true  greatness  of  a  nation.  How  could  it  be  other- 
wise in  the  case  of  a  country  which  claims  a  common 
ancestry  with  ourselves,  and  whose  laws  and  history, 
whose  speech  and  literature,  whose  religion  and 
social  customs,  constantly  recall  the  common  origin 
of  ties  of  blood  which  bind  us  together  ?  I  believe 
that  now  there  is  not  only  no  class  in  this  country, 
but  there  are  no  individuals  of  the  slightest  promi- 
nence or  importance,  who  would  not  feel  that  a 
serious  quarrel  with  the  United  States  would  be  the 
greatest  national  calamity.  (Cheers.)  Differences 
there  must  be  from  time  to  time  between  two  nations 
whose  enterprise  and  genius  lead  them  into  natural 
competition,  and  whose  interests  touch  at  every 
point ;  but  I  am  convinced  that  it  is  the  firm  de- 
termination of  the  democracies  of  both  countries 
that  these  differences  shall  be  amicably  arranged  by 
their  respective  Governments,  and  that  they  shall 
not  endanger  the  good  relations  which  ought  to 
subsist  between  all  the  branches  of  the  Anglo-Saxon 
race.  (Cheers.)  I  was  animated  by  this  feeling 
when  I  accepted — rather  more  than  a  year  ago — 
the  honourable  mission  with  which  I  was  charged 
by  her  Majesty.  I  venture  to  claim  I  entered  fully 
into  the  spirit  of  that  mission,  both  in  my  public 
and  in  my  private  capacity,  and  I  have  done  all 
that  in  me  lies  to  promote  union — (laughter) — and 
a  good  understanding  between  the  two  countries. 
(Laughter  and  cheers.)  I  was  fortunate  enough  on 
that   occasion   to   make   two   treaties.     (Laughter.) 


UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA    267 

Like  some  greater  men,  my  predecessors  in  diplo- 
macy, I  had  my  secret  compact  as  well  as  the  public 
document  with  which  you  are  all  familiar — 
(laughter) — and  I  am  glad  to  say  that  even  that 
august  body  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  had 
nothing  to  say  to  my  private  negotiations — (cheers) 
— which  you  have  ratified  to-night  by  your  presents 
and  by  these  proceedings.  Ladies  and  gentlemen, 
once  more  I  tender  you,  on  my  wife's  behalf  and 
on  my  own,  our  heartfelt  thanks.  I  beg  you,  Mr. 
Mathews,  to  believe  that  the  beauty  and  the  value  of 
the  gift  which  you  have  presented  are  enhanced  to 
us  by  the  assurance  which  you  have  given  me  that 
my  wife  will  find  a  home  amongst  the  people  of 
Birmingham,  whose  affection  and  regard  she 
earnestly  desires  to  obtain.  (Cheers.)  She  thanks 
you,  Mrs.  Stringer,  and  the  women  of  Birmingham, 
who  joined  with  you  in  your  good  wishes  and 
kindly  expressions  of  welcome.  She  thanks  you  for 
your  gift,  and  for  all  the  kindness  which  accom- 
panies it.  And  she  is  confirmed  in  her  desire  to 
stand  well  with  the  people  of  Birmingham  by  the 
promise  which  you  have  made  her  that  in  future 
the  affectionate  regard  which  has  been  always 
shown  to  her  husband  will  be  now  shared  by  herself. 
(Loud  cheers.)  And  to  you,  Mr.  Smith,  and 
gentlemen,  who  especially  represent  my  own  con- 
stituents in  the  Western  Division,  who  represent 
the  constituency  which  first  called  me  into  public 
life,  which  has  followed  me  since  with  unswerving 
loyalty  and  kindness,  and  which  now  I  have  the 
privilege  of  representing  in  Parliament,  I  desire  to 


268    WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN    IN    THE 

say  that  I  thank  you  and  them  for  the  confidence 
you  have  placed  in  me,  and  that  I  am  proud  of  the 
honour  of  serving  you.  (Cheers.)  We  thank  you 
for  the  gift  which,  as  you  have  said,  will  be  the  more 
highly  valued  by  us,  because  it  is  the  handiwork  of 
those  who  are  in  a  peculiar  sense  connected  with 
me,  because  it  has  been  produced  in  my  own  con- 
stituency. (Cheers.)  And,  in  looking  at  the  work 
itself,  I  am  glad  to  think  that  our  famous  industry 
has  not  declined,  and  that  our  craftsmen  still  retain 
their  ancient  skill.  (Cheers.)  To  one  and  all  our 
thanks  are  due — for  the  gifts  themselves,  for  the 
kind  thoughts  which  have  prompted  them,  for  the 
hearty  welcome  which  is  behind  them.  And  I  can 
assure  you  that,  with  the  deepest  feeling,  we  recipro- 
cate the  good  and  kindly  wishes  and  the  earnest 
hopes  with  which  you  have  accompanied  them. 
(Loud  cheers.) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chamberlain  then  returned  to  the 
floor  of  the  hall,  the  latter  being  conducted  among 
the  visitors  by  Mr.  C.  E.  Mathews,  a  large  number 
of  whom  were  introduced  to  her.  The  company 
shortly  afterwards  broke  up. 

In  December  1896,  I  drew  Mr.  Chamberlain's 
attention  to  a  paragraph  in  a  San  Francisco 
paper  respecting  the  exorbitant  price  he  was 
alleged  to  have  paid  for  an  orchid.  I  think  his 
reply,  which  is  as  follows,  may  be  read  with  some 
interest. 


UNITED    STATES    AND    CANADA    269 

December  9,  1896. 

Dear  Maycock, — The  American  press  con- 
tinues to  be  very  imaginative.  I  have  the  orchid 
for  which  the  Frisco  paper  says  I  paid  $50,000  ; 
but  it  really  cost  me  5^.  !  !  !     Yours  very  truly, 

J.  Chamberlain. 

As  Huntley  Wright  used  to  say,  the  Frisco  editor 
was  "  very  careless  with  his  '  oughts.' " 

One  word  in  conclusion.  It  would  ill  become 
me  to  embark  on  any  eulogy  of  my  former  Chief. 
I  may  safely  leave  that  to  other  pens  than  mine,  and 
to  the  historian  of  the  future,  to  whom  the  contents 
of  this  volume  may  possibly  prove  of  some  little 
service.  But  I  was  struck  with  the  remarkable 
appropriateness  of  a  tribute  paid  to  him  by  Lord 
Robert  Cecil  in  a  speech  he  made  at  Frome  on 
January  13  last,  on  the  occasion  of  Mr.  Chamberlain's 
retirement  from  his  political  career,  and  I  can  think 
of  no  fitter  conclusion  to  the  chapter  in  his  life 
which  I  have,  however  inadequately,  endeavoured 
to  record,  than  by  quoting  Lord  Robert's  own 
felicitous  words  : 

*'  That  very  old  and  trusted  leader  of  our  party 
has  thought  it  necessary  to  announce  his  final 
withdrawal  from  public  life.  It  is  the  closing  of  a 
great  chapter  in  our  history.  It  is  not  for  me,  it 
would  be  a  mere   impertinence  on  my  part,   to 


270         WITH    MR.    CHAMBERLAIN 

attempt  to  praise  so  great  a  man.  His  praise  will  be 
found  written  in  the  history  of  our  country  during  the 
last  generation.  He  is,  after  all,  the  greatest  of  all 
living  men  in  the  political  world,  and  he  is  the  greatest 
not  because  of  his  marvellous  gifts  of  oratory,  his 
extraordinary  lucidity,  and  his  compelling  force,  not 
even  because  of  his  tenacity  and  courage,  or  even 
because  of  that  great  quality  and  that  rare  quality, 
the  quality  of  leadership,  the  quality  we  denominate 
personal  magnetism. 

*'  All  these  things  are  very  great  things,  and  all 
these  things  Mr.  Chamberlain  has  got ;  but  to  my 
mind  his  greatest  claim  on  our  admiration  is  this, 
that  he  was  a  great  idealist,  which  is  another  name 
for  a  great  patriot.  He  put  forward  from  time  to 
time  views  and  opinions  which  he  had  formed  as 
necessary  for  the  greatness  of  our  country,  and  when 
he  had  formed  them  he  was  ready  to  sacrifice  not 
only  his  personal  career  and  his  personal  position — 
for  more  than  once  he  jeopardised  those — but 
everything  else — his  party,  his  personal  ties,  every- 
thing, so  long  as  he  carried  into  effect  that  which  he 
really  believed  was  for  the  good  of  his  country. 
That  is  a  great  quality.  It  argues  a  very  remarkable 
possession  of  the  qualities  of  determination,  of 
courage,  and  of  faith,  and  it  argues  the  possession 
of  that  quality,  which,  after  all,  distinguishes  the 
statesman  from  the  mere  politician.  I  believe  that 
Mr.  Chamberlain  had  all  these  qualities,  and  at  the 
present  crisis  in  the  history  of  our  country  we  can 
ill  spare  so  great  a  man." 


INDEX 


Abrahams,  Mr.  Lewis,  158 
Adams,  Mr.  Charles  F.,  166 

—  Professor  H.  B.,  85 
Agnew,  Dr.  C.  R,,  171 
Allison,  Senator,  59,  64 
Almy,  Admiral,  52 
Amory,  Mrs.,  133  ;    her  story  of 
the  dancing  master's  directions 
as  to  "  balancing,"  133 
"  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians," 

154 
Anderson,  Col.  F.,  171 
Angell,  Mr.  J.  B.,  35,  38,  58,  63, 

67,  71,  73 
Anson,  the  Hon.  H.  J.,  90 
Arlington  Heights,  the,  75 
Arlington  Hotel,  Washington,  32 
Arthur,  President,  his  picture  on 

menu  card,  73 
As  in  a  Looking-Glass  (play),  128 
Atlantic,  the,  horrors  of  passages 

across,  8,  13,  14,  15 
Aurania  s.s.,  241 
Aylesworth,  Sir  Allen,  220 

Bachelors'  Ball,  128 

Ball    at    British    Legation,    124 ; 

Bachelors',  128  ;    at  the  Whit- 

neys,  134 
Baltimore,   visit  to,   84 ;     speech 

by  Mr.  Chamberlain  to  students 

of    Johns  Hopkins  University, 

85    ^ 

Bancroft  Davis,  Judge,  59 

Banjo  songs,  145,  197 

Bankes,  Mrs.,  99 

Bayard,  Mr.  T.  F.,  35,  36  ;  intro- 
duction to,  47,  59,  63,  68,  73, 
i3i>  133,  134,  169,  188,  200,  201 

Bayard,  Miss,  131 

Beale,  General,  52 

Beauclerk,  Mr.  Nelthorpe,  his 
career  in  Diplomatic  Service, 
II  ;    meets  us  at  Washington, 


31  ;  goes  to  Dr.  Jekyll  and  My. 
Hyde,  49,  52,  56,  66,  73  ;   death 
of    his    wife,    120  ;     leaves    for 
England,  127 
Beddall,  Mr.  E.  F.,  170 
Bell,  Dr.  Graham,  134,  136 
Bell,  historical,  at  Independence 

Hall,  Philadelphia,  165 
Belle w,  Mr.  Kyrle,  128,  140 
Ben  Hur,  89 

Bergne,  Sir  Henry,  appointment  as 
Secretary   to   British   Commis- 
sion, 4  ;    his  record  of  service 
and  death,  5,  6  ;    not  a  good 
sailor,   15;    prompter  at  inter- 
view, 43  ;  protocolist  to  British 
Plenipotentiaries     at     Confer- 
ence, 49,  56,  66,  73,  134,  152, 
159,    160,    170,    194,    198,    218, 
221,  248 
Berry,  Mr.,  52 
Bigelow,  Mr.  John,  134 
Birmingham  :    Mr.  Chamberlain's 
departure    from,    9 ;     his    wel- 
come back  to,  221  ;    Mr.  John 
Bright' s  last  pubHc  speech  at, 
225  ;     Mr.   Chamberlain   leaves 
for  Liverpool  en  route  to  New 
York    for    his    wedding,    241  ; 
public  welcome  to  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain and  his  bride,  249 
Blaine,  Mr.,  143 
Blatchford,  Mr.  Justice,  52 
Bonaparte,  Colonel,  52,  128,  145 
Booker,   Sir  Wm.   Lane,   Consul- 
General  at  New  York,  18  ;    his 
Consulate-General,  25,  168,  170 
Braddon,  Miss  M.  E.,  236 
Bradley,  Mr.  Justice,  52 
Breckenridge,  Mr.  W.  C.  P.,  190 
Brevoort  House  Hotel,  New  York, 

18,  86,  168 
Bright,  the  Rt.  Hon.  John,  221  ; 
his  last  public  speech,  225 


271 


272 


INDEX 


British  Legation,  reception  at,  51  ; 

ball  at,  124 
Bugher,  Mr.,  52 
Butler,  Mr.  Sigourney,  59 

—  Senator,  52,  59 
Butterworth,  Mr.,  43 

Call,  Senator,  52 

Cameron,   Major-General   D.    R., 

33,  73 

—  Mrs.  Donald,  57,  152 

—  Senator  Donald,  57,  145 

—  Sir  Roderick,  171 

Canada,  mission  starts  for,  86  ; 
rumour  of  Mr.  Chamberlain's 
appointment  as  Governor-Gen- 
eral, 138 

Canadian  Club  dinner  at  New 
York  postponed,  88  ;  held  at 
Brunswick  Hotel,  169 

Cauda,  Mr.  C.  J.,  170 

Carlisle,  Speaker,  67 

Carroll,  Mrs.  and  Miss,  131 

Carter,  Madame,  52 

Cartwright,  Sir  R.,  96 

Chamberlain,  Mr.  Austen,  198,  251 

—  Mr.  D.  H.,  170 

—  Mr.  Neville,  251 

—  Mr.  R.,  9 

—  the  Misses,  251,  252 

—  the  Rt.  Hon.  Joseph :  his 
appointment,  i,  4 ;  departure 
from  Birmingham  and  his  fare- 
well speech,  9  ;  a  good  sailor, 
15 ;  bored  by  attentions  in 
smoking  saloon,  16 ;  inter- 
viewed on  reaching  New  York, 

"t8  ;  guest  of  New  York  Cham- 
ber of  Commerce,  28  ;  remark- 
able feat  of  memory  qu&  a 
quotation,  28  ;  dislike  to  being 
"  shadowed  "  by  detectives,  29  ; 
interview  with  an  Irishman 
outside  Delmonico's,  30 ;  do. 
with  pressmen  at  Washington, 
39 ;  goes  to  Dr.  Jekyll  and  Mr. 
Hyde,  49 ;  Miss  Tiffany  says 
"  he's  just  lovely,"  50  ;  first 
introduction  to  Miss  Endicott, 
53  ;  visits  the  Great  Falls  of 
Potomac,  56  ;  partakes  of  an 
orchid  dinner  given  by  Messrs. 
Angell  and  Putnam,  58  ;  at  the 
conference,  62  :   dines  with  Col. 


John  Hay  to  meet  Senators, 
63  ;  entertained  at  banquet  by 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whitney,  67  ; 
gives  banquet  to  his  American 
colleagues  at  the  Arlington,  71  ; 
visits  George  Washington's 
home  at  Mount  Vernon,  75  ; 
visits  Baltimore,  84  ;  interview 
with  pressmen  at  New  York, 
86 ;  his  rapidity  in  reading 
books,  89 ;  interview  with 
pressmen  at  Ottawa,  94  ;  tries 
his  hand  at  curling  with  Lord 
Lansdowne,  95  ;  visits  public 
buildings  in  Toronto,  99  ;  guest 
of  Toronto  Board  of  Trade,  and 
imposing  speech  at  banquet, 
100-112  ;  hailed  by  a  Birming- 
ham man  at  Toronto,  "  Same 
old  Joe,"  113;  attired  in  tar- 
paulin, goes  under  the  Horse- 
shoe Fall  at  Niagara,  114  ;  his 
coolness  in  a  dangerous  incident 
at  Niagara,  117  ;  started  life  in 
the  shoe  trade,  117;  visit  to 
the  Senate  at  Washington,  120  ; 
press  allegation  of  abuse  of 
Senate  floor,  121  ;  attends  ball 
at  Legation,  126  ;  dines  with 
Mr.  Bayard,  128  ;  dines  with 
Col.  John  Hay,  128  ;  attends 
reception  at  the  White  House, 
129  ;    dines  with  the  President, 

134  ;  gives  second  banquet  at 
the  ArUngton,  134 ;  diagnosis 
of  his  character  by  palmistry, 

135  ;    his  luck  at  Monte  Carlo, 

136  ;  speaks  into  a  phonograph, 
136 ;  his  rumoured  appoint- 
ment to  be  Governor-General 
of  Canada,  138;  annoyed  by 
scurrilous  and  unfounded  press 
allusions  to  his  attentions  to 
Miss  Endicott,  139  ;  rebuffs  an 
ill-timed  speech  by  one  of  his 
guests,  143  ;  his  views  on  result 
of  negotiations,  150,  161  ;  his 
participation  in  the  gaieties  of 
the  Washington  season,  151  ; 
his  welcome  at  Philadeljphia, 
155  ;  banquet  by  St.  George's 
Society,  and  speech  at  Phila- 
delphia, 156-163 ;  recognises 
"  Sons  of  St.  George  "  whom  he 


INDEX 


273 


had  instructed  at  Birmingham 
as  boys,  163  ;  dines  with  Mr. 
George  W.  Childs,  165  ;  ban- 
quet to,  by  Canadian  Club, 
New  York,  169-190  ;  his  speech 
at,  173  ;  tells  me  of  his  engage- 
ment to  Miss  Endicott,  192  ; 
takes  the  chair  at  concert  on 
s.s.  Umbvia,  196 ;  appreciates 
the  banjo,  197  ;  we  regretfully 
take  leave  of  him  at  Liverpool, 
198 ;  his  despatch  to  Lord 
Salisbury  respecting  proceed- 
ings of  mission,  215  ;  his  wel- 
come on  return  to  Birmingham, 
221  ;  accorded  freedom  of  the 
borough,  221  ;  banquet  to,  at 
Town  Hall,  221  ;  speech,  222  ; 
leaves  for  New  York  by  Au- 
rania,  in  my  name,  to  be  mar- 
ried, 241  ;  his  marriage,  248  ; 
public  welcome  at  Birmingham 
on  return  with  his  wife,  249  ; 
his  speech  in  acknowledging 
presentations,  261  ;  apprecia- 
tion of  his  character  and  poli- 
tical career  by  Lord  Robert 
Cecil,  269 
Chapleau,  the  Hon.  J.  A.,  91 
Chaudiere  Falls  at  Ottawa,  91 
Chestnut  Park,  Toronto,  98 
Chew,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John,  52 
Childs,  Mr.  George  W.  :  his 
"Museum"  at  Philadelphia, 
163 ;  memorial  windows  in 
Westminster  Abbey  to  Cowper 
and  Herbert  erected  by,  164  ; 
provided  fountain  at  Stratford- 
on-Avon,  164  ;  our  dinner  with 
him  and  prominent  people  at, 
165,  166 
Chinaman     and     electric     tram, 

story  of,  147 
Chipman,  Mr.,  33,  72 
Christmas  Day,  1887,  96 
Clan  na  Gael,  the,  30 
Clay,  Henry,  picture  on  menu,  73 
Cleveland,  Mrs.  Grover,  48,  131, 
138 
—  President  Grover,  47,  50,  131 
Clipperton,   Captain  Charles,   31, 

153,  164,  166 
Clovelly,  stay  at,  prior  to  depar- 
ture, 8 


"  C.M.G.,"  how  Lord  Lansdowne 
announced  its  bestowal  on  me, 
91 

CoUings,  Mr.  Jesse,  9,  198 

CoUyer,  Rev.  Robert,  170,  190 

Commercial  Union,  United  States 
and  Canada, 20, 43,  94,  96,  102— 
112  ;   Mr.  Bright  on,  228 

Concerts  on  the  voyages,  16,  196, 
197 

Conference,  first  meeting  of,  49  ; 
particulars  of  room  in  which  it 
was  held,  62  ;  adjourned  for 
Christmas,  74  ;  resumes  labours, 
128  ;  resume  of  its  work,  177- 
187  ;  nearly  comes  to  a  dead- 
lock at  one  time,  199  ;  results 
of  labours  in  detail,  199-220 

Cook,  Captain,  of  the  Etruria, 
stories  of,  12,  13  ;  Bergne  and 
I  take  leave  of  him,  26 

—  Mr.  Joel,  Times  correspon- 
dent, 149  ;  his  articles  on  "  A 
Visit  to  the  States,"  149,  159, 
166 

Cooley,  Judge,  59 

Cost  of  mission,  237 

Courtney,  Mr.,  73 

"  Cumberland,"  the.  Lord  Lans- 
downe's  car,  97,  113,  118,  119 

Cuming,  Mr.  James  R.,  170 

Curling  at  Ottawa,  95,  96 

Curzon  of  Kedleston,  Lord,  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Leiter,  129 

Dachshunds,  27 

Dale,  Dr.,  221 

Davis,  Judge  John,  59,  128,  134, 

145 

—  Mrs.  John,  59,  128,  145,  152 
Delmonico's,  meals  at,  25,  26,  27 
Depew,  Mr.  Chauncey  M.,  87 
Detectives  :  Pinkerton's  men  who 

were  attached  to  mission,  29  ; 
none  with  Mr.  Chamberlain  on 
his  marriage  journey,  244 

Dickens,  Charles  :  his  vivid  de- 
scription of  an  Atlantic  pas- 
sage, 14 

Dixon,  Mr.  George,  153 

Dobson,  Mr.  Austin,  26 

Dolph,  Senator,  52 

Dorothy  (play),  127 

Dougherty,  Mr.  Daniel,  166 

s 


274 


INDEX 


Drexel,  Mr.  A.   J.  :    visit  to  his 
bank  at  Philadelphia,  164,  i66 
Driver,  Mr.  W.  R.,  170 
Dr.  Jekyll  and  Mr.  Hyde  (play),  49 
Dugdale,  Mrs.  Stratford,  52,  57 
Dyas,  Miss  Ada,  66 
Dyott,  Mr.  George,  168 

Edison,  Mr.  Thomas  Alva,  136, 
167,  168 

Edmunds,  Senator,  64 

Edwardes,  the  Hon.  Henry,  18  ; 
Mr.  Chamberlain  dines  with,  at 
Delmonico's,  25,  49,  73,  86,  138, 

145,  251 

—  the  Hon.  Mrs.  H.,  127,  192, 
193,  251 

Edye,  Mr.  H.  O.  W.,  170 

Endicott,  Miss  Mary  E.,  52  ;  her 
first  introduction  to  Mr.  Cham- 
berlain, 53  ;  her  characteristics, 
53,  54  ;  her  first  visit  to  Eng- 
land, 55,  138  ;  Mr.  Chamberlain 
tells  me  of  his  engagement  to, 
192  ;  reasons  for  its  being  tem- 
porarily kept  secret,  193 

—  Mrs.,  53,  55 

—  Mr.  W.,  48,  138 

—  Mr.  W.  C,  52,  54  ;  his  death, 
54  ;  his  visit  to  England  with 
his  daughter,  55,  66,  67,  145 

Etruria  s.s.,  the,  12 
Eustis,  Mr.  George,  52 
Evarts,  Senator,  64,  66,  147 

Fairchild,  Mr.,  67,  131,  171 
Ferguson,  Mr.  Munro-,  M.P.,  52, 

57 

Fergusson,  Sir  James  :  my  asso- 
ciation with  him,  6  ;  his  sup- 
port of  my  appointment,  7,  238 

Field,  Mr.  Dudley,  25 

—  Mr.  Justice,  59,  134 
Fishery  Question  :    how  it  stood 

in  1887,  I  ;  interview  with  New 
York  reporters  on,  22 ;  no 
likelihood  of  its  leading  to  war, 
45  ;  resume  of  result  of  con- 
ference, 173,  175 ;  texts  of 
instruments  signed,  202,  212  ; 
subsequent  questions  referred 
to  Hague  Tribunal  for  arbitra- 
ment, 220  ;  finally  settled  by 
treaty  of  19 12,  220  ;  Mr.  John 
Bright    on,    227 ;      debate    in 


Parliament  on  vote  for  cost  of 

mission,  237 
Fitler,  Mayor  of  Philadelphia,  156, 

164,  166 
Forbes,  Mrs.,  52 
Foster,  Mr.  George  E,,  73, 170,  187 

—  Mr.  John  W.,  ex-Minister  of 
U.S.  in  Spain,  52 

Franklin,  Admiral,  52,  68 

—  Benjamin,  72 

Funny  Folks,  facetious  imaginary 
interview  with  "  Mi'.  Willoughby 
Joecock,"  246 

Galt,  Mr.  Justice,  99 

—  Sir  Alexander,  99,  170 
Gardner,  Miss,  130 

Garfield,  President,  spot  where 
shot,  32 

Gilder,  Mr.,  editor  of  the  Century 
Magazine,  26 

Gilman,  President  of  Johns  Hop- 
kins University,  84 

Gladstone,  Mr.:  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain's relations  with,  46,  88 ; 
allusion  to,  by  a  senator,  143 

Gleichen,  Count,  married  to  Miss 
Edwardes,  127 

Gould,  Sir  F.  C,  50 

Graham,  Mr.  Wallace,  Q.C.,  34 

Grain,    Corney :     his    songs,    17, 

145 
Grant,  Miss  Ad^le,  59,  128,  132 

—  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  145 

—  President  Ulysses  :  his  tomb 
and  memorable  funeral,  27,  55  ; 
his  picture  on  menu,  72 

Gray,  Mr.  Justice,  59 
Grey,  Sir  Edward,  90 
Guest,  Mr.  Arthur,  59,  128 
Guiteau,    assassin    of    President 

Garfield  :  attempt  by  sentry  on 

his    life,    32 ;     the    rope    that 

hanged  him,  32 
Guzman,  Senor,  52 
Gwjoin,  Miss,  59  ;    her  diagnosis 

of  Mr.  Chamberlain's  palms  and 

of  mine,  135,  148 

Hale,  Senator,  59,  64 

Hallen,  Dr.  T.,  171 

Hamilton,  halt  at,  en  route  to 
Niagara;  deputation  from  the 
Mayor  and  Faculty  of  Univer- 
sity, 113 


INDEX 


275 


Hammersley,  Mrs.,  marries  late 
Duke  of  Marlborough,  26 

Harmony,  Commodore,  59 

Harrisburg,  our  car  strikes  a 
bridge  near,  118 

Hawley,  Senator,  64 

Hay,  Col.  John,  52,  56  ;  we  dine 
with  him  to  meet  party  of 
senators,  63  ;  his  Life  of  Lin- 
coln, 64  ;   his  career  and  works, 

64  ;  his  appointment  as  Am- 
bassador to  the  English  Court, 

65  ;  his  death,  66  ;  his  daughter 
marries  Mr.  Whitney,  70  ;  Mr. 
Chamberlain  dines  with  him, 
128 

Hay,  Sir  William  Dalrymple,  8 
"  Haycock,"  Mr.,  48,  138 
Hayes,  President,  65 
Herbert,  Sir  Arthur,  153 
Hewitt,  Mayor  of  New  York,  170, 

190 
Herschell,  Lord,  55 
Highbury,  visits  to,  221,  248 
Hinde,  Captain  F.  H.,  of  Pinker- 
ton's  Detective  Agency,  29,  114, 

117,  118 
Hitt,  Mr.,  52,  68,  145 
Hoar,  Senator,  64 
Hoare,  Mr.  W.  R.,  170 
Hofman,  Joseph,  148 
"  Honours  "  or  "  cash  "  :    why  I 

chose  the  latter,  195,  196 
Hooker,  Mrs. :    she  and  I  have  a 

thrilling   experience    at   Romeo 

and  Juliet,  140 
Horticultural  Hall,  Philadelphia, 

160 
Hunt,  the  Misses,  52,  68 

Ice  Palace  at  Montreal,  89 
Ince,  Mr.  Wm.,  100 
Independence  Hall,  Philadelphia, 

165 

Ingalls,  Mr.,  President  of  the 
Senate,  120,  122,  123,  124 

Irish  Question,  the :  interview 
with  New  York  reporters  on 
arrival,  23  ;  Mr.  Chamberlain 
asked  not  to  forget  "  ould  Ire- 
land," 30  ;  Mr.  Chamberlain's 
views  on  Home  Rule,  46  ;  the 
Irish  vote  in  connection  with 
Presidential  election,  193 


Irving,  Sir  Henry,  Mr.  Cham- 
berlain and  I  call  upon,  25, 
164 

Jacobs,  Councillor,  259 
Jenkins,  Mr.,  73 
Jim  the  Penman  (play),  66 
Johnson,  Alderman,  252,  253,  255 

—  Mr.  Reverdy,  85 

—  Miss,  130 

—  Mr.  George,  34,  73 
Jordan,  Mr.  C.  N.,  170 

Kearney,  Mr.  Dennis,  132 
Kirkpatrick,  the  late  Sir  George, 
99 

Labouchere,  Mr.  Henry  :  dinner 
with,  236  ;  his  views  on  Em- 
bassies and  Special  missions, 
237  ;  opposes  vote  for  cost  of 
our  mission,  237  ;  his  hostility 
to  Mr.  Chamberlain,  240 

Lamar,  Mr.,  28 

Lament,  Mrs.,  131 

Lane,  Mr.  Jona't±Lan  A.,  170 

Lang,  Mr.  Henry,  170 

Langevin,  Sir  Hector,  91 

Langtry,  Mrs.,  127,  128 

Lansdowne,  the  Marquess  of,  86, 
90  ;  gives  Mr.  Chamberlain  a 
lesson  in  curling,  95 

Earned,  Mr.  J.  E.,  170 

Lauder,  Archbishop,  92 

Laughton,  Mrs.  M.,  68 

Lawson,  Mr.  John  L.,  159,  160 

Leamington,  I  startle  my  mother 
by  my  obesity  on  return  to,  83 

Lees,  Mr.  Samuel,  153,  156 

Leiter,  Mr.,  Mrs.,  and  Miss,  128, 
129 

Lewis,  Bishop,  92 

Liberty,  the  Statue  of,  particulars 
of,  17 

Lincoln,  Dr.  N.  S.,  50,  52 

—  President,  Life  of,  by  Hay 
and  Nicolay,  64 

Lindsay,  the  Hon.  R.  C,  57 

Liverpool,  arrival  at  and  departure 
from,  1 1  ;  arrival  at,  on  return, 
198 

Loring,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  145 

Lovell,  Mr.  J.  W.,  170 

Lucas,  Mr.  John,  153,  163 


276 


INDEX 


Macdonald,  Sir  John,  92,  93,  200 

Machine  for  cutting  48,000  hnes 
on  an  inch  of  glass,  84 

MacKean,  Mr.  W.  V.,  166 

Maccomb,  Miss,  52,  59 

Macpherson,  Sir  D.,  98,  99 

MacVeagh,  Mr.  Wayne,  166 

Madelon  (play),  86 

Mandeville,  Lady,  251,  252 

Manhattan  Club,  dinner  at,  25 

Manhattan  U.S.  revenue  cutter 
meets  us  at  New  York,  18 

Mansfield,  Mr.  Richard,  49 

Marlborough,  Duke  of,  25  ;  mar- 
riage with  Mrs.  Hammersley,  26 

Martin,  Mr,  and  Mrs.  Bradley,  191 

Match-box,  story  of  one  that  was 
lost  and  found,  60 

McCauley,  Mrs.  {see  Mrs.  John 
Davis),  61 

McClure,  Colonel  A.  K.,  166 

McGuckin,  Mr.  Barton,  16 

McLean,  Mr.  John,  52 

McMickan,  Captain,  of  ss;  Umbria, 
191 

Mathews,  Mr.  C.  E.,  250,  253,  267 

Matthews,  Justice,  52 

Menus :  at  Mr.  Chamberlain's 
banquet  to  his  American  col- 
leagues, 72,  73  ;  at  Phila- 
delphia, 156 

Meux,  Lady,  delight  at  Volodyov- 
ski's  victory  in  the  Derby,  71 

Miller,  Mr.,  a  good  racquet  player, 

168 
—  Mr.  Justice,  59 

Modus  Vivendi,  text  of,  212,  217, 
219 

"  Mollie  Maguires,"  154 

Montgomery  Bridge,  our  car 
strikes  it,  119 

Montreal,  departure  for,  88  ;  the 
Ice  Palace  at,  89 

Moore,  Mr.  John  B.,  49  ;  his  work 
on  extradition,  49,  73 

Morgan,  Rev.  D.  P.,  170 

Morley,  Mr.  John,  88 

Mount  Vernon,  trip  to,  75  ;  group 
taken  in  front  of  house,  75  ; 
description  of,  75  ;  Washing- 
ton's tomb  at,  76  ;  his  wife's,  77 

"  Mugwumps,"  143 

Mumaga,  Senor,  52 

Murray,  Sir  George,  7 


Negroes  at  hotel,  33,  146 

New  York  :  our  ten  days'  sojourn 
there  on  arrival,  25  ;  last  day 
in,  29  ;  return  to,  86  ;  return 
to,  en  route  home,  168  ;  Mr. 
Chamberlain's  arrival  at,  on  his 
wedding  mission,  amusing  ac- 
count in  New  York  World — 
"  Maycock  is  Chamberlain,"  242 

Niagara,  113  ;  we  go  under  the 
falls,  114;  a  perilous  drive  at, 
116  ;  we  leave  for  Washington, 
118 

Niblo's  theatre,  27 

Nicolay,  Mr.  John  G.,  64 

Niles,  Mr.  N.,  170 

Nixon,  Mr.,  52 

Orchid  dinner  given  by  Messrs. 

Angell    and    Putnam    to    Mr. 

Chamberlain,  58  ;    price  of  one 

specimen,  268 
Ottawa,  arrival  at,  89  ;  Chaudiere 

Falls  at,  91 

Page,  the  Misses,  52 
Paget,  Mrs.  Almeric,  70 
Pakenham,  Mr.  H.  A.,  90 
Palmer,  Senator,  59 
Parkes,  Sir  Henry,  234 
Parliament,  debate  in,  on  vote  for 

cost  of  mission,  237 
Paulton,  Mr.  Harry,  127 
Pauncefote,  Sir  Julian,  37 
Paxson,  Judge,  166 
Payne,  Miss  Flora,  70 
Peabody,  Mr.  G.,  philanthropist, 

related  to  Mrs.   Endicott,   53  ; 

monument  to,  at  Baltimore,  84 
Pepper,  Dr.  Wm.,  166 
Phelps,  Mr.  Dudley,  170 
Philadelphia,  31,  153-167 
Phonograph,   curious  purpose  to 

which  it  was  applied,  137 
Pike  County  Ballads,  65 
Pinkerton,    Robert,   presents   me 

with  a  set  of  his  father's  works 

on  Criminology,  30 
Plays  visited  :    Railroad  of  Love, 

30  ;  Dr.  Jekyll  and  Mr.  Hyde, 

49 ;      /«w    the    Penman,     66  ; 

Madelon,    86  ;     Dorothy,    127 ; 

As    in    a    Looking-Glass,    128 ; 

Romeo  and  Juliet,  140 


INDEX 


277 


Pollack,  Mr.  Maurice,  221 
Poole,  Sir  James,  11 
Porter,  General  Horace,  166,  170 
Potomac,  Great  Falls  of,  56 
Potter,  Mrs.  Brown,  128,  140 
Preston,  Mr.,  130 
—  Professor  Thos.  J  ex,  48 
Pruyn,  Mrs.,  52 
Public  Ledger,  Philadelphia  paper, 

163 
Putnam,  Mr.  W.  L.,  35,  37,  58, 

63,  68,  71,  73 

"  Quaker  City,"  the,  153,  167 
Queenstown,   arrival  at  and   de- 
parture from,  13  ;  arrival  at,  on 
homeward  journey,  197 

Railroad  of  Love  (play),  30 

Rainsford,  Rev.  Dr.  S.,  170 

Randolph,  Mrs.,  second  wife  of 
Mr.  W.  C.  Whitney,  70 

Recognition  of  Bergne's  and  my 
services,  194,  195,  218 

Rehan,  Miss  Ada,  30 

Reid,  Mr.  Whitelaw  :  we  go  to 
his  box  at  the  opera,  24,  65 

Reuterskiold,  Monsieur,  52,  145 

Rhinelander,  Miss,  52 

Rideau  Hall,  Ottawa,  90 

Rider,  Mr.  Dudley,  57 

Riggs,  Mr.  Frank,  52 

Roberts,  Mr.  George  B.,  166,  168 

Robertson,  Mr.  Ian  Forbes,  66 

"  Rocked  in  the  Cradle  of  the 
Deep  "  :  inappropriateness  of 
lines  to  the  Atlantic  passage,  14 

Rodgers,  Admiral,  59 

Romeo  and  Juliet,  a  thrilling  ex- 
perience at  matinee  of,  140 

Romero,  Senor,  52,  125 

Rosengarten,  Mr.  J.  G.,  166 

Rouston,  Mr.,  52 

Russell,  Miss  Lillian,  127 

St.  George's  Society,  153  ;  its 
history  and  objects,  154  ;  their 
hall,  156 ;  they  banquet  Mr. 
Chamberlain  at  Philadelphia, 
156 

Sala,  Count,  52 

Sands,  Miss,  52 

Schurman,  Professor  J.  G.,  170, 
190 


Sea-sickness,     peppermint     as     a 

remedy  for,  15 
Senate,  alleged  abuse  of  privilege 

of  floor  of,  121 
Senator ,  ill-timed/speech  by, 

and  its  sequel,  142  '' 
Sheridan,  General  P.  H.,  52,  55 
Sherman,  General,  55 

—  Miss,    interviews    herself   for 
the  press,  56 

—  Senator  John,  56,  64,  121 
Sickles,  General  Daniel,  65 
Siegfried  (opera),  27 
Skating  at  Ottawa,  95,  96 
Slater,  Mrs.,  135 

Slavery,  abolition  of,  the  original 
draft  of  Lincoln's  proclamation, 

64 
Sloane,  Mrs.,  130 
Smith,  Mr.  Chas.  Emory,  166 

—  Mr.  E.  J.,  259,  267 

—  Mr.  Lindley,  166 

—  Mr.  Wm.,  ex-Canadian  Min- 
ister of  Marine,  18 

Snowden,  Col.  L.,  166 

"  Sons  of  St.  George,"  Order  of, 
153  ;  its  composition  and  ob- 
jects, 154,  160  ;  we  shake  hands 
with  two  thousand  of  them,  163 

Speech,  Mr.  Chamberlain's  com- 
pliments on  one  of  mine,  166 

Spring  Rice,  Sir  Cecil,  31,  52,  59, 
73,  138,  153     "^ 

Stanley,  Dean,  visit  to  America, 

163 

Stevens,  Mrs.  Paran,  25,  242,  245 

Stewart,  Mr.,  73 

Stone,  Miss,  65 

"  Store  clothes,"  female  pas- 
sengers attired  in,  on  arrival 
at  New  York,  17 

Streatfeild,  Col.,  89,  90 

Stringer,  Mrs.,  252,  258 

Tainter,  Professor,  136  ;  sells  a 
phonograph,  and  curious  pur- 
pose to  which  it  was  applied  by 
the  purchaser,  137 

Tannhduser  (opera),  24 

Terrapin  and  Canvas-back  duck, 
26 

Thompson,  the  Hon.  J.  S.  D.,  33, 

59,  73 
Thomson,  Mr.  Frank,  166 


278 


INDEX 


Tiller,  Senator,  120 

Tonks,  Mr.  W.,  259 

Toronto,  departure  for,  97  ;  stay 
with  Sir  D.  Macpherson  at,  98  ; 
banquet  given  by  Board  of 
Trade,  100 

Townsend,  Mrs.,  145 

Treaties  :  those  which  related  to 
the  Fishery  Question,  2  ;  sove- 
reign power  to  conclude,  in 
England,  44  ;  signature  of  our 
treaty,  149  ;  review  of,  175  ; 
text  of,  202  ;  passed  by  Legis- 
latures of  Canada  and  New- 
foundland, but  rejected  by 
American  Senate,  218 ;  final 
treaty  of  1912,  220 

Tupper,  Sir  Charles  :  allusion  to 
characteristics  of  fishermen,  3  ; 
appointment  as  Plenipotentiary, 
4,  23  ;  detained  in  Canada  by 
election,  29  ;  arrival  at  Wash- 
ington, 33 ;  goes  to  Dr.  Jekyll 
and  Mr.  Hyde,  49;  58,  62,  68, 
73,  94,  126,  134,  169,  187,  200, 
217,  220 

Umbria  s.s.,  191 

Vail,  Mr.  Theodore  N.,  170 

Vanderbilt,  Miss,  70 

Van  Home,  Mr.,  100 

Victoria,  Queen,  Sulley's  portrait 

of,  at  Philadelphia,  156 
Vilas,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  130 
Volodyovski  wins  the  Derby,  71 
Volta  Laboratory  for  phonographs, 

136 
Von  Zedwitz,  Baron,  52 
Voorhees,  Senator,  120,  121,  122, 

124 

Waite,  Chief  Justice,  59 
Wallach,  Mrs,,  145,  152 
Waller,  Miss,  130 
Warner,  Dr.  and  Mrs.,  131 
Washington,  arrival  at,  31  ;   great 

heat  in  November,  50  ;    gaiety 

of  season  at,  and  our  regrets  at 

leaving,  151 
Washington,  George,  visit  to  his 

home  at  Mount  Vernon,  75 
Washington    Posty    amusing    de- 


scription of  our  personal  attri- 
butes in,  79 

Waterall,  Mr.  Wm.,  159 

Webb,  Matthew,  115 

Wendell,  Mr.  Jacob,  170 

West,  Miss  Amelia,  51,  126 

—  Miss  Flora,  51,  126 

—  Miss  Sackville,  35,  51,  52, 124, 
125,  126 

—  Sir  Lionel  Sackville,  appoint- 
ment as  Plenipotentiary,  4 ; 
meets  Mr.  Chamberlain  at 
Washington,  31  ;  his  reticence, 
34 ;  his  daughters,  35  ;  pre- 
sents us  to  Mr.  Bayard,  47  ;  at 
the  Legation  reception,  51,  59, 
62,  68,  73,  134,  153,  201,  217, 

243 
Westcott,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  130 
Whale,  a,  16 
Wharton,  Mr.,   57  ;   his  work  on 

International  law,  58,  134 
White  House,  the,  47  ;  diplomatic 

reception  at,  129 
Whitney,  Mrs.,  52,  56,  70, 131, 132, 

145 

—  Mr.  H.  Payne,  70,  71 

—  Mr.  W,  C.  :  his  work  when 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  67  ;  his 
banquet  to  Mr.  Chamberlain, 
67  ;  his  record  and  great  wealth, 
69  ;  his  marriages,  70  ;  wins 
Enghsh  Derby  with  Volodyovski, 
71  ;   his  death,  71,  133 

Williams,  Mr.  Geo.  G.,  170 

—  Mr.  J.  H.,  153,  160,  163 

—  Mr.  Powell,  9 
Willis,  Mr.  Edgar  A.,  171 
Wilmington,  153 
Wilson,  Mr.  George,  171 

—  Mrs.  John  M.,  130 
Wiman,  Mr.  Erastus,  43,  169,  172 
Wines,  "different"   and  "indif- 
ferent," Senator  Evarts  on,  147 

Winslow,  Miss,  131,  132,  191 
Winter,  the  Hon.  J.  S.,  38,  73,  218 
Witridge,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  27 

Yates,  Mr.  Edmund :  resemb- 
blance  of,  to  Mr.  Grover  Cleve- 
land, 48  ;  asks  me  to  send  him 
some  notes  for  The  World,  50 

Young,  Mr.  John  Russell,  166 


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