Wednesday's Times contains a letter on the Congo question signed
by a very large number of representative persons. The letter expresses the deep satisfaction with which the signatories have perused Sir Edward Grey's reply to the Belgian Government's Memorandum on the Congo problem. They endorse the Foreign Secretary's statement, made in the House of Commons last February, that "no external question for at least thirty years had moved the country so strongly and so vehemently." That movement was the outcome, not only of indignation at the almost incredible barbarities inflicted upon the natives, but was also based on the conviction that the principles and practices of the Congo Government threaten the peoples and natural resources of Central Africa with destruction. We cannot find room to print the very remarkable list of persons whose names are appended to the letter, but may note that they include Lord Cromer, Lord Balfour of Burleigh, many of the Bishops and Nonconformist leaders, and a large number of Members of Parliament, civic authorities, members of Chambers of Commerce, editors of newspapers, other men of influence in the country, and "honourable women not a few."
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