2 DECEMBER 1899, Page 19

One other point in Mr. Chamberlain's second speech must be

noticed, for he dealt with the attacks of the foreign Press, which had not spared "the to us almost sacred person of the Queen." "These attacks upon her Majesty, whether as ruler of this Imperial State, or still more as woman, have provoked in this country a natural indignation which will have serious consequences if our neighbours do not mend their manners." It was human of Mr. Chamberlain to speak thus, but we think he was on surer ground when he declared that we do wrong to pay too much attention to the utterances of the foreign Press. "It is not like our own. It does not in any case represent the feeling of the Goverments of those great countries. It does not represent the feelings of the most intelligent, of the best, or even the majority of the people of the countries in which those papers are printed." Mr. Chamberlain, always happy in quotation, ended by quoting Canning's lines on the abuse showered on Pitt :— "Proceed; be more opprobrious if you can.

Proceed; be more abusive every hour.

To be more stupid is beyond your power."

In confirmation of Mr. Chamberlain's remarks we may note the excellent little ipeech of the French Naval Attaché at the Temple Yacht Club dinner on Thursday, in which he warmly repudiated the abuse of the Queen.