Mr. Asquith, speaking at a Liberal meeting at Oldham on
Saturday last, devoted his attention mainly to the war and the settlement. While deprecating exaggerated pessimism, and insisting on the irrevocable necessity of annexation, with as its corollary the refusal to regrant independence, Mr. Asquith appealed to the Government to state the policy of this country as regarded the future of South Africa in terms of unmistakable clearness and unquestionable authority. The Duke of Devonshire, speaking the same day at East- bourne at a distribution of war medals to the Sussex Engineer Volunteers, dealt with the renewal of negotiations in such a way as to furnish an answer to Mr. Asquith. Speaking for the Government, as opposed to those who believed that the war might at once be ended by the offer of negotiations, or by a renewed statement of the terms open to the Boers as soon as they laid down their arms, he said :—" We, on the other hand, believe that nothing could tend more to the prolongation of the present guerilla warfare than any action on our part which might induce the Boer leaders to believe that anything is to be gained by the continuance of these hostilities."
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