31 JULY 1909, Page 3

On Wednesday a banquet was given at the Guildhall by

the British Empire League and the British Science Guild to inaugurate the British Empire Club.• General Smuts, in a very interesting speech, said he was certain that if a small amount of the experience which South Africa had gone through could be at the disposal of Englishmen, it would teach wisdom to some of them. The long immunity from invasion which Britain had enjoyed had certain disadvantages. Ho had heard that some people had been lulled into a sense of absolute security. They did not know what war meant. He hoped the British people would learn more and more to defend themselves. In that way they could avoid war, which he hoped and prayed might never visit these islands.