Passing on to foreign affairs, the Prime Minister became still
more optimistic,—perhaps a little too much so. He was certain that the great Governments wished for peace, and though there were "faults," geological faults, in the inter- national system, especially at points where higher civilisations came in contact with lower, he Was confident that when " inevitable " dangers arose the Concert of Europe could still be maintained. He could see no danger that menaced peace. He complimented Lord Lansdowne on his skill in arranging the Japanese Alliance, and keeping the Yangtsze-kiang open; and concluded by a strong appeal to the peoples of the world for mutual toleration, so as to allow the Concert to be in future what it had been in the past, a grand instrument for maintaining the peace of the world. Incidentally, Mr. Balfour snubbed the Press, with perhaps needless sharpness, for its "fantastic imaginings" about the purposes of the German Rmperor's visit to "his nearest relative." He did not pre- cisely say so, but he obviously wished it to be inferred that it was kinship which induced our illustrious guest to visit the King, to ask for the presence of many British Ministers, and to confer at length with Lord Lansdowne and Mr. Chamberlain.
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