LETTERS TO TIIE EDITOR.
LORD ROSEBERY AND PEACE.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR,—An important feature in Lord Rosebery's speech at Chesterfield has scarcely, I think, received the attention it deserves. It is his reference to peace. Lord Rosebery said that he did not think the Government were as anxious to make peace as he was. Surely there cannot be the smallest founda- tion for that belief. The vast sums which are being raised to carry on the war, the drain of men from almost every family circle in the United Kingdom, the grievous loss of life, and the long list of wounded must of necessity tend to lessen the popularity of the Government. Looking at the question from the lowest standpoint, no one can fail to see that on the ground of expediency alone it is enormously to the advantage of the Government that the war should speedily be brought to a close. But was Lord Rosebery wise in making what was almost a fervent appeal to the Government for peace ? It does not require great statesmanship, but a very ordinary observa- tion of human affairs, to know that a firm front is usually more successful in disputes than weak overtures. Lord Rosebery says that although the Government have with- drawn the terms of March, the Boers can always have them for the asking. Very likely, but is it prudent to tell them so ? If the Boers feel that they can at any time obtain that minimum, will they not continue fighting on the chance of something better being given to them ? The effect of Lord Rosebery s peace suggestions on the Boer mind was seen a few days after his speech. Mr. Wolmarans, one of the Boer delegates in Europe, stated to a representative in Paris of the New York Herald that ".if England would send to Holland authorised representatives furnished with England's terms as a basis for peace negotiations, the Boer delegates could receive them, and state their desiderata, and in that way endeavour to end the war." That is the Boer answer to Lord Rosebery's overtures. It is almost what one would have expected. There is only one way for England to finish the war. It is, as Abraham Lincoln said, ." to keep pegging away,- and to insist firmly on unconditional surrender. And Lord Rosebery will do a greater service to the cause of peace if he impresses upon the Boers that the resources of the Empire will be un- sparingly used to this end, than by using words which may possibly encourage them to hope for terms which they will
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