Lord Rosebery has written a letter to Captain Hedworth Lambton
which is, in effect, a party manifesto. It is an interesting document, for it shows that Lord Rosebery has not left either politics or the Liberal party, but means if he can to found an Imperialist group within that party whick. shall gradually eat up the other groups. In the present situation of the world, says Lord Rosebery, he would vote for almost any strong Administration, but the present Govern- ment is strong only in votes. "In other respects it is the weakest that I can recollect." " Nor could I support a Government which has neglected that, social. legislation for which the country calls and to which it was pledged ; which has so managed foreign affairs as to alienate all foreign nations while keeping our own in a hurricane of dis- quietude and distrust, and which by its want of mili- tary foresight and preparation exposed this country to humiliations unparalleled in our history since the American War." Lord Rosebery goes on to declare that neither in social legislation nor in administrative reform—"more especially at the War Office "—is there anything to be hoped from the present Government. Lord Rosebery grossly ex- aggerates the weakness and the mistakes of the present Government, but we fear his words will have a bad effect on many voters in view of the failure of the Government to give any pledgee in regard to reconstruction. Electors will have it dinned into their ears by the skilful electioneerere on the other side that it is no use to say that the Government are going to make a fresh start, for they will not even admit that there is any need for reforming the Cabinet.
