7 SEPTEMBER 1889, Page 3

Lord Cross said that the British people ought not to

be ashamed to be great. It is great, and should not be shame- faced about it, but let the world know that it recognises its own greatness, and means to maintain it. That is true enough, but there are different ways of doing this for different peoples. Perhaps the most characteristic way in which Englishmen do it is to grumble that they are so small, and get into a pet with themselves for not being greater. After all, we may, perhaps, in that way maintain greatness better than by praising to the skies " the glorious institutions of our great and happy country." Lord Cross spoke well of the hastily passed Technical Education Act, and entreated his audience to make full use of it in training the artisans and agriculturists. Then referring to his own special department, he denied that we had annexed Cashmere, though we had been obliged to send a Resident there to protect the people from very gross oppression. The Maharajah would be allowed to take the government back the moment it was clear that he intended to abandon his oppressive ways and to govern in the interests of his people.