The guests at the annual Guildhall banquet of November 9th
were addressed, among others, by the Premier, the American Ambassador, and the Lord Chief Justice. Of Mr. Balfour's graceful, eloquent, and evasive speech we have perhaps said enough elsewhere, and need only remark here that its general effect was optimistic as regards international affairs. There are "clouds," that is admitted, but, in the Premier's opinion, they will pass away. Mr. Choate was, as usual, humorous, but he fell into a serious strain in his most cordial and admiring tribute to Sir Michael Herbert and his peculiar charm, "a rare and rich product of English culture and English race." He proposed indeed—nay, practically promised—that the highest 'mountain on the new boundary line to be delimited under the Alaskan award should be named "Mount Herbert." Nothing, he said, preserved a name like planting it " on some great landmark on the face of the globe,"—which is, we suppose, true, though not one American in ten can say exactly who Amerigo Vespucci was, and half the world believes that St. Petersburg was named after the saint, and not the Emperor. The Lord Chief Justice's speech was made notable by one fine sentence, which is also a fine epigram. " If," he said, referring to the Alaskan award, " you do not want a judicial decision, do not ask British Judges to be members of the Court,"—a caution it may be well for future Foreign Secretaries to remember.
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