Lord Ripon, speaking at Bolton on Monday, made a reply
in the calmest possible terms to Lord Randolph Churchill's indecent attack on him in the House of Commons. He showed that the retirement from Candahar was a step essential to our chance of regaining the friendship of Afghanistan, and that, in fact, we had enormously strengthened our relations with Afghanistan by taking that step. He showed that though he had been overruled by the Government at home as to pressing on the Quetta Rail- way,—the Government deeming that course inexpedient at a time when Afghanistan was so suspicions of us and so excited against ns,—he, as Viceroy, had always approved the construction of the Quetta Railway, and that it had been resumed in 1884. He showed that as regarded his financial policy, he had only carried out what Lord Lytton's Government had begun, as well in striking off the cotton-duties and greatly diminishing the Customs-duties, as in allowing the balances accumulated in the local treasuries to be expended on public works. And he showed that, so far from his having reduced the effective strength of the Army in India, he had most carefully and jealously guarded it, though the Administration at home had made a blunder as to the estab- lishment necessary to provide reliefs for the British Army in India. This, however, was an administrative blunder at home, and not one for which the Indian Government was in any way
responsible. The speech was almost too calm and rational an answer to such a critic as Lord Randolph Churchill. If it be true that you should not cast pearls before swine, it is perhaps also true that to argue seriously with Lord Randolph Churchill is a waste of resources. He will trample them under his feet, and turn again and do what in him lies to rend Lord Ripon.
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