ought to be done," he said to the astonished seaman ; "and now go downstairs and tell them to fill it up again, and to give you another for yourself. Say it was I who drank it; that they shouldn't mind, for it really tasted very good." Not less is his care for the sailors' food, and he not infrequently surprises the cook in the kitchen. Observing a sailor with his ration, he will say: "Let me see what you have for dinner to-day." Beans again, your Majesty," recently replied one with a melancholy countenance. "Indeed! Well, go and tell the cook that I also beg of him a ration." When not taking part in public functions he is a perfectly natural man, with nothing of the poseur about him. He frequently acts on first impulses, more particularly in his private relations. As is well known, he loves to surprise friends, and frequently brings about humorous situations. While at Kiel last fall he pulled the door bell of his uncle's house when he was least expected. An unsophisticated maid opened the door, and, on beholding the Emperor, shut it quickly in his face, shouting at the top of her voice, "Um des himmels willen es ist der Kaiser!" to the great enjoyment of THE IMPERIAL THRONE. sonal relations. He And this reminds me a recent incident illustr tive of the devotion love which unites Imperial couple. W on his way to catch th royal train, and still ha half an hour to spare, stopped for a chat w the Austrian Ambassador In the midst of the am mated conversation which followed, the Emper suddenly pulled out his watch and exclaimed with unfeigned consternation very much as any othe good and dutiful husband would: "The devil! I am too late pray connect your telephone with the castle, that I may bid wife good-bye; my tram is waiting.". The connec tion was promptly effected and the Empress's reply has not been recorded; but it is reported that the Emperor's countenance appeared a shade less placid than before the electric current was turned on. Presently came the sound of a carriage rolling at op speed. It stopped, and out jumped the Empress n morning negligée. She threw her arms round his heck and kissed him repeatedly, then turned to the Ambassador and said, "I beg Austro-Hungary's pardon." Though Germany's wealth is by no means equal to her strength, nor to be compared with that of England or the United States or even France, yet so considerable have been the national savings, so relatively light is the burden of her public debts, and so elastic is her financial situation, that she may fairly be described as fully prepared for even a protracted war. As the nucleus of a nilitary chest Germany has her so-called Kriegsschatz, or war treasure, of six million sterling, lying in coin gold in the Julius tower at Spandau. It is less generally known that there is another resource which is available in a national emergency. After the war of 1870-71 there was set apart a fund of some forty-nine million sterling in high-class bonds, the interest of which has been used for the payment of military pensions. In case of need these bonds could easily be turned into ready money, while the pensions could be transferred to the Budget charges. ment. At present it slightly exceeds three hundred and twelve million sterling, with an interest charge of a little over twelve million sterling; but the outgo of this account is more than counterbalanced by revenues from public properties, the net income from State railways in the last fiscal year having reached almost eighteen millions sterling. There is, moreover, a net profit of more than three and a quarter million a year from State domains, forests, mines, and iron and salt works. So, too, in the Bavarian Budget of some sixteen and a quarter millions sterling there figures on the credit side a net income of three millions from public property. The Empire itself has property in the railways of Alsace and Lorraine, which yields a net income of a million and a quarter pounds, as also in the earnings of the Imperial banks. At peace with all the world, with a brilliant record achieved since Bismarck's secession, and graduated in the school of hard experience, this model father and sensible ruler was forty years of age on the 27th day of January, 1899. Measured by what he has accomplished in the short space of his reign, what may not be expected of this indefatigable worker in the future? THE CRUSADE OF PEACE. 1. THE PROCLAIMING OF WAR AGAINST I1 WAR. T is not once in twenty years that the nation bestirs itself to give direct and emphatic utterance to its views on public questions. At a General Election, of course, when there is direct formal appeal for an expression of opinion at the ballot-box, the nation speaks, as it can speak at no other time. But excepting at a General Election, there has been no occasion of late years in which the English people have expressed so general, so clear, and so unmistakable an opinion upon any question of general public interest as they have done since the year began on this question of Peace. It is twenty-three years since the English masses were stirred to the depths and the popular heart wrung to utterance at public meetings by the pressure of a great emotion. The Bulgarian Atrocity Agitation of 1876, which shattered the Anglo-Turkish Alliance, and rendered possible the emancipation of Bulgaria, is remembered to this day as the supreme illustration of the power of the public meeting, and the latest possibility of evoking a response from the democracy of England so imperious as to silence all controversy. But although the ordinary newspaper reader may not realise it, the expression of public opinion evoked by the Peace Crusade far exceeds in volume, in universality, and in national, as distinct from party character, the great movement which is associated with the name of Mr. Gladstone. at I can speak with some authority on this point, because it has been my privilege to take part in both of these movements. I was practically Mr. Gladstone's lieutenant for the North of England in the Bulgarian movement, and the North of England was the stronghold and headquarters of the whole agitation. It began at a town's meeting in Darlington, and it was Darlington where time and again, when the flame had flickered out in other places, we reillumined the sacred fire. In all the north country, from Hull to Berwick, there was hardly a single public meeting held with which I had not something to do, and I was in close and constant correspondence with the leaders of the agitation in all other parts of the country. I am therefore in a position to speak with some knowledge of the comparative strength of the two movements. There is no doubt whatever as to the superiority of the later movement. It is true that we have not the fierce stimulus of a sense of overpowering horror which was supplied by the letters in the Daily News describing the Horrors in Bulgaria. It is equally true that we have not had the immense reinforcement of Mr. Gladstone's pamphlet and Mr. Gladstone's eloquence. Neither have we had the adventitious aid of the sympathies of a party organisation such as that which rallied to the support of the Bulgarians as soon as Mr. Gladstone definitely declared himself. We did our best to keep the Bulgarian movement free from party taint. But from the moment Mr. Disraeli sneered at the reports of the massacres as coffee house babble, and offered an uncompromising opposition to the movement, it was impossible to keep party out of it. We were all either for Gladstone or for Beaconsfield, and the agitation which at first was national tended more and mere become partisan. In the Peace Crusade we have none of these a titious aids. The men who sit where once Mr. Gladst sat have been dumb. There has been no terr panorama of unspeakable atrocities to open the slug imagination of the masses to realise the truth. Abest there has been no appeal to party passion, pr prejudice, or party enthusiasm. The movement : indeed been to a very large extent directly opposed to party interests of many of the more active membe It has been, on the whole, remarkable for nothin much as the uniform and unanimous support which i afforded Lord Salisbury and Mr. Balfour as oppose the more bellicose tendencies represented by Chamberlain and Lord Rosebery. Not that any one attacked or even named either one or the other of i two statesmen. Only the meetings have resounded the praises of Lord Salisbury, while the tone in rel to all the others has been one of disappointment regret. The contrast between the Bulgarian Agitat of 1876 and the Peace Crusade of 1899 is very cle illustrated by comparing the number of town's meetin held this year and those summoned twenty-th years ago. We began with town's meetings in but very soon the meetings came to be summer under the auspices of the local Liberal Associat This year we have not had a single meet": summoned by any political association whatever. Whe they have not been town's meetings-and they have often been town's meetings-they have been p meetings summoned without distinction of party cr sect. It is true, no doubt, that both Mr. Corrie Grz and myself are Liberals and Nonconformists. Chairman of the General Council is the Bishop of Londo The Crusade started with the assurance of the effecti co-operation of the Pope, and it has been publicly bless by Positivists and Agnostics. The treasurer. Marquis of Bristol, is a Conservative, and Lord Gr who is one of the most useful and energetic of all Crusaders, is a strong Unionist. Bett For those of our readers who do not appreciate th difference between a town's meeting and an ordinan public meeting, it may be well to explain that the town meeting is the ancient constitutional method by whic the whole of the citizens are summoned to give form and public expression to their views upon any questi of public or private interest. The machinery is simple Any ratepayer or householder, within the limits of the town, can draw up a requisition to the mayor, calit upon him to summon a meeting of the burgesses to consider such and such a question of publi importance. The requisition is then taken roun to the leading citizens, who are asked to appen their signatures. As a rule the heads of the local politica associations and the leading ministers of religion are approached first, while afterwards any citizen of influent. and repute can sign. The requisition is then presented to the mayor, who from his local knowledge can see at i glance whether the requisition is really representative of the burgesses as a whole, or whether it emanates only from one party or sect. If he thinks that it is not presentative or influential enough he refuses to comply ith the prayer of the memorialists. He may also he pleases, like Lord Sandwich and the Lord Pro>st of Edinburgh, refuse to summon the meeting r other reasons which he need not state unless e chooses. But if he is satisfied that the memorialts really do represent the burgesses, then he underikes the duty of giving effect to their wishes. He ppoints a day for the meeting, he advertises it, and he laces the town hall at the disposal of the memorialists. is the cost falls upon the rates, no more formal direct nd public challenge could be made to any who dissent rom the policy of the requisitionists. The meeting is pen to every one. There are no reserved seats, no ickets, no charges for admission. When the hour rrives, the town clerk reads aloud the summons to the neeting, the mayor, in his robe and chain of office, takes he chair. Any burgess is free to move an amendment, every one is challenged by an "ay" and "no" vote to answer o the resolution. No machinery could be suggested vhich is at once so simple, so constitutional, so public, and so certain to provoke the maximum of opposition—if opposition there be to the promoters of the meeting. Yet the town's meetings which have been held have been singularly unanimous. In one or two cases where an amendment was proposed, it did not secure a score of supporters. Everywhere the citizens when in public meeting assembled were overwhelmingly pacific, and in many places they manifested quite an unexpected sympathy, not merely with Russia, but also with France. II. THE LITURGY OF THE CRUSADE. The Peace Crusade is in its essence a spiritual revival, a revival of the fundamental ethics which lie at the basis not only of all religion, but of all human society. It has its own liturgy with its lessons, its psalms, its texts, its gospel, its consecration service, and its vows of obedience. The best way to give an idea of the spirit that lies at the back of this Holy War is to print as in the form of a liturgy. FOR ENCOURAGEMENT. Wait on the Lord be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord.-Psalm xxvii. 14. Awake, why sleepest Thou, O Lord? Arise, cast us not off for ever. Wherefore hidest Thou Thy face, and forgettest cur affliction and our oppression? For our soul is bowed down to the dust our belly cleaveth unto the earth. Arise for our help, and redeem us for Thy mercies' sake.-Psalm xliv. 23-26. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.---Psalm xlvi. 6, 9.11. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him; all nations shal! serve him. For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.—Psalm lxxii. 11, 12. FOR REMEMBRANCE. By RUDYARD KIPLING. God of our fathers, known of old- The captains and the kings depart- An humble and a contrite heart. On dune and headland sinks the fire- Is one with Nineveh and Tyre! Judge of the Nations, spare us yet, Lest we forget-lest we forget! If, drunk with sight of power, we loose Wild tongues that have not Thce in awe- Such boasting as the Gentiles use Or lesser breeds without the Law- In reeking tube and iron shard- And guarding calls not Thee to guard— For frantic boast and foolish word, Thy Mercy on Thy People, Lord! Amen. THE RESCRIPT. They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.John vii. 52. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man (Saul of Tarsus), how much evil he hath done to thy saints And here he hath authority from the chief at Jerusalem. But the Lord said priests to bind all that call on thy name. unto him, Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.-Acts ix. 13-15. Extract from the Russian Rescript of August 24th, addressed by Count Mouravieff to all the Governments accredited to the Russian Court : "The maintenance of general peace and a possible reduction of the excessive armaments which weigh upon all nations present themselves, in the existing condition of the whole world, as the ideal towards which the endeavours of all governments should be directed. "The humanitarian and magnanimous ideas of His Majesty the Emperor, my august master, have been won over to this view. In the conviction that this lofty aim is in conformity with the most essential interests and the legitimate views of all Powers, the Imperial Government thinks that the present moment would be very favourable to seeking, by means of international discussion, the more effectual means of ensuring to all peoples the benefits of a real and durable peace, and, above all, of putting an end to the progressive development of the present armaments. "To put an end to these incessant armaments and to seek the means of warding off the calamities which are threatening the whole world, such is the supreme duty which is to-day imposed on all States. "Filled with this idea, his Majesty has been pleased to order me to propose to all the Governments whose representatives are accredited to the Imperial Court the meeting of a Conference which would have to occupy itself with this grave problem. "This Conference would be, by the help of God, a happy presage for the century which is about to open. It would converge in one powerful focus the efforts of all the States which are sincerely seeking to make the great conception of universal peace triumph over the elements of trouble and discord. "It would, at the same time, cement their agreement by a corporate consecration of the principles of equity and right, on which rest the security of States and the welfare of peoples." NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION. "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" Once to every man and nation comes the moment to decide, In the strife of Truth with Falsehood, for the good or evil side; Some great cause, God's new Messiah, offering each the bloom or blight, Parts the goats upon the left hand, and the sheep upon the right; And the choice goes by for ever 'twixt that darkness and that light. Hast thou chosen, O my people, on whose party thou shalt stand, Ere the Doom from its worn sandals shakes the dust against our land? * Then to side with Truth is noble, when we share her wretched crust, Ere her cause bring fame and profit, and 'tis prosperous to be just; Then it is the brave man chooses, while the coward stands aside, While the hooting mob of yesterday in silent awe return, THE RESPONSE OF THE GOVERNMENT. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dreamed. Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing. Then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad.-Psalm cxxvi. 1--3. Lord Salisbury, writing on October 24th, assured the Russian Government of the cordial sympathy of Her Majesty's Government with the objects and intentions of his Imperial Majesty. That this sympathy is not co fined to the Government, but is equally shared by por... opinion in this country, has been strikingly manif since the Emperor's proposal has been made gener known by the very numerous resolutions passed by pol meetings and societies in the United Kingdom. Th are, indeed, few nations, if any, which, both on grounds feeling and interest, are more concerned in the mar tenance of general Peace than is Great Britain. The statements which constitute the grounds of Emperor's proposal are but too well justified. It unfortunately true that while the desire for the m tenance of Peace is generally professed, and while, in i serious and successful efforts have on more than recent occasion been made with that object by Great Powers, there has been a constant tendency of part of almost every nation to increase its armed for and to add to an already vast expenditure on appliances of war. The perfection of the instrume thus brought into use, their extreme costliness, the horrible carnage and destruction which w ensue from their employment on a large s have acted no doubt as a serious deterrent war. But the burdens imposed by this process the populations affected must, if prolonged, produc feeling of unrest and discontent, menacing both to inte and external tranquillity. Her Majesty's Government will gladly co-operate the proposed effort to provide a remedy for this evil: if, in any degree, it succeeds, they feel that the Sover to whose suggestion it is due will have richly earned gratitude of the world at large. THE APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE. The following Appeal to the People has been draw and ordered to be issued by the General Committe the International Crusade of Peace on December 251898 : "We appeal to our fellow-citizens, especially to all thos positions of influence and authority, on a subject of the gri importance to our national and social life. "The Emperor of Russia, by inviting the Governm.n conference to arrest the growth of armaments, gives the per an opportunity of which it is their manifest duty to take pr advantage. In the words of John Morley, Never was moment more opportune.' "By the resolute and zealous co-operation of public opi expressed with no uncertain sound through its recogs channels of the press, the pulpit, and the platform, and by votes of representative bodies, the noble initiative of the Emper will be crowned with success, and the Peace Conference w realise the fruitful results which it is designed to secure. "We would, therefore, earnestly recommend that not should be lost in making the response of the nations manifes audible, and universal by every available constitutional mes especially by town and district meetings summoned by mayors or chairmen on requisition of the householders for purpose of passing resolutions :-(1) In support of the objec the Rescript; (2) To strengthen Her Majesty's Ministers in the expressed intention of giving energetic and hearty support to th proposals of the Emperor; (3) To elect representatives to the national convention charged with the arrangement of the inter national pilgrimage of peace. 66 We, therefore, earnestly appeal to all our fellow-citizens, ac ing without party or sectarian bias, to co-operate as speedily as possible in the effort now being made to secure such a vigore and comprehensive expression of the will of the people as assure to Her Majesty's Government the support of the nation realising the earnest desire of the Tsar that something practical shall be done.' Signed on behalf of the General Committee by |