Joseph Chamberlain's Speech In Edinburgh Oct 25, 1901

Joseph Chamberlain's Speech In Edinburgh Oct 25, 1901

Author: The Times Newspaper

Year: 1901

Joseph Chamberlain (1836–1914) was a British statesman who was first a radical Liberal, then a Liberal Unionist after opposing home rule for Ireland, and eventually was a leading imperialist in coalition with the Conservatives. This speech caused a disruption in Anglo-German relations, as recounted in: "The Tragedy of Edward VII" by W. H. Edwards (page 219-220). https://archive.org/details/the-tragedy-of-edward-vii%2Fpage%2F219%2Fmode%2F2up_The_Kaiser_Wilhelm_II_took_deep_offence_at_the_following_wording_from_the_speech_quoted_below._His_uncle_the_King_of_England_Edward_VII_reponded_indignantly._Under_the_sub-title_%26quot%3BTHE_GOVERNMENT%26#039;S CONDUCT OF THE WAR." "Well, ladies and gentlemen, there is no subject which has given us greater anxiety, more serious consideration. I think that the time has come — is coming — when measures of greater severity may be necessary (“ Hear, hear,” and cheers) and if that time comes we can find precedents for anything that we may do in the action of those nations who now criticize our “ barbarity ” and “ cruelty,” but whose example in Poland, in the Caucasus, in Almeria, in Tongking*, in Bosnia, in the Franco-German war, whose example we have never even approached