Speaking before an audience such as this. I should wish, if
I had time, my Lord Mayor, also to demonstrate to this
great assemblage that« in my opinion, India is a country
where much greater openings for the investment of capital
would lie in the future than has been hitherto the case, and
where a great future of industrial and commercial exploitation
lies before us. Then, agai(}, how familiar we are in recent
times with the argument that India is the vulnerable
point of the Empire. And assuredly it is true that if
vre were engaged in a great international w^r-><vhiqh
God forbid— rit is not at Dover nor London that one, at
jmy rate, of your pqss-ible antagonists would strike. He
would not boinbard Quebec or land a force in Sydney Bar
hour. It is in Asia that the pressqre wquld be applied ; it is
your Indian frontier that would bearNche brunt. It is there
or thereabouts, that in all probability the future of your
dchminion might be decided. There Is an old proverb which
aays, "He that England fain would win, must ^ith Ireland first
begin." I have always thought that this was rather a
dubious compliment to our brothers across St. George's
Channel, but I suppose it alludes to the times when*the
foreign invader who had aggressive intentions upon*" us used
to begin his invasion in that quarter. At all events, if you
were now to substitute •• India" for «• Ireland*' in the refrain,
I do not think you would be so very far from the mark. (Hear '
hear). I hope I have said enough, therefor^, my lords and
gentlemen (cries of ♦« Go on**)— I only meant at this stage of
my obseriwtions (laughter)— to show you that you cannot



SPdlECH At THE GUJtLDrtALL. 33^

afford to leave Inch'a out of your calculations^ She is as
im{)ortant to you as you are beneti^al to her, (Here, here).
