1903] Oliver Howard 47 



hard to swallow, and that the only thing that makes it possible for 

 them is the idea that the settlement is a final one of the whole land 

 quarrel, and that unless the Irish members will declare in this sense 

 there will be a revolt. The situation, therefore, is very critical, and if 

 you can do anything to make the Irish leaders understand how not only 

 I but the whole cause of Irish land legislation may be wrecked by a 

 lack of discretion on this particular head you will be doing a good 

 service, and you may use your discretion about our talk. I have twice 

 thought of my own resignation and political ruin a certainty, and it 

 may be so yet. But if it happens it will equally ruin Irish hopes, for 

 they will never again find an Irish Secretary who, with my example 

 before him, will dare to risk so much or go so far. Of course I quite 

 understand that the present vote may really not be quite final. The 

 millions may not prove quite enough, and perhaps in a few years 

 three or four millions may be necessary. But when the time comes 

 and the thing has proved a success nobody will then grudge a supple- 

 ment. Only, to declare now that it is only an instalment and not 

 final would ruin everything and we could not pass the Bill.' 



" We then went on to talk about possible Home Rule in some form 

 as an ultimate result of the peace to be established in Ireland between 

 landlords and tenants, and he admitted that, if all united in demanding it, 

 it could not be refused. Indeed, George admits himself to be theoret- 

 ically a Home Ruler, though he does not consider Home Rule as yet 

 within the range of practical politics. The less said about it just now 

 the better. 



" Lastly, he told me how he had captured certain Irish millionaires, 

 and induced them to put their capital into Irish concerns. Lord Iveagh 

 had promised to finance a motor company for the sale of agricultural 

 produce, and an Irish American publisher had offered him £100,000 

 for any enterprise he liked, suggesting a paper mill on the Shannon. 

 This done, I went home and tried to find Redmond, and made an 

 arrangement with his wife to lunch with them to-morrow, and I am 

 to report progress to Sibell and George at breakfast on Friday. 



" 1st April. — Oliver Howard called on me this morning to talk over 

 his plan of going to Nigeria. Being tired of London and domestic 

 happiness, and being Chamberlain's private secretary at the Colonial 

 Office, he has volunteered for service under Lugard. Lugard has just 

 made a raid on Kano and Sokoto, mopping up both kingdoms ' in Im- 

 perial interests.' Nothing with less excuse has been perpetrated in 

 the history of British aggression. The two States, say with twenty 

 millions of inhabitants, were happy and prosperous, and peaceable, 

 carrying on industries established and flourishing for a thousand years, 

 and now, to gratify Lugard's ambition, they are to be annexed to the 

 pitiful British Empire, and all the English world is pleased. Oliver 



