116 LIFE OF SIR JOHN LUBBOCK ch. 



High Elms had been in progress — ^the building of 

 a new wing of bedrooms and a verandah under 

 which to sit in summer. The day after returning 

 to St. James's Square he was at High Elms, 

 where he says that he " found the work sadly 

 behind." 



All other public interests were naturally 

 eclipsed at this time by the uncertainty whether 

 President Kruger seriously intended to force, or 

 face, a war or was merely playing a big game of 

 bluff up to the last moment. When the war 

 actually broke out Sir John felt that the City 

 ought to give the weight of their moral support 

 to Government, and wrote to the Lord Mayor : 



11 Oct. 1899. 



My dear Lord Mayor — I write a line to suggest that 

 we should have a meeting of citizens in the Guildhall to 

 support Her Majesty's Government in the crisis now 

 forced upon us. 



Mr. Kruger, without waiting to hear the proposals of 

 Government to mitigate the acknowledged grievances of 

 our countrymen and of foreigners (French, Germans, 

 Russians and others) in the Transvaal, has thought fit 

 to issue an uncourteous ultimatum presuming to dictate 

 to her Majesty where we may or may not send our own 

 troops in our own country, and threatening war if we 

 do not at once submit. Under these circumstances I 

 believe that you would be acting in accordance with the 

 general wishes of the City if you were to call a meeting 

 in the Guildhall, and that such a summons from you 

 would meet with a hearty and enthusiastic support from 

 the citizens of London. — Yours sincerely, 



J. Lubbock. 



The Lord Mayor at once consented, and the 

 meeting was a great success. 



Towards the end of the year Sir Stafford 

 Northcote, afterwards Lord Iddesleigh, had been 



