xxxYiii ANGLO-GERMAN SOCIETY 221 



about more friendly relations between England and 

 Germany." 



I have the honour to be, my Lord, etc. 



There are addresses also from Kiel, Frankfurt, 

 and many other German towns. 



The following is a typical specimen of his reply 

 to the various resolutions and letters. It is to 

 the Merchants' Guild at Berlin. 



Dear Sir — I have duly received the courteous 

 resolution passed at your important meeting. It will, 

 I am sure, be seen by our countrymen with much 

 satisfaction. 



In spite of sensational paragraphs in certain news- 

 papers, the general feeling in Great Britain is certainly 

 an earnest desire to remain on terms, not merely of 

 peace, but of friendship with your great country. 



It is, I observe, alleged in one of your leading papers 

 that the holding of our meeting is "in itself uncontro- 

 vertible proof of the existence of these hostile feelings 

 in Great Britain." This is a mistake. Statements 

 imputing hostility to us, and even an intention of 

 declaring war having been made several times in 

 Germany, the object of our meeting was to assure your 

 coimtrymen that we entertain no such sentiments or 

 intentions. On the contrary, we recognise in no grudg- 

 ing spirit how much the world owes to your Statesmen 

 and Writers, your Philosophers and Men of Science ; 

 and we hope you will believe that so far from being 

 animated by unfriendly feelings, the vast majority of 

 Englishmen respect and admire Germany, and wish 

 happiness and prosperity to you and your Countrymen. 



AVEBURY. 



The terrible tragedies enacted on the European 

 stage since Lord Avebury's death afford a curi- 

 ously sardonic comment on all these and the like 

 well - meant efforts to promote a better under- 

 standing and a rational friendship between the 

 two great branches of the Teutonic race. 



