336 
proceedings of the victoria institute. 
cvclnnas. The first time I came across one of those horrid 
visitations called cyclones, I was on my way to the first Colony 
1 ever served, viz., British Honduras. When we had got out of 
the Mississippi Kiver oa the way to Belize, the sea being very 
tough, T said to the Captain that prudence being the best part 
of valour I would retire. The Captain came to see me every 
hour and each time gave me the not very comforting information 
that the glass was going down. I asked him what that por- 
tended and he said “That means that we are in the neighbour- 
hood of a cyclone.” I asked “ What will occur then?” He said 
“ 1 never heard of a ship coming out of a cyclone.” I have 
come out of a cyclone this time, and therefore I might 
give you an interesting account of that event; but I am 
not a scientist, and here we are in a Scientific Society, 
and so 1 had to give up that subject. Then I thought that 
having gone to Venezuela, and having been received remarkably 
well in that country, notwithstanding the perturbations which 
were going on, and dining with the President when we thought 
the rebels were at any moment going to shoot those who were 
dining. I would tell you about the revolution, but that too is a 
.subject we have nothing to do with. Then I thought 1 would 
give 3 ’ou some idea of the difference between government and 
administration ; because government in my opinion is all fore- 
sight, while administration lias to do with the present. But 
foresight into this Colony’s possibilities opens out a subject so 
great that I might lose myself if I entered upon it ; and [ gave 
up the idea. I then thought of progress, but it would require 
several evenings to explain to you that the views of a pessimist 
are not always in accord with facts and figures. For 1 am sure 
that this Colony is doing well ; and I wish that I had many 
years before me to guide you to the triumph which I am 
perfectly certain will be yours in a very few years. Well then, 
there remained nothing but the great question of the day. 
Could I speak to you of that which is in our hearts, the constant 
thought of our brothers who are fighting for our t^ueeii and 
country against the Boers? Could \ give you an idea of the 
reasons why that war has become necessary ? I should have 
liked to explain to you the origin of this contest, which was 
necessary from the first T should have liked to explain to you 
why in Imgl and there are men of standing and respectability, 
and men who are looked upon as great politicians, who do not 
quite agn e with Her Majesty’s governin' tit in the line that they 
have taken, hut whom the Boers have silenced by bring the first 
gun. T remember that when the Franco-German war took 
place in 1870, Wurtemburg did not want to join in the march 
against Prance. There was in those days a particular hatred 
of Prussia among the German States ; and Wurtemburg would 
