3-085-778 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Opening of Parliament, 1898. 'Col. Lockwood, Mover of Address in response to the speech from the throne; the Speaker reading the Queen's Speech; Sir. W. Harcourt - "But we ought to know, with reference to this loan, what is the position today"; Lord Milton, Seconder of the Address; Mr. Balfour - "What he meant and what we mean is that there are interests in which the country is vitally interested and concerned, and of course we are all of us prepared to run the risk of war for interests which we think are vital". The most striking items in the Queen's Speech refer to the Indian Frontier question, the West Indies sugar industry, and the proposed Conference on the bounty system, Irish Local Government, Army Reform, and the creation of new municipalities in London...The fact that the Speech made no reference to the situation in the Far East by no means banished that topic, for the Prime Minister's speech, after Lord Kimberley's review of the chief heads of the Message from the Throne, inevitably included an important statement on the Chinese question'. From "Illustrated London News", 1898.