按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Thus my mission ended。
In confirmation of what I have stated above I ore important letters which I wrote or received as a Special missioner。
The first of these was addressed by me to Lord Rosebery as Chairman of the Rhodes Trust。
Confidential。
Ditchingham House； Norfolk：
May 20； 1905。
My Lord； — You may know that I am the person who was sent to investigate the Salvation Army Colonies in America。 I write therefore thinking that perhaps you would wish to hear from me in the matter。
First； however； as one who has for years taken deep interest in the problem of the congested cities and the depopulated land； I desire most heartily to thank the Rhodes Trustees for their action in having set this investigation on foot。
Very briefly the results are as follows：
On the whole I was well satisfied with the Colonies； perceiving in them a great principle； easy of adaptation。
I proceeded to Canada and showed to various members of the Government there my draft reports。 Also I explained to them my scheme。
I am glad to be able to say that I was successful in impressing upon them that this scheme is quite sound。 Mr。 Sifton （a great power there） even went further and stated that he considered it of more importance to the Dominion than any plan of preferential duties。
The issue is that I have brought home with me a despatch from Sir Wilfrid Laurier granting three hundred and sixty square miles of their best land for the purposes of the scheme； promising as much more as may be required； and stating his firm belief in the practical nature of my scheme 。 。 。 。
I speak with reference to Canada and other Colonies。 On the home side of the question； where dear land and awful rates and District Councils have to be faced； I am not so sure。 I have offered to go into and prepare a further report on this point if it is desired。
I have ventured to suggest that a missioner should be sent to South Africa and especially to Rhodesia； to examine those Colonies and see what they are prepared to do to help。 I have great hope that the tobacco industry in Rhodesia gives an opening to the small holder。 I think also that your Lordship will agree with me that a British population is desirable in that country。
Believe me；
Very truly yours；
H。 Rider Haggard。
The Earl of Rosebery； K。G。； etc。 etc。
As a result of this letter I had a long interview with Lord Rosebery in the course of which we discussed the whole matter in detail。 It was the only occasion upon which I have ever met this remarkable personage。 As he wandered up and down his library and talked of this and that； he impressed me as a melancholy and disappointed man — one who； in a sense； felt that he had failed； notwithstanding his brilliant gifts and great opportunities。 His fine nature peeped out in every sentence that he uttered； also his disillusionment。 I suggested that he should move in this matter in the House of Lords； but he did not bring the matter up there； as a Departmental mittee was appointed。
Truly the appointment of that mittee was wise from the point of view of those who wished to put an end to further agitation on the subject。
I also received the following letters from Earl Grey：
Toronto： May 20； 1905。
My dear Rider Haggard； — I am delighted to get your letter which encourages me to hope that the Colonial Office is in earnest in this matter。 As you know； I agree entirely with you that there is no time to lose — Roosevelt will be glad to blanket our sails if we give him an opportunity。 My impression is that if the Home Government were to refer your Report to the Canadian Government with a request for an expression of their opinion as to the practicability of your remendations que Canada and ask for a statement of what they will do in the matter； it would provide just the stimulus required to enable the Dominion Government to do something this Session。
The Department of the Interior； with whom the initiation of action rests； has been necessarily handicapped by a change of Minister and the election at Edmonton。 The new Minister has hardly had time to get himself fairly into the saddle。 My impression is that the Government here； if properly approached； will follow Fielding’s lead — this of course quite private to yourself。
Yours sincerely；
Grey。
So far as I am aware； the Home Government never “approached” that of Canada in the matter。
Cascapedia Club； Grand Cascapedia；
Quebec； Canada： July 4； 1905。
My dear Rider Haggard； — Your report has just reached me on the banks of the Cascapedia； and I hasten to acknowledge its receipt。
The life here is not conducive to writing； so I will not try to say much。
I fear the Canadian Par（t） which is now preparing itself for Prorogation； will not be able to consider the question seriously this Session — but I will write to Fielding on the subject。
I do not notice in the Blue Book Mark Hanna’s Bill； and I regret its absence； as it gives a lead and shows the way。
I hope the British Public will be able to seize the salient points。 If they can by the aid of the Press be persuaded to assimilate them something ought to result from your visit to the States。
Forgive more at present。
Yours very truly；
Grey。
I received many letters from Mr。 Bramwell Booth； the present General of the Salvation Army； of which I will quote one。
Tonbridge： August 3； 1906。
Dear Mr。 Haggard； — The General desires me to thank you for your note and telegram； both sent on to him。 We are travelling。 He desires me to express to you at once in this informal way his high sense of the important service you have rendered to the munity by your investigations in the U。S。 and in Canada； and to say that he has read y（r） Report with the greatest interest。 No doubt he will have the opportunity of saying all this and more to you before very long。
The General feels much disappointed by the inaction of the Government； and does not quite understand the line they take。 If； as you suggest； they wish to dispense with the service of voluntary agencies it appears to him that they potent in this matter。 At the same time he sees great difficulty in arranging any bined action with other organisations such as you name； seeing that； so far as we know； there are no English Societies having any experience worth talking of； with whom we could bine。 And as you know nothing is more futile； or more dangerous； than advising people to advance money on purely speculative proposals。
I have asked Booth…Tucker to send you a copy of the letter from Bernard Holland from which it appears that the mittee desire us to give evidence to prove that men taken from our cities will settle successfully in the prairie of Canada！ Now we shall be very reluctant to attempt such proof； even if we may feel strongly that the work could be done。 It seems to us scarcely reasonable。 Moreover evidence w（d） have to be sought in Canada； and considerable expense w（d） be incurred。 It w（d） appear that in some way there is a wish to set up y（r） Report in order to shoot at it！ That is hardly what you； or we； were led to expect。 However； I expect to be in Town on Friday and will consider what can be done。 The matter is so important that we must not unduly hurry it。
My own feeling is that Gov（t） has already ceased any serious intention in this matter — they are practically in a state of suspended animation。
I must see you。 The General does not expect to be in London until the end of this motor campaign — Sept。 9th。
Very f’fully；
W。 Bramwell Booth。
H。 Rider Haggard； Esq。
There is a mass of further documentary evidence on this question； but probably the above examples will suffice to explain everything with sufficient clearness。 Such letters are valuable records which cannot alter or gloze the truth。 I have only to add that old General Booth was personally very indignant about the treatment which my Report received — so indignant that he refused to appear to give evidence before the mittee。 Indeed his people would not allow him to do so； because they said they were sure that he would lose his temper。 More than once he declared to me in his fierce way that； from knowledge in his possession； he was well aware that the appointment of this mittee was “a put…up job。” He and the late Mr。 Wilson…Fox used to travel up to town together in the mornings； and I imagine that from him he extracted a good deal of information。 Also he had other means of getting at the truth； for the Salvation Army has many friends in high places and among the various parties。
That is all I have to say about this fiasco。 My Report was destroyed； the divided remendations of the Departmental mittee； such as they were； were never acted on： in short； all came to nothing。 Meanwhile the problem remains as pressing as ever it was。 Our cities are still crowded with hundreds of children utterly without prospects； except such as are afforded by the hospital； the poorhouse； and the gaol； some of whom； if a scheme analogous to mine had been adopted； might bee healthy； happy and prosperous on the bountiful land of Canada； and this at little or no cost to the Mother Country and to the great gain of the Dominion。 On the other hand； the emigration agencies are still busily employed in picking out the healthy young men and women reared and educated at our expense from the already depopulated country districts。 By thousands these depart； to return no more； leaving the land of their birth the poorer for their loss。 One night some years ago I addressed five or six hundred of them in the board room of Euston Station； while they were waiting for a special train to Liverpool； and thought the sight and the occasion extremely sad。 But so it is； and so I suppose it will go on — the devouring cities growing more and more bloated； and the starved land being more and more empty。
Well； I tried my best to help in the matter and failed。 Whether the fault was mine or that of others I must leave the reader to judge upon the evidence before him。
Chapter 22 ROYAL MISSION ON COAST EROSION AND AFFORESTATIO
Operation in Nursing Home — “Ayesha” — H。 R。 H。 often asked which he thinks best passages in his works — An ansber of Royal mission on Coast Erosion — Lloyd George — Afforestation added to the reference — Scheme presented to Government — Dropped — King Edward’s funeral — H。 R。 H。 undertook a report for Salvation Army — Regeneration — General William Booth — His death — H。 R。 H。 wrote pamphlet for Archbishop Benson — “Rural Denmark” — The Development Board — Notes of interview with Lloyd George — Knighthood conferred — Offered seat on Dominions Royal mission — Egypt Again — “Marie” — Dedicated to Sir Henry Bulwer — End of Chronicle of H。 R。 H。
In the intervals of all this mission business I retired for a month or five weeks into a nursing home to undergo an operation which the effects of my long journey made necessary。
Never shall I forget that place！ — the lodging…house…like little drawing…room where patients were received； and where I had to wait in my dressing…gown while my room was made ready for the operation； the dreadful noise caused by the carriages of theatre…goers returning home at night or by the rattle of the mail…carts over the stone…paved road； the continual operations； the occasional rush of the nurses when it was announced that a patient was passin