波波小说

第79部分（第1页）

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。

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