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ment appointment, said, that 'the speech was more than eloquent - it was statesmanlike.' Mr. Swift McNeill, an Irish Member of Parliament, whose zeal for the good of India never failed him, was the last speaker of the evening. He said: 'The Indians are happy in having such a leader as Mr. Surendranath Banerjea. I have heard many great speeches, but my heart has never been more profoundly touched than by the magnificent exposition of intellect and high character which Mr. Banerjea has brought to the discussion of these subjects.'

The public dinner was followed by a breakfast given by Sir William Wedderburn to which he invited a large number of Mem- bers of Parliament and others interested in the cause of Indian pro- gress. Sir William Wedderburn is now lost to us. Mr. Allen Hume, Sir Henry Cotton and Sir William Wedderburn formed a band of devoted friends of India whose loss is irreparable and whose counsels would have been invaluable in the critical times through which we are now passing. No other Englishmen possessed the same measure of influence over the mind of educated India. For none showed such passionate love for India and such rare devotion to the cause of Indian progress; their lives were lives of self-dedi- cation to the interests of the land of their love and of their adoption. When the history of these times comes to be written, to them will be assigned in varying degrees a high and honourable place among those who by their labours have contributed to upbuild the future of our nation's history. In the pantheon of our great men, these Englishmen will live surrounded by the veneration of distant gener- ations. If they had been spared to us, what a wise and restraining influence would they not have exercised over the controversies now raging and splitting us into hostile camps! But it is idle to indulge in unavailing regrets.

Sir William Wedderburn had indeed a glimpse of the new order that was soon to be established. He had the supreme satisfaction, as he was nearing the end, of witnessing the partial success of that cause to which he had consecrated the evening of his life. He heard the message of August 20, 1917 promising responsible government to India. But he only heard it; for he died soon after when Mr. Montagu was about to start for India.

The fascination of Sir William Wedderburn's name and the delight that every Indian must feel in dwelling upon his loved memory has drawn me somewhat away from the point which I was discussing. Sir William Wedderburn's breakfast was a very success-