by the monarchs to whom the purposes of the
Conference had been explained earlier in the day. France was
represented in the person of General le Gallifet.

The body of the Cathedral was filled to overflowing, with the
exception of an open space kept round the table by the Federation
guards.

The proceedings commenced with a brief but impressive religious
service conducted by the Primate of England, who ended it with a
short but earnest appeal, delivered from the altar steps, to those
composing the Conference, calling upon them to conduct their
deliberations with justice and moderation, and reminding them of the
millions who were waiting in other parts of Europe for the blessings
of peace and prosperity which it was now in their power to confer
upon them. As the Archbishop concluded the prayer for the blessing of
Heaven upon their deliberation, with which he ended his address,
Tremayne, after a few moments of silence, rose in his place and,
speaking in clear deliberate tones, began as follows:--

"Your Majesties have been called together to hear the statement of
the practical issues of the conflict which has been decided between
the armies of the Federation of the Anglo-Saxon peoples and those of
the late Franco-Slavonian League.

"Into the motives which led myself and those who have acted with me
to take the part which we have done in this tremendous struggle,
there is now no need for me to enter. It is rather with results than
with motives that we have to deal, and those results may be very
briefly stated.

"We have demonstrated on the field of battle that we hold in our
hands means of destruction against which it is absolutely impossible
for any army fortress or fleet to compete with the slightest hope of
victory; and more than this, we are in command of the only organised
army and fleet now on land or sea. We have been compelled by the
necessities of the case to use our powers unsparingly up to a certain
point. That we have not used them beyond that point, as we might have
done, to enslave the world, is the best proof that I can give of the
honesty of our purposes with regard to the future.

"But it must never be forgotten that these powers remain with us, and
can be evoked afresh should necessity ever arise.

"It is not our purpose to enter upon a war of conquest, or upon a
series of internal revolutions in the different countries of Europe,
the issue of which might be the subversion of all order, and the