There are those of the unimaginative type who pass their whole lives in filling money-bags, and when they are called upon, perhaps more hurriedly than they desire, to retire from this world. what they leave behind is often dissipated by their offspring on wine, women and horses. Of these purely unimaginative gentlemen, whose sole concern is the accumulation of wealth, I have a large number as my shareholders.”
It was to these unimaginative persons, especially to the foreign shareholders, that he addressed his vindication of the transformation of a purely commercial company unconnected with politics, into warriors fighting for the preservation of our homes and property.
“I have to tell the shareholders in Europe,” he said, “that we have for the last four months devoted the energies of our company to the defence of the town.”
After describing what had been done by the citizen soldiers of Kimberley, he concluded his speech by the following passage:—
“Finally, I would submit to you this thought, that when we look back upon the troubles we have gone through, and especially all that has been suffered by the women and children, we have this satisfaction—that we have done our best to preserve that which is the best commercial asset in the world—the protection of Her Majesty’s flag.”
When Mr. Rhodes came back from Kimberley, I had a talk with him upon this subject. He said that it was very ridiculous the way people had abused him for the passage about the flag. If they had considered the circumstances in which the speech was made, they would have seen the reason for it.
