“I would venture to express most respectfully my gratitude and thanks to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales¹ and to their Royal Highnesses the Prince (1831‒1917) and Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein for the warm interest and cordial sympathy with which they regarded the project and which encouraged me to prosecute it.” ¹ Afterwards King Edward VII. (1841‒1910). “It appeared to me that this object might be attained by means of a Colonisation Company, and that one of those rich and unoccupied districts which abound in Turkey might be obtained and developed through the agency of a commercial enterprise which should be formed under the auspices of His Majesty, and have its seat at Constantinople, though, as in the case of the Ottoman Bank and other Turkish companies, the capital would be found abroad, provided the charter contained guarantees adequate for the protection of the interests of the shareholders.”¹ “It is somewhat unfortunate that so important a political and strategical question as the future of Palestine should be inseparably connected in the public mind with a favourite religious theory. The restoration of the Jews to Palestine has been so often urged upon sentimental or Scriptural grounds, that now, when it may possibly become the practical and common-sense solution of a great future difficulty, a prejudice against it exists in the minds of those who have always regarded it as a theological chimera, which it is not easy to remove. The mere accident of a measure involving most important international consequences, having been advocated by a large section of the Christian community, from a purely Biblical point of view, does not necessarily impair its political value. On the contrary, its political value once estimated on its own merits and admitted, the fact that it will carry with it the sympathy and support of those who are not usually particularly well versed in foreign politics is decidedly in its favour. I would avail myself of this opportunity of observing that, so far as my own efforts are concerned, they are based upon considerations which have no connection whatever with any popular religious theory upon the subject.”² ¹ _Ibid._, _p._ xv: “In his endeavours to obtain a concession for an autonomous Jewish state in Palestine from the Porte, Oliphant had the support of both Lord Salisbury and Lord Beaconsfield.” ² _Ibid._, _pp._ xxxii‒xxxiii. These last remarks are particularly worthy of the attention of those who, ignorant of the actual facts, are inclined to represent Zionism merely as a theological or sectarian idea. There is ♦undoubtedly a strong religious feeling underlying it, but the idea has been dealt with, defended and propagated in England from all points of view. ♦ “undoubedly” replaced with “undoubtedly” Illustration: _Rt. Hon._ JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN EARL _of_ SHAFTESBURY _London Stereoscopic Co._