"Now the impact is on us. Our blood which flows in your veins should lead you to expect that we shall be stubborn enough to bear that impact. But if we go down and are swept in ruin into the past, you are the next in the line. "This war is for us a war of honour; of respect for obligations into which we have entered; and of loyalty towards friends in desperate need. But now that it has begun it has become a war of self-preservation. The British democracy, with its limited monarchy, its ancient Parliament, its ardent social and philanthropic dreams, is engaged for good or for ill in deadly grapple with the formidable might of Prussian autocratic rule. It is our system of civilisation and government against theirs. It is our life or theirs. "We are conscious of the greatness of the times. We recognise the consequence and proportion of events. We feel that, however inadequate we may be, however unexpected the ordeal may be, we are under the eye of history, and, the issue being joined, England must go forward to the very end." While I was speaking to Mr. Churchill a telegram came in from Belgium announcing the total destruction of the town of Louvain as an act of military execution. Handing it to me, he said: "What further proof is needed of the cause at issue? Tell that to your American fellow-countrymen. You know," he added, "I am half American myself." * * * * * The most remarkable demonstration of enthusiastic loyalty, however, came from India. It was no surprise to those acquainted with the conditions in our great Asiatic Empire to know that all classes and creeds were united in their devotion to the British Crown; but it was evident from the comments which followed the statements in Parliament on September 9th that the munificent offers made to the Viceroy had astonished the whole world. By the middle of August it was known that many Indian Chiefs had been addressing inquiries to the Viceroy in the spirit of the ruler of the ancient State of Rewa, who wrote: "What orders from His Majesty for me and my troops?" On September 9th, the Marquis of Crewe, the Secretary of State for India, in the House of Lords, and Mr. Charles Roberts, Under-Secretary of State for India, in the House of Commons, read telegrams from the Viceroy summarising the offers of the Indian chiefs. Amid glowing excitement and enthusiasm, the Houses learned that Sir Pertab Singh despite his seventy years "would not be denied his right to serve the King-Emperor," and that he was taking with him among his troops his young nephew, the Maharaja of Cooch Behar, a boy of sixteen. The State of Nepal sent seven battalions of Gurkhas, and there were many other offers of men, money, and jewels. The following long cablegram sent by the Viceroy to the Secretary of State for India on September 8th describes the offers of service: