Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 20th century; Great Britain -- Social conditions; World War, 1914-1918
_Ran through Buffalo shortly after breakfast and left train at
Niagara. Our American escort, Mr. Secretary Long, Hugh Gibson of
the State Department and others provided us with trams and drove
us down to the Rapids, then back to the Falls, from the American
side. In size, beauty and volume of water they came fully up to my
expectations: it is a strange sensation to stand, as it were, on
the edge of the world and see a gigantic lake pouring over within
a foot of where you stand. The spray rises in a snow-white cloud
as high again as the length of the falls, and it is impossible to
penetrate it to the other side. Our American escort then turned
us out of the cars, which the leading citizens of Niagara had
thoughtfully provided, and restored us to our tram, in which we
proceeded half-way across the bridge. There we took an affecting
farewell, and, as the Americans left by one door, the Canadian
escort, composed chiefly of lieutenant-governors and custodians
of the Niagara property, entered by the other. We were then shewn
the Canadian side of the Horse Shoe fall, conducted over the power
station which supplies Toronto and driven out to the Canadian side
of the Rapids and the Whirlpool. There is an aerial car running on
cables over the Whirlpool (at a sickening height, say the timid)
and almost all of us, myself included, were induced to risk our
lives on the principle that where the Secretary of State leads the
rest of the mission follows...._
_At Toronto, I was told off to help lieutenant-governor's
secretary; so sorted procession into carriages, jumped into private
car and drove ahead of the band's sound and fury to Parliament
Buildings, where I got in touch with a cable office, thanked Sir R.
Borden in suitable terms for his telegram of welcome and strolled
out to front, where, as on scaffold, Secretary of State was being
subjected to native eloquence of mayors, lieutenant-governors et
illud genus omne. His speech in reply aroused great enthusiasm,
and, after interval for cinematograph men to ply their task, party
moved away from scaffold.... Hurried away to bombard Government
House and porter's office for several pieces of missing baggage;
... and drove in haste to Government House for dinner...._
* * * * *
The mission went from Toronto to Ottawa, thence to Montreal and
Halifax.
* * * * *
_Saturday, May 26th._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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