第78部分(第5/7 頁)

d　“knock　the　bottom　out　of　it。”　Then　I　knew　that　all　was　finished。

And　yet；　unless　I　most　strangely　misunderstood　him；　all　the　while　Mr。　Lyttelton　was　a　believer　in　the　plan。　He　was　personally　most　kind　to　me；　and　I　liked　him　very　much。　At　that　time　also；　as　his　private　secretary　informed　me；　he　wished　me　to　make　another　report　upon　the　possibility　of　applying　similar　principles　to　a　scheme　of　land　settlement　at　home；　indeed　I　was　told　that　it　was　settled　I　should　be　asked　to　do　so。　I　understand；　however　—　though　of　course　in　this　I　may　be　mistaken　—　that　the　officials　of　the　Board　of　Agriculture　put　a　stop　to　this　idea；　as　such　an　appointment　would　have　interfered　with　the　prerogative　of　their　department。　At　any　rate；　opposition　arose　somewhere　and　it　was　dropped。　The　upshot　was　that　the　work　was　thrown　away；　if　any　good　and　earnest　work　ever　really　is　thrown　away。

The　end　of　the　matter　may　be　briefly　summarised。　As　was　to　be　anticipated；　“the　bottom　was　knocked　out”　of　my　scheme　in　the　most　satisfactory　official　way。

The　Report　of　the　mittee　stated　that　—

Though　we　fully　recognise　the　zeal　and　ability　Mr。　Rider　Haggard　has　shown　in　making　his　investigations　and　preparing　his　Report；　and　trust　that　much　good　may　be　done　indirectly　by　the　ventilation　of　the　suggestions　that　he　has　made；　we　regret　to　be　obliged　to　say　that　we　consider　his　scheme　to　be　open　to　so　many　objections　that；　even　if　we　were　prepared　to　advocate　colonisation　in　principle；　we　could　not　remend　that　this　particular　scheme　should　be　adopted　。　。　。　。

Moreover；　we　feel　that　there　are　serious　objections　to　placing　any　such　body　as　the　Salvation　Army　in　the　position　of　managers　of　a　colony　dependent　on　money　advanced　by　the　Imperial　Government　。　。　。　。

Perhaps　on　t