_The contents of this section are supplied by the Hon. Sec. of the
London Esperanto Club, who invites all Esperantists to send monthly
reports of the spread of the International Language in their
districts. Communications must reach 14, Norfolk Street, London, W.
C., before the 8th of each month._
_The British Esperanto Association._
The first Council of the Association took place on Monday, October
24th. The President, Colonel Pollen, C.I.E., took the chair. Twelve
of the Council were present, besides the executive officers. It was
decided that the Council should use the power given them of
appointing Sub-Committees for various purposes, and to co-opt as
Councillors several people whose aid would be of value on such
Sub-Committees. Messrs. Cowper, Millidge, Motteau, and Rolston, and
Miss Schafer were then elected. It was decided to establish The
British Esperanto Association in offices at 14, Norfolk Street,
Strand, and appoint an Assistant Secretary at the rate of £26 per
annum. A Sub-Committee, viz., Mr. Cowper (of Deal), Mr. Maitland, and
Mr. Millidge, was appointed to draw up the Rules of Association, and
the Rules, when drafted, were to be submitted to the Council for
approval.
It was also resolved that Dr. Lloyd, Mr. Rhodes, and Mr. Bullen
should be asked to collaborate in formulating, for submission to the
Council, a Scheme and Rules for Examinations as to proficiency in
Esperanto.
A Publication Sub-Committee was also arranged.
A meeting of the Executive Committee took place on November 7th, when
Miss Lawrence, the representative of the London Club, formally handed
over its store of books, and goodwill, and its affiliation fees,
announcing that this abdication of its prestige was made without
asking for any _quid pro quo_, and simply as an act of loyalty to the
central body. Miss Lawrence begged that the fact might be entered on
the minutes that the London Club had done this; and that it had borne
the heavy cost of preparing for the foundation of The British
Esperanto Association. This was considered a reasonable request, but
it was pointed out that no country Councillor was present to second
the motion proposed by Mr. Maitland, of the West London Group. It was
therefore seconded by Mr. Gill, of the Acton Group.
The Committee also decided that the election of Fellows of the
Association must be left to the consideration of the full Council,
and that no immediate action could be taken in the several cases
where applicants had forwarded subscriptions accompanied by requests
that the senders might be elected Fellows of the B.E.A. It might be
pointed out here that, according to the draft Rules, "The Council
are empowered to elect from the _Members_ a limited number of
Fellows, who have proved themselves to be expert Esperantists, and
who are willing to pay 5s."
It was announced with regret that W. Whitebrook, Esq., would be
unable, owing to the numerous professional calls on his time, to
accept the Hon. Treasurership. The Committee expressed their
heartfelt sense of the loss this meant to the Association, and
elected Harald Clegg, Esq. (the Hon. Secretary), to fill the position
of Hon. Treasurer also. All subscriptions and donations should,
therefore, be addressed to Mr. Clegg, at the offices of the
Association:--14, Norfolk Street, Strand, London, W.C.
_Group News._
The _Acton Group_ reports a very successful meeting recently, at
which the veteran Esperantist, Miss Warlow, was unanimously elected
President. Miss Warlow is the first lady President of any British
Group. Those who know her are delighted at this fitting choice. The
Hon. Secretary, Mr. E. J. Gant, Ivy Dene, Cumberland Road, Hanwell,
will gladly supply information, and intending Members will be
heartily welcomed. The classes are held in the South Acton
Schoolrooms.
From _Aberdeen_ comes the news that the Committee of the Chamber of
Commerce have unanimously agreed that if Mr. Christen desires to give
another lecture on the subject of Esperanto, the Chamber's support
will be given to the meeting. The Committee were glad to know that
Mr. Christen "was advocating the popular study of this new commercial
language, which had been taken up in many parts of England and
Scotland, and was so well known on the Continent." The Group meetings
are held in the studio of Mr. Hector, and the Hon. Secretary is Mr.
Donaldson S. Rose, M.A., 259, Union Street.
The _Brixton Club_ is ever energetic. It is forming a circulating
library, and subscribes to five magazines. It holds its meetings on
Tuesdays, at 8 p.m. Members are invited to bring friends, and Mr.
Eagle, 21, Kellett Road, will be pleased to give information.
Canon Lonsdale has consented to become President of the _Corbridge
Group_. The Membership is large for the size of the village, and this
is surely owing to the energetic past and present Secretaries, Miss
Bauer and Miss Bickell.
At _Battersea_, Mr. A. Lee, 2, Cupar Road, has organised a regular
campaign. The meetings are at the Latchmere Baths on Tuesday, at 7.30.
The _Ilford Group_ meets at the house of Mr. Jeffrey, 42, Park Road.
One of the Members of this Group learnt Esperanto so quickly that
after 14 days he was able to write a clever historical description of
an old town.
The classes at _Liverpool University_ are held on Wednesday, at 7.30,
by Dr. Lloyd, who is preparing the Rules for Examinations.
In _Leeds_ the classes are held at the Northern Institute on Saturday
evenings, at 8.30 p.m. The visit of Mr. Rhodes in October was much
appreciated. Between 70 and 80 people attended the lecture, many
afterwards joining the Club. To arrange for such lectures will be in
the future one of the important duties of The British Esperanto
Association.
The Rev. E. Atkins has placed a room in the Working Men's College at
the disposal of the _Leicester Group_. Mr. F. Mugglestone, 61,
Bonsall Street, who is the Hon. Secretary, will gladly give
information.
_Newcastle_ does not mean to be content with one gathering. The
classes at 29, Grainger Street, are held on Wednesdays, at 7.30, and
a special elementary class for ladies at 10, Mosley Street, on
Wednesday evenings, from 7 until 9 o'clock.
Mr. Korth, of _Swansea_, reports a rather amusing objection to the
use of the Free Library for an Esperanto class. A Committee Member
objected because "Esperanto is so awfully difficult." What kind of
study is favoured in Swansea if the height of difficulty is measured
by Esperanto? Inquirers will be gladly answered by Mr. Oswald Korth,
1, Kensington Terrace, Swansea.
Mr. S. E. Hunt, Selsley Road, Woodchester (Glos.), would like to hear
from anyone in his neighbourhood interested in Esperanto.
_London Classes._
_Monday._--Club Café, 5, Bishopsgate Street Within. Tea at 6 o'clock;
at 7 the party adjourns to 100, Gracechurch Street, to rooms kindly
placed at their disposal by the Remington Typewriter Company.
_Monday._--Students' class at 7.30. Conducted by Mr. Motteau, at the
rooms of the Ethical Society, 19, Buckingham Street, Strand.
_Tuesday_, 6 to 8.--71, High Holborn. Room kindly lent by Messrs.
Hatchard and Castarede. Those desiring to join should write to the
Hon. Secretary, Mr. C. F. Hayes, 48, Swanage Road, Wandsworth.
_Tuesday_, 8.30.--The Co-operative Brotherhood Trust have a meeting
of "Clarionites." Hon. Secretary, Mr. Goode, 37, Newington Green
Road.
_Wednesday._--German Club, Charlotte Street, Fitzroy Square. For
particulars send stamped envelope to Miss A. Schafer, 8, Gloucester
Crescent, Regent's Park.
_Thursday._--Cusack's Institute, White Street, near Moorgate Street
Station. Room kindly lent by the Principals. Beginners, 6.15.
Advanced, 7.15.
_Friday_, 6.30.--Enterprise Club, Petersburgh House, Leadenhall
Street. For lady clerks and secretaries. This class is the result of
a lecture given to Members of the Club by Miss Schafer. The audience
was much interested in the discussion as to the utility and facility
of Esperanto. Much amusement was caused when the speaker recited a
few sentences in Esperanto, the meanings of which were easily guessed
by the ladies present.
The veteran artist, Felix Moscheles, desiring to practise speaking,
would like to talk with a few Esperantists in his own beautiful home,
80, Elm Park Road, Chelsea. About twilight would be a good time.
The above classes are free, but, as mentioned last month, a series of
lessons by a skilled Esperantist can be arranged for by applying to
the Secretary of the School of Esperanto, 93, Chancery Lane, W.C.
_Newspapers._
The articles and letters commenced the 27th August in _La Chronique_
(29, Bessborough Street, London) have continued every week since. The
arguments of M. Hamonet, our keen antagonist, may be summed up in the
formula we know so well: "An artificial language is so unnatural";
and, "Esperanto, if it should be successful, will displace all the
national tongues, and Shakespeare, Goethe, Victor Hugo, Tolstoy,
become just 'memories'; for boys (and men) are prone to idleness, and
Esperanto is so easy that of course they will prefer it to their own
tongue." Is this "approval" in disguise? The splendid articles in our
favour by MM. Michaux, Bastien, Capé, Lefèvre, and a member of the
French Academy seem waste of energy after the account of his
previsions given by our adversary, M. Hamonet; for in their wildest
dreams these gentlemen never supposed that an Englishman would prefer
Esperanto to English.
The _School World_ has at last spoken, and to some purpose. In the
November number Mr. Mathews, of Rochester, after an exposition of the
structure and uses of Esperanto, and a comparison with Volapuk,
argues that for a _large_ number of pupils in our schools the study
of Latin, French, and German has little practical value. He would
substitute Esperanto for the lower forms, because (1st) more time
will be set free for other subjects; (2nd) the pupils will get a good
training in the correct meaning of words, and will have such a
copious stock of roots that they will be able to overtake students
in other modern languages who have not had their advantages. He
considers Esperanto more valuable than Latin as a means of training.
An interesting article from the pen of Dr. Martyn Westcott, in the
November number of _Womanhood_ (5, Agar Street, Strand), is the first
of a series which the Editress, Mrs. Ada Ballin, intends to carry on
in future numbers. There will be a monthly lesson; also short story
competitions, prizes, etc., etc.; and it is hoped that a _Womanhood_
Club will be formed. I trust Mrs. Ballin will have great success,
for, oddly enough, the majority of Esperantists are men; when once
their wives, sisters, and daughters take up the matter, "We shall see
what we shall see."
_Foreign News._
First in importance are the preparations for the Congress in Boulogne
next year. Dr. Zamenhof, having consented to preside, has also
intimated his wish that this should be a Congress in which every
Group in the world should be represented, but the Boulogne Group,
unaided, could not organise so stupendous an affair; even the
comparatively small gathering at Dover last summer cost more than
that Group could rightly afford; M. Michaux therefore calls for aid
from all quarters. The Société Française p.p. Esperanto has, as
usual, been the first to answer. It announces a contribution of 200
francs, and more, if possible. What will Great Britain do? Many have
suggested that Dr. Zamenhof should "come out of his shell." Now he
means, if possible, to do so. We must see that he has a good welcome.
Will Esperantists send suggestions to the Hon. Secretary of The
British Esperanto Association as to how much we should contribute?
There is to be a great Esperanto Exhibition in Algiers in March, and
Captain Capé, 17, Boulevard, Gambetta, earnestly hopes that
literature of all kinds may be lent him. Circulars in Esperanto,
articles of commerce with Esperanto labels, books, journals, post
cards, propaganda leaflets, etc., etc.
At the Grenoble Congress M. Bolack occupied some hours in describing
the invention, the Langue Bleue, to which he has devoted so much time
and money, but he at length confessed that he could not hold a
conversation in it for even five consecutive minutes.
It is stated in this month's _Esperantiste_ that, owing to a fire in
his house, Mr. Geoghegan, the first English Esperantist (it is
supposed), has lost the whole of his valuable collection of letters,
post cards, and books; this means that he has lost the addresses of
all his correspondents as well. Any such who read these lines are
asked to send him their news to East Sound, Washington County, U.S.A.
Truly every Esperantist will condole with him upon this loss.
On the 19th October an amusing critique appeared in the _Glasgow
Evening Times_. Under the heading of "Shreds and Patches" its editor
attacked Esperanto in diatribe against Mr. W. T. Stead. This
naturally provoked the retort on the 20th that Esperanto was not a
new untried experiment which Mr. Stead was trying to boom, and that
there was no earthly reason for connecting the man and the language,
except that Mr. Stead is enthusiastic and open-minded, and Esperanto
as a language is approved of by such. Mr. Wallace, Mr. Buchanan, Mr.
Rhodes and others joined in the fray, and on November 2nd an amusing
skit headed "Shredoji kaj Patchegaj" appeared, in which the writer
started by saying "Mi esperas ke Mi povos uzi la Internacia Lingo
Esperanto por tui artikolon," but he found it better to stick to
English. Of the propriety of this there could be no question, seeing
the writer knew only twelve words of Esperanto. He then goes on to
classify the thirty-seven letters he had received, announcing that,
evidently, "any craft that appears within extreme range of Esperanto
must be a hostile torpedo boat." The correspondence apparently
dwindled after this date; but one singular fact with regard to it
appears to be that Glasgow people themselves were not sufficiently
interested to enlarge the Glasgow group to any conceivable extent,
the exact opposite to Aberdeen, Bedford, etc.
The November number of the _Note-Book_ (every issue gives Esperanto
matter) contains a very interesting report of the General Meeting of
the British Esperanto Association, together with the usual
interesting lesson, and an account of an amusing game by Mr. Hugon.
The foreign Esperanto journals have been especially interesting of
late. Many of them have contained articles on "Holidays in
Esperantoland." Most of the gazettes are also improving in
appearance, which must also be taken as a good sign of progress and
increasing circulation.
Several New Zealand papers have been discussing Esperanto of late.
_The Voice_, a widely-read and attractive monthly, led the way, and
Otago and Southland papers have followed on, thanks to the energy of
Mr. Field.