Item 166 - Letter from W. Romaine Newbold to Henry Sidgwick

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Reports that he received Sidgwick's letter the previous night. Apologises for not having replied to his cable message, which he received at Tamworth some days after he last wrote to him. Reports that he immediately sent the message to Mr Stolesbury, and that his wife was taken ill, and he had to leave Tamworth, and the whole matter slipped from his mind. Apologises again, and thanks Sidgwick for the interest he has shown in Mr Stolesbury and the efforts he has made on his behalf. Asks him to allow him to reimburse him for the cost of sending the cable message. Refers to the fact that the weather in the middle states of America has been very hot, but that it is seldom hot in the 'quiet nook on the Maine coast' where he lives, and where he hopes to remain until 10 September 'or thereabouts.'

Reports that certain members of his philosophical department have been temporarily lost: Professor Fullerton is abroad and will return in September 1899, Dr Wi[tmer? ] has enlisted in the 2nd C[ity] Troop of [ Phil?] and has been ordered to Porto [sic] Rico, Dr Singer has joined 'the 1st Reg. Of the [U.S. Vol.] Engineers and sailed for Porto Rico' the previous Sunday. Observes that they may return before the following October if the [Spanish-American] war ends speedily, but fears that if the United States becomes involved in the Eastern Question, there may be difficulties in filling the spaces left by the men. Observes that the war 'has excited little enthusiasm among the educated classes, and claims that he has seldom encountered the 'rabid patriotism of the newspapers' in those he has me, and that everybody regards it 'as a "politician's war" '. Claims that those who have enlisted 'have nearly all gone in search of adventure'. Personally believes that the war will 'in the long run advance the cause of civilisation, both in the West Indies and in Spain' and professes not to be afraid of Imperialism. States that the capture of Manila 'will be an accident', but even without it the United States must inevitably be drawn by their commercial interests 'into the complications of European politics'.