Welcome by Jorgen Gunnarsson Løvland*, Chairman of the Nobel Committee, on January 15, 1905

I have the honor to extend to you a warm welcome. That you have come here, despite your age and despite the long journey in an inclement season of the year, is proof to us of the untiring energy you have for so many years devoted to the great cause which you have served with such enthusiasm and with such success. Our best wish for you is that you may see the ideas of peace and arbitration flourish and gain in strength and influence, and that you – having yourself so nobly given concrete expression to it by the use you have made of your Nobel Prize – may see this work assured for the future.

* Mr. Løvland, also at this time minister of public works of the Norwegian government, introduced the laureate to a large audience in the Hals Brothers Concert Hall in Oslo at 5:00 p.m. on January 15, 1905. He first introduced his guest to the audience in Norwegian in a very short speech summarized in the Oslo Aftenposten for January 16, 1905. The newspaper reports that he spoke of Mr. Cremer as being an outstanding member of the British Parliament, a representative of the British people and, in particular, a representative of the British workers. He then welcomed Cremer in English. The text of this speech in English is not extant. The Aftenposten for January 16, 1905, however, published a translation in Norwegian which serves as the text for the present translation. It is given here in lieu of the presentation speech since none was made at the award ceremony on December 10, 1903.