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Lorsqua le document est trop grand pour itra reproduit en un seul clichi, il est filmi & partir de Tangle supirieur gauche, de gauche i droite, et de haut en bas. en prenant le nombra d'images nicessaire. Lea diagrammas suivants illustrant la mithode. H 1 2 3 32 X 1 2 3 4 5 6 CONFIDENTIAL, i POSTAL AND TELEGRAPHIC COMMUXICATIOX BY ■ THE CANADIAN ROUTE. Sahnitted at the Meetimj, of the Colonial Conference on the mh ami '20th jijivU, 1SS7, h,i ]\rr. Saxdfobd Fleming. Having given some attention to tlie question of Postal and Tele- graphic communication, I avail myself of the privilege afforded me of submitting my views to the Conference. The Right Hon. the Chairman, in his opening address, sug- gested that it is desirable to consider improved communication as a whole, so as to bring into view a complete system. In the remarks which I now propose to sulimit, I shall endeavour to keep that suggestion prom incut ly in view, although, perhaps, being associated with Canadu, and more familiar with the thoughts and hopes of the Canadian people, it is not unnatural that I should speak more particularly of the position which the Dominion occupies in relation to the Empire and its needs. The question cannot be considered without reference to the relative geographical position of the great self-governing Colonies. These are situafed in three distinct Continents— America, Africa, and Australasia. According to our ordinary habit of thought, Canada, in the western hemisphere, and Australasia, in the eastern, are at opposite ends of the Colonial Empire, and are as far asunder as it is possilile on this globe for two countries to be situated. We all know now that this is a mistaken idea, nevertheless it exists, and it is due greatly to the circumstance that immigration from Europe takes oi)posite directions to Australasia and to Canada. In consequence of this circumstance Hi i| I >.'' -^ '/ 2 tho two sets of colonists have boen completely separated, and they now find themselves perfectly distinct, without any social, com- mercial, or political intercourse. There are those in Canada, and, I doubt not, there are those in Australasia, who have taken a somewhat enlarged view of the situation. They have se?n that while the emigrant from England to New Zealand traversed 180° of longitude east, and the settler in Western Canada passed over 120° of longitude west, the two are nevertheless not separated by the sum of the two distances. By actual journey they are undoubtedly 300° of longitude from each other, but by actual fact they are only 60° asunder. True, the sixty degrees of longitude which separates them, when it comes to be measured, is increased in mileage somewhat owing to another circumstance, but the application of science comes to our aid in connection with this question. If we resort to the agencies of steam and electricity, the people of Australasia and the people of Canada may, for all practical purposes, become neighbours. And why, it may be asked, should they not be neighbours as far as it is possible for art and science to make them ? Are they not one in language, in laws, and in loyalty ? Have they not substantially the same mission in the outer Empire, and would they not, as good neighbours, supporting each other, and with their energies directed to a common cause, be of great advantage to each other? Would they not, so united by friendly ties, add strength to the power to which they owe a common and willing allegiance ? If we have discovered ourselves in Canada to be much nearer our sister Colonies in Australasia than we ever before supposed, we have also awakened to the knowledge that there is no land 901118 between us and Asia, that we look across the Paeifae to India, and that to reach the east the true path is to go west. . These facts are recent revehitions to many of us, and I ask your indulgence while, as briefly as I can, I relate the leading circumstances which have brought Canada to realize her new position-a position not any longer at the far extremity of the Colonial system, but midway between the British Islandfi on the one hand and her rich Colonies and Dependencies in the Pacific and Indian Oceans on the other. I think it will be olnious, from the few facts and dates which I desire to submit to you, that it is in no small degree owing to the benign influence of the Home (Government, bearing on the people of the Canadian Provinces for many years back, that British America has advanced step by step, and that successive adminis- trations have from time to time been enabled to consolidate liritish interests on the Western Continent. The more recent efforts have succeeded in constructing improved means of com- munication between remote parts of the country, they have overcome obstacles once deemed insuperable, and their efforts bave culminated in establishing across the widest part of North America a great national railway, destined, we believe, to become an essential factor in the defence and future prosperity of the •Empire. For a moment I sliall refer to the records of history. In the reign of King William IV., the Home Government, solicitious for the safety of British America, granted £10,000 to be expended on exploration for a railway from the Bay of Fundy to Quebec. The survey was entrusted to Captain Vule of the Royal Engineers. This was in 183fi, fifty-one years back. Ill 1839 im Appropriation was voted by tlie Imperial Parlia- iiipiif for a military road through New Brunswick, leading to Qucboc. In 1843 the Iinporial Government directed further surveys for a military road, having in view the same object. In 1846 tlie then Colonial Secretary, ]\[r. Gladstone, issued instructions to the Eoyal Engineers lo make a survey for a railway from Halifax to (Jueboc, At this date the Imperial Government was strongly impressed witli the importance of this work, in a political point of view, as being essential for tlio military defence of the British American possessions. Sir John JTervey, in opening tlio Legislature of Nova Scotia in 1847, spoke of the Halifax and Quebec liaihvay as being not second to any project which had ever engaged the notice of any Colonial Legislature in any part of the British Dominions, and wliii'Ii would "constitute the most important link in that great line of communication which may be destined at no remote period to connect tlie Atlantic and tlie Pacific Oceans." I quote the exact |.rophetic words used by the (Jueen's representative forty years ago. A letter from the Cohmial Secretary (10th March, 1851) made mention of the strong sense entertained by the British ( Jovermnent of the extreme imjjortance, not only to the Colonies directly interested, but to the Empire at large, of providing for the construction of a railway by which a line of communication might be established on British territory. The Home Government despatched in 1857 a scientific expedition to examine the interior of Britisli North America extending from the settled portiims on the St. Lawrence westerly th to the Ivocky Mountains, with the view, aniong other things, of finding a route for a grc^at line of cunununication witiiiu IJrilisli territory to the Pacific coast. Some years hiter the Home Government took active steps to arrange with the liuilson liny Company for tlu; surrender of its territorial rights, and encouraged the then Province of Canada to acquire those rights and assume authority over the vast region occupied only by scattered tribes of Indians. In 1867 the Imperial Parliament passed an Act by which the several British-American Provinces were united, and the Dominion of Canada formed. One of the essential conditions was that the confederated Provinces should construct a railway from JIalil'ax' to (Quebec, the Impeyial Government assisting so far as to guarantee the interest on three millions (i:o,()0(),000) of its cost, A further provision of the British North America Act was tlie entrance of British Columbia into the Confederation, and the construction of a railway across the Continent to the Pacific coast. It will be manifest from this brief referenc* to historical facts that there luis been a continual solicitude on he [)art of the Home (iovernment for the maintenance and extension of Imperial interests in North America. That it was deemed of the greatest possible importance to establish the best means of com- munication (1) between the fortr(>sses of Halifax and (^lebec, separated by 700 miles, and {2) between (iiu"l)ec and tin; Pacific coast, some 3,100 miles. That Canada, in deference to Imperial wishes and needs, has adopted the policy of establishing these great lines of commmiication, and that she has steadily pursued that policy, step by step, u.util the present time. It will be borne in mind that the population of Canada is comparatively small, confined for I he most prnt to the older rrovinees. This limited population has incurred an eiumnous expenditm-e in overeomintr obstaeh-s of veiy great magnitude in opening up for colonization tiie fertile region recently acquired. She has bad no little difliculty, and incurred no small outlay, in connection with the Indian population, hut the greatest and most costly of all her undertakings has Iuh'u the railway across the Continent; and, in establishing this undoubtedly great work, slie has been impressed with the conviction that slie was promoting the general interests of the Kmpire, and cent ril)uting not a litth^ towards its consolidation and defence. Thei-e is now a continuous line of i-aiiway from Halifax to the Pacific, entin-ly on Jiritish soil. The Pacific K'ailway was opened for public us,, last year, i'light months before it was opened for public traffic the last rail was laid; but the last rail had not been laid many days when a consignment of naval st(n-es passed through to the station of the Xortli Pacific Fleet from Halifax. The time occupied on the then unfinished railway was seven days and a few hours, from tide water of the Atlantic to Esquimault. Without the railway it would have taken some three months to liave sent the same stores in a British bottom to their destination. This one fact must be recognised as of strikin Knipiiv. T ..uly drsiie to draw attention to the fact that it is th.. outconio of a policy initiated by the lionie Govenirnent and continually pressed on (janada by the ITonie (lovernment. This great Imperial line of coin.nunica- tion is the growth of half-a-century ; it has been established by the Canadian people without cost to England. Kven the expendi- ture made by the J Tome (ioveniineiit on the preliminary surveys for the line between the fortresses of Halifax and (^uebee has been refunded. The railway across the Contin.Mit has involved an expenditure of £48,0()0,0()(), of which about £24,000,000 (the! exact aujount is £23,900,000) has heen paid by the (lovernment of Canada in subsidies, or without prospect of return. Canada does not ask to be relieved of miy of the burdens she has assumed ; she brings all her costly works as a contribu- tion to the common defence, and she desires that they may be made available in the most advantageous manner to the Empire. There are several ways in which the line through Canada may be at once utilised for Imperial purpos(>s. I may mention the following three, vi. ; — 1. As a postal and passengtjr route from England to tiie Australasian Colonies. 2. As a i)ostal and passenger route from England to Asia. 3. As a telegraph route, protected by the British flag, from the seat of Ciovernment in London to every one of the self- governing Colonies, and also to India. IMl'KKIAl. I'OSTAI- ROUTK. First, as a |K)s(ai route. In your opeiiiuL;- addics<, Sir. vou reffi-ml to the possibility of ivinfoicirij,' t he iiavvwitli fast incrdiaut stciiiiiships. V— an effort which is well calculated to stren value of the (\niadiaii I'aeilie Kad- wav as a post al rout.> to Australasia, and to the l?rit ish DepeiahMieh-s 111 Asia. Th,. (,| her means hy whi.'h t iir ladih'c works ()!•( 'anada may be turned to the use of the Kmpir.' is as a teh-crraph rout.>. There can l)e no etiicient inlereourso nowadays wil hcut the tch-i,ria|)li. The Chairman, on the lirst .lay of the ( '..nf.>renee, ,|uot.Ml fn.m an oxeellent authority to show that i^cuonA m.4vanlih> l.usiness eannot l)e eeonomi.'ally e,.n,hu-t.Ml without the tdeuTaph, thai, in faet, tli<. teleoraph is an indisp.Misahle auxiliary to all rommoreial transiietions between persinis s(>parat.Ml hy distance. In this view Idon.)t set- it possihlo that any ].rolital.l,> business intercourse can spimg up between Australasia and Canada without a direct telegraphic connection. It is quite true that already tclegn,,,!, wires extend from Cana.la to England ami from Kngland to Australasia; but imagine for a moment business men .m opjiosite sides of the Pacific being obliged to communicate with each other by sending m.ssages round the globe no less than five-sixths of its whole eireumference ! The h(-avy eharges by the circuitous route, the delavs and tlie risk of errors conse(pu>nt on the numberless repetitions in the trar...nnssion of messages, would jaove such an impedinumt to general intercourse as to render the existing lim. bv wav of Europe of little or no use. It could oidy be res,.rted to in extreme cases. TluM'.- eannot be ;.. do,,bt that, if there are („ b(; more intimate relations, if .-my progr,.>s is lo be made tu\vai'd> a clo>er 11 union or iiitiinary of any kind, the first tliinrciint ii(! marine on the I'ueilie would he i-uinously handicapped, and t In^ succ(>ssf'ul deveh)i)inent of commerce nMidered ini[)()ssihh<. l)Ut l)(>yon{l lh(> pioinotion of commercial and social relations, there are other considerations of t he hiohcst im[)oHanc(>. It is oidy necessary to look at a teh^L^r.iph map of tjie world to see iiow dependent on forei^ni jiowers ( ireat I'ritain is, at this moment, fort he security of its tejen^raphic communication with Asia, Australasia, and with Africa — in fact, it may be said that tlie tele- gra[)hic commuiucaf ion between the Home Government and every important division of the Mmpiro, except Canada, is dependent on the friendship (shall 1 say th(> protection?) of Turkey, is not Turkey contiiinally exposed to imminent dauirer fiom within? Is she not in dann-er of faUuiir a prey to covetous nei^■hl)ours, whose friendship towards (ireat Ihitain may be doubted ? What, has it, cost in Jiritish blood and treasure to obtain the goodwill aiid give strength to a Tower so weak? And yet the Ottoman (iovernment, on which we depend for communication with India and Australasia, a])pears continually exposes! to im]iendiug disaster. The Suez route has provcnl convenient in the i>ast, and it may prove useful in t he fut ure, but when our object is to strengthen the Colonial system, is it wise to b(> so dependent on a Power th(» condition of whic'h is so crilii-al ? T venture the I'emark that tln^ patriotism and enterprise of Canada has o[»ened up the way by whit'h the l}ritish Kmpire may he placed ent irely independent of any foreign I'ower with respect to its telegraphic communications. The western terminus of the Canadian racifioKaihvay— Aancou- 12 aclu'il vcr— is in telegrapliic foiiuiiuiiicat ion witli London. Coinniunicu- tions liave passed between London and Vancouver, and re])Iics returned within a few minutes. From A'ancouver caliles may lie laid to Australasia by way of Hawaii, or (liey may be laid from one British Island to another,au(l thus brimr Xcw/caland and all the Australasian Colonies directly into telegraphic connection with Great Britain, without passing over any soil which is not British, and bypassing only through seas as remote as possible irom any dilhculties which may arise in I'lurope. Again, India can be reached from Australasia by the lines the Eastern Telegiaph Company ; South Afi'ica can be rea through tJH' medium of tlie Eastern and South Afi'ican Company; and thus, ])y supplying the one link wanting, tlie Home (ioveru- meiit will have tlie nutans provided to telegra]>h to everv im- portant British Colony and Dependency, ai'ound the circunderence of the glolH>, witliout ai)proaching Europe at any jioint. 1 respectfully subnut that the establishment of a {elegra].h from Canada to Australasia is, for tlie reasons given, a (juestioii well worthy of earnest consideration ; and as a Canadian, it is a matter of great gratification to me that it lias been brouglit, l)y the Secretary of State for the Colonies, to the notice of this Confeicnce. iNIyown views are given atsome length in ininted documents, which liave been circulated within tlie past few days. I need not, therefore, take up your time further in exjiounding tliem. I will oidy notice very briefly the letters of Mr. .John Pender, which have also been phiced in the hands of iAIembers of the Conference. IMr. Pender speaks on liehalf of the existing Telegrapli Compa'i(>s, and it is not unnatural that he, and they, should be hostile to a 13 new lino wliicli would undoubtedly dostroy tlioir monopoly, and reduce the exceedingly high charges whicii they have so long enjoyed. Mr. Pender objects to th(> proposal to connect Canada with Australasia, telegraphically, on several grounds. He states that the line "would necessarily consist of long stretches, across enormous and practically unsurveyed dejjths, terminating in coral roei's," and he leaves the impression that the project is imprac- ticable, or next to impracticable. In Canada, and 1 doubt not in the other Colonies, we have learneil to disrc'gard objections of this kind. At one time it was declared by a very high authoi'ity, an [m[)erial Scientific Officer specially commissioned to examine and report, Ihac it was quite im]iracficahle to establish a railway through the Territories ncnv forming the Dominion. This officer was not Chairman of any Company whose profits were at stake; he was an able, earnest man wilh a deservedly high rei)utafion. He was assisted by a staff of scientists efjually able and reliable, who were engaged with him in exploring the country for a period of four years. I shall give a piuagraph from his report, addressed in 1862 to His (.race the Duke of Newcastle, tluMi Colonial Secretary. "The knowledge of the country on the vhole would never lead me to iidvocate a line of communication from Canada across the Continent to the Tacitic, exclusively on British territory. The time has now for ever gone by for effecting sucli an object, and the unfortunate choice of an astronomical boundary line has completely isolated the central American possessions of (Jreat l)viiain fiom Canada in the east, and also debarred them from any eligible access IVom the Pacilic coast on the west." 14 Xotwithstiimliug tliis oxceedingly discouraging ilec-laratioii, iho work has been grappled with and the railway is conytruete.l, nnd, I may add, that a magnificent train service, witli appointments for the most luxmious travellers, passes over it every day in the wee Is it surprising that (olonisls are disposed to reserve their judgment when any project of a similar kind is ],rono.inced even by good authority to lie iin])ractical)le ? Tt is pcTfectly true that our iidormatiou respecting the Pacific Ocean is incomplete, but so iar as it goes there is nothing on which to base an unfavourable opinion. Two years back I personally looked with altention into the whoh- matter, and 1 put on record the conclusien which F arrived at. I b.-g leave to read a paragraph from a published lett(>r, whi.'h I addn-ssed to the Premier of Canada, Sir John :\raodonald, Oct. iJOtli, ]88J:_ " There are, indeed, extensive cond reefs in the central " and southern Pacific; but the most authentic hydrographic "information establishes that those ivefs are generally in " great grou[.s, separated by wide and deep depressions free "from obstructions. It is further reveahMl by th(> latest " bathymetrie data that those depressions or tn.ughs present " (as far as ascertained) a sea floor precisely similar to that " of the Atlantic, so suitable for submarine telegraphy. "Those ocvan depressions, alike by tln-ir geographical "position and their continuity, opt'u up the prospect of " connecting Canada and Australasia by a direct cable." Mr. Pen.ler says that a telegraph from Canada to Australasia would not benefit the Colonies, and that " it would be inimical to the interests of the telegraphing public." 1;3 It is Hot at all iicL-essarv to occ'U|iy your tiiuo at any groafc h'unrth in ivfutini; this contention. I shall only remark that the Canaflian Pacitie Railway Company have made arrangements to transmit all Australasian telegraph hiisiness over their wires across the Contiiienf: for two[)enee half-penny (2^(1.) per word, and that the ordinary eharge across th(> Atlantic is sixuence (Gd.) per word, maldng a total charge of eightpence half-ponny (8id.) per word from Vancouver to London. A'ancouver is ,'j,r;00 mih's from l-ondon, and the nearest point of Australasia is fijOOO miles from \'ancouver. N'ancouver to London is therefore the shortest half, but if the actual charge for transmission on the short lialf be 8id., at the same rate messages sent the whole distance would be a little more than double, or say Is. Hh\. per word. On reference to the publislied tariff of the Company, represented by :\rr. I'eiider, I find that the charges for ordinary messages are as follows, viz.: — Per word. , 9/0 Ijondou to Xew South Wales „ -i»ueensland „ South Australia „ Victoria „ • Western Australia ... ,, Tasmania ... „ New Zealand ... From this it appears that the lowest charge for the trans- mission of ordinary messages, by the existing line, to any one of the seven Colonies, is nine shillings and fourpence (9/4) per word, i ask if a reduction from 9/4 to 1/8 per word would be iuinucal to the interests of the telegrapliing public, and no benefit whatever to the Colonics? ... 9/9 ... 9/4 ... 9/4 ... 9/4 ... 9/11 ... lO'G IG ti ai fo Wi bj Tt on pe pu ref th. tho T have based the comparison on the actnal Atlantic charrres at the present time, and on a decision deliberately anived at by the Board of Directors of the Canadian Pacific liailway Company with respect to Australasian bnsiness. On this basis I liave reckoned one shilling per word for tlie I'aciHc service, but even if that rate be douliled, it needs no words of iiiin(> to prove (hat the gain to the telegraphing pul)lic and the Colonies would be enormous. I am sanguine enough to b(>lieve that the moment Canada and Australasia are telegraphically connected there will be a won- derful development of telegrapiuc activity, and business will far exceed present conceptions. Mr. Pender alludes to the Pacitic as if its depth was a serious objection to telegraphic submersion. The souiKh'ngs which have been matle on the route to be traversed go to sliow that the greatest depth is from 3,U0() to 3,100 fathoms Tins is indeed greater by about 100 fathoms than the depth of waters iu which cables have been successfully laid, but the excess is tritlino- I must, however, bj'ing to your notice that the depth is itself an element of security. The cables in deepest water at tlu^ present time are those of the Brazilian Submarine Telcgraiih Companv,* and it is a singular fact that this Comi)any, witli cables sunk to a depth of 2,!)60 fathoms, has paid far less than imy other Com- pany for cable repairs. This Company owns to-day some 7,340 nautical miles of cable; if 1 am correctly iuformed, it has never owned a repairing ship, and I believe it has only carried out two, or three, repairs in the thirteen yeai's it has existed. Docs not this go far to establish that telegraph cables are by * I.iiid fi-oin I.i-l on to IVmaii.lmro, i„ South Anicrio:,, r!,t VivU-m arul Capt Vcrdc IsI.-ukIs. 17 il Atlantic eharctes itely jirii\e(l ut by Kailway Company this basis I have c service, but even nine to prove tliat 2ok)nies would be e moment Cana(Li lere will b(> a woii- I business will far epth was a serious (linos which have U) show that the This is ind(>ed f waters in which ess is trirtinrr. I lepth is itself an n- at the present graph Company,* 1 cabh's sunk to a 1 :my other Com- i-(lay some 7,o40 med, it has never ' carried out two, :ed. ipli cables are bv (] Ciitie Vcrdc Islaiuis. far .he ,„o.t secure in deep water? r»nly cables in shallow water -H-h as those of (he Eastern anibI. tu protect cables laid across the PaciHc. I venture to .m,,uire. ^ 'd it not be infinitely more difficult to prot<..t ,he .-ahles and the land lines of the Companies represented bv that <.„,, l,.,nan •- Look at the telegraph n,ap of the world and judge of th.u- respective security. The lin.. of the Eastern and Eastern Extension Companies have stations in two foreign c,.„ntrie.-- Kgypt and Java-the one under the sovereignty of Turkev the otlun- of Holland. All, or nearly all, the cables of these Con.- pan.es are laid in shallow water, and nothing could be easi.r than to drag them to the surface anywhere. Inds that the cables of his Companies woul.l "be the special ohj.-ct of the vigilant care of the Poval ^ cables of the Eastern Telegraph Company are so vul- nerable, that the existence of an alteraative line tlu-ough Canada ami llie I'iuHic, woul.l b,. ,>f incalculable advantage. The l)ossibility of s(Miding a single message in an emergency, via Canada and the I'acific, might actually be worth more to the KiMpire than the whole cost of the new lin(\ Mr. Pend(>r submits '-that the existing Company, as the pione(>r of telegraphic communicaticm with Australasia, is entitled 'o a large share of consideration at the hands of the Colonies." 'I'here may be nuxch truth in this, as T am not familial with the history of the work of extending submarine telegraph service to the Australasian Colonies. I will only observe that this is not the first time that a company or an individual has been called upon to relin(|uish a monopoly by the exigencies of the public welfare. I do not wish that any injustice be done to this Companv or to any individual. If they have any claims for consideration or compensation, these claims should undoubtedly be met in a fair and honourable manner. But, I ..sk, is it for a moment to be thought that Canada and Australasia are never to hold direct telegraphic intercourse because a Commercial Company stands in the way? Are commercial relations between two of the most imix.rtant divisions of the British family for ever to remain dor- mant in order that the profits of a Company may be maintained? lias Mr. Pender's Company inore claim to consideration than the Australasian Colonies themselves? And are the people of these Colonies never to be relieved of the exorbitant charir range; and, f'ourt hly, to maintain for ourselves an imperturbable neutralit v in all cases where nothing occurs to affect injiu-iously our interests or our iioniHU'." I believe, Sir, that these noble sentences define the policy of England to-day as they did sixty years back. The circumstances are, however, not the same, and there are, if possible, stronger reasons Ibr adhering to that 'lolicy than there ever were. Colonies are planted in the fjur quarters of the globe, and Ihitish in- terests are world-wide. The Eastern ciuestion has long been a burning question, but England is no\v less concerned with Europe than with Australasia, Africa, Asi;!, and America. If to preserve the peace of the world be the leading object of the policy of England, that object may most surely be attained by England concenung herself less with Europe, and n.ore with the English p(>ople and the (>>ueen's subjects beyond Europe. To follow such a course is to my mind dictated by a proper apprehen- ao sion of tlie situation, no loss than a sense of duty to ourselves. 'I'liH entire future of the liritish Knipire may largely depend on 'W wisely availing ourselve of opportunities which are now pre- sented, to strengthen the cohesion of tlie Colonies to each other find to the mother country. If that end is to be accomph'slied, I respectfully submit that Canada's contribution, on which she has incurred liabilities which will tax her people £1,000,000 sterling a-year for all future time, should not be lightly regarded. If there is to be any practical progress made in consolidating the Colonial Empire, the establishment of such new lines of Imperial communication as I have alluded to, by telegraph and by fast merchant cruisers, is to my mind an absolute necessity. Would not the establishment of such coiumunications ojjen the way for securing to thr Empire in perpetuity a masterful liold on the Pacific ? Prepared for the worst that may happen in Europe, would not England, occupied with her own people, and pursuing her own noble aims, be in a position to regard the luistern question with comparative indilTerence ? Is it not tne duty of the British people scattered around the globe to set about putting their house in order ? Is not that one of the main jjurposes of this Conference ? Is it not wise and proper to strengthen the coru of patriotism which nni^ through Canada and Australasia, and every one of the Ci>iouies in the two iiemispheres ? Is not everything else secondary to the obligation resting upon us to attend to vital affairs which concern us in *. 'r^;ron? '•'hese v;ews, suggested to me by my own more immediate ra;)ge ol thought, ,ro submitted to the Conference with all deference.