The Nineteenth Century , No 182, Apr 1892 [‎20r] (44/244)

1892
HOW TO FEDERATE
529
of all parties in this country on this point were well stated by Lord
Eosebery in bis address to the Chamber of Commerce at Leeds:—
It is not merely the commercial interests involved, it is a narrowing down of
this country to its European possessions. Do not flatter yourself that if Canada
and Australia were to leave you, you would retain your smaller colonies. The
West Indies would go with Canada; Australia would take in Australasia. As to
the Cape, I think you might well make up your mind for the secession of the
Cape under circumstances such as these. Well, if you wish to remain alone in the
world with Ireland you can do so.
Also by Lord Salisbury in his speech at Exeter in February:—
What is it that gives to this little island its commanding position ? Why is
it that fleets from every nation, from every quarter of the globe, come into your
ports ; that the products of countless regions are subject to your industry; and
that the manufactures which the industry of your people complete are carried to
the furthest corners of the globe ? What is it that gives to you this privileged
position ? It is that your flag floats over populations far more numerous and
regions far vaster than your own, and that upon the dominions of your sovereign
the sun never sets.
I yield to no one in a due appreciation of the great value to
Canada of the army and navy and diplomatic service of England.
But I deny that any additional burden is imposed upon this country
by the possession of Canada. If the United States could accomplish
their desire of having one Government from the Equator to the North
Pole, and England were left without a harbour in North America into
which her ships could enter in time of war, and deprived of her in
valuable coal supplies, both on the Atlantic and Pacific coast, can
anyone pretend that she could reduce her army by a man or her
navy by a ship ? What would then become of her trade with China
and Japan, and to what extent might not her Indian Empire be thus
imperilled ? Canada has shown in the past the value she attaches to
British institutions, and will every hour become a still greater
strength to the Empire by building up and training a powerful
British community to defend the connection of which she is so proud.
Commercial principles and defence may be combined, as in the case
of her canals [on which she has already expended over eleven millions
sterling, and has incurred further liabilities], which provide the most
magnificent inland navigation in the world, and will enable gunboats
of large size to reach, in case of war, the head of Lake Superior.
Among the measures recently sanctioned by the Parliament of
this country to increase its naval strength, it will be generally
admitted that the policy of securing the construction of armed
cruisers like the 'Teutonic' and ' Majestic,'built under Admiralty
supervision, of great speed, provided with armament, and subject to
appropriation as cruisers in time of war, promises the best results in
proportion to the expenditure. Canada is now pledged to appropriate
165,000£. sterling per annum to provide such a service from England