of naval powers without the aid and protection the Mother Country now gives them. Some at least of them might then, standing isolated, be in serious peril, and, if I may touch on the sentimental side of the question, each one of us in Britain would lose no small part of what makes the joy of his patriotism and the pride of his share in the government of Britain if he did not feel he belonged to a country which is not only the ancient hearth and home of the British people, but also the centre of the British Dominion: as similarly there is not a Colonist who would not feel he had lost a great deal of what made his civic rights precious to him if he had ceased to possess, besides the citizenship in his own Colony, his share as a citizen in the greatness of the British realm. I will go even further, and say the world itself would lose that which is the strongest of all influences in the world for the preservation of peace, particularly on the ocean highways, if commerce were to be removed or weakened. Two centuries ago John Milton spoke of the "glorious and enviable height to which the Britannic Empire had been built up." We are born into a far more splendid heritage than that which he contemplated, and that heritage we hold, not merely by the strength of our arms, but by the indomitable spirit and courage and enterprise which centuries of freedom have formed in the English race. To the strength and vitality of that spirit nothing contributes more than the sense of our Imperial greatness, and the sense of responsibility that Imperial greatness imposes upon us. I believe that spirit was never stronger than to-day, and to you, gentlemen, who represent the Colonies, let me venture to say I trust that every British Government will be animated by that spirit, and by it will trust to maintain the Unity of the Empire, and of the British people dispersed over the world. I am permitted to couple with this toast the name of one of those Colonial statesmen who has shown so well, as Prime Minister of Queensland, that the ancient political traditions and talents which thrive in the Old Country may flourish in a new soil; and I may mention, as a special claim upon our sympathy, that Sir Thomas McIlwraith is going, as the representative of Queensland, to take part in the conference to be held at Ottawa next June for improving the means of telegraphic and steamship communication across the Pacific, and thus, we may trust, strengthening the ties between the two most important groups of British Colonies. The undertaking of so great a project-not more helpful to these Colonies than it may prove to be to the strength and unity of the Empire as a whole-must engage and deserves our

sympathy, and I ask you to heartily drink to the toast, with which is coupled the name of Sir Thomas McIlwraith.

Sir THOMAS MCILWRAITH, K.C.M.G.: I feel great diffidence in replying to this toast, but I cannot help saying a word of high appreciation of the eloquent terms in which Mr. Bryce proposed it. It gives us great pleasure that such a toast should come from him. We have the heartiest appreciation of his work as an historian. As a politician we do not know him so well, but it is a great pleasure to find Mr. Bryce coming forward and in such eloquent terms proposing the Unity of the Empire. He has put in fine language what I would rather express in my own homely way, and that is this: three months ago I left Brisbane to go home. I passed through Canada and was at home then. I am at home now. In another couple of months I leave this city, and when I get to Brisbane I am at home as well. That is the British Empire. That is what we feel on our side. We have never gone from the Old Country. If what we are now trying to do is carried out, we shall be able to go from one end of the world to the other without leaving the British Empire or without leaving home at all. That is the object of our meeting at Ottawa. We want cable communication from Great Britain, which must pass under the sea, but that is British soil; through Canada-part of the British Empire too-and then through British soil until it reaches Australia. It is a thing so easy of accomplishment that I believe the people of Great Britain see it as easily as we do, and I believe it is a matter which will take a great advance in the next six months. At all events Canada and Australia are working well, and we have the greatest hopes we shall find appreciation of our ideas by Her Majesty's Government. A great deal has been made of the immediate necessity of making some sort of arrangement to legally and constitutionally bring the whole of the British Empire, including ourselves and the Colonies, into one. We must have a constitution right off, it is said. I myself don't see the necessity for that, and I am not prepared to despair-because I do not see the necessity for it-and to think there is something bad before us. We have been perfectly well able to govern ourselves, and we have never been materially interfered with by the Government here, and the reason we have got on so well is that we have been let alone. That we are thoroughly loyal there cannot be the slightest doubt in the world. I remember seeing two or three years ago a letter in the Pall Mall Gazette in which a high dignitary told us that Australia was Republican, and that for once he heard cheers for the Queen at public meetings

"all"

he ten times heard cheers for the Australian Republic. Now, I have attended public meetings in Australia all my life and I have never heard cheers for the Australian Republic. We have plenty among us that are sentimental Republicans, but they know they will never get any greater freedom than they have now, and they let it remain a sentiment. Well, when we have these problems put before us and the very best men in Britain and Australia come forward and say they cannot see any solution of them, is it not rational to turn round and say, as I do-Where do we want it? We are perfectly well off at the present time. All we want is to get closer business relations with you, and our greatest desire is to make them more close and exclusive if we possibly can. We are all English out there. When I say English I do not exclude Scotchmen. But we are all of the same family, and we wish to do business with one another. Now, for instance, a "little row "--which is the only thing that does happen -was caused by the view taken of what I did in subsidising the French cable line. The conclusion was at once rushed to that we were a disloyal people and favouring France at the expense of England. But that was not the case. The local line from New Caledonia suited us from the business point of view. If we had to choose between a line put down by France and one put down by Great Britain we would not have thought a moment about it, for the thing would be settled. We want to work with our own people. The French cable is better than no cable at all, but we should all prefer a British cable, and I hope we shall get it. That, of course, will form one of the matters we are going to discuss in Canada. I have gone through Canada. A more loyal people I never saw, and there is no people who would more cordially respond to the toast for which I am replying to-night.

Sir HUBERT E. JERNINGHAM, K.C.M.G. (Governor of Mauritius): I rise in a spirit of timid obedience to the wishes of the Council that I should propose this toast. I believe that, after the loyal toasts, no toast is received with more alacrity or enthusiasm than "The Health of the Chairman." The reason is obvious. The committee specially charged with the organisation of these Lucullan repasts have a good rule, viz., they ever invite to the chair a gentleman distinguished, not only by his high position and public services, but by his high attainments and personal merits. It is not quite so obvious why they should have selected on this occasion to perform the task I am endeavouring to fulfil a newly-fledged Governor when I see around me so many older

Governors for whom we entertain the highest respect, and so many young men who are ambitious to become Governors. It may be the committee wished to pay a compliment to my Colony, the great characteristic of whose inhabitants is pluck, while it is known that if Lord Dunraven is specially conspicuous for anything it is his indomitable pluck. Lord Dunraven's career, such as we know it by his acts-and we know it by his writings also— presents a vast field of usefulness, wherein, if it were not so late, it might be a pleasure to cull a few flowers and present them to him. But I remember that he has been Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, and that he may return to that Department; I therefore reserve my nosegay till then, remembering, however, that in these days flowers are becoming political emblems, and that a Governor has no right to show a preference for a beautiful orchid rather than a more simple primrose. I am proud, however, of the honour of being asked to propose his health. You have shown, my Lord Chairman, in every sphere which is specially dear to Englishmen, that you possess those qualities which can endear a Britisher, whatever his station, to everyone of his countrymen throughout the Empire. You began by being a noted steeplechaser, and I believe there is no Briton living who has not had a sympathy with you in that sport, even although he could not ride. You are an authority on hunting. You have, besides, shown what we like better than all-you have shown your determination that other countries, however friendly and brotherly, shall not wrest those trophies we desire to keep in our own hands. In Lord Dunraven, whatever his political career may have been, whatever may be his literary and other merits, the qualities which carry him to all our hearts are the great and sterling qualities so well described by my friend Mr. Bryce-pluck, endurance, energy, and intelligence. "The Health of the Chairman and Success to his 'Valkyrie.'"

The CHAIRMAN: I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I have already spoken at, I am afraid, too great length, but one cannot speak about the Royal Colonial Institute without speaking about the British Empire. I would like to say that, although I confined myself to the great self-governing Colonies, I have an equal affection for the smaller Colonies that have not yet reached man's estate, and also for the little dots of red about the map which enable us to maintain our supremacy of the sea. We have had tonight some able and instructive speeches. I feel it a great privilege to have heard them and to have been allowed to preside.

250

FIFTH ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING.

THE Fifth Ordinary General Meeting of the Session was held at the Whitehall Rooms, Hôtel Métropole, on Tuesday, March 13, 1894, when Mr. F. C. Selous delivered an Address based upon the following Paper.

The Right Hon. the Marquis of Lorne, K.T., G.C.M.G., a VicePresident of the Institute, presided.

The Minutes of the last Ordinary General Meeting were read and confirmed, and it was announced that since that Meeting 14 Fellows had been elected, viz. 5 Resident and 9 Non-Resident. Resident Fellows:

Charles F. Depree, James Wm. Dore, David Fowler, Edward R. P. Moon, Hugh Reeves.

Non-Resident Fellows:-
:-

Dr. Alfred C. Bennett (Cape Colony), John T. Dalrymple (New Zealand), Capt. T. M. Hawtayne (Lagos), Hon. James Inglis, M.L.A. (New South Wales), Colonel H. T. Jones-Vaughan (Commanding the Troops, Singapore), Herbert T. Marks (Transvaal), Hon. Robert Reid, M.L.C. (Victoria), Dr. Alexander M. Ross (Canada), Frederick C. Smith (South Australia).

It was also announced that donations to the Library of books, maps, &c., had been received from the various Governments of the Colonies and India, Societies and public bodies both in the United Kingdom and the Colonies, and from Fellows of the Institute and others.

The CHAIRMAN: We have to deplore the death during the recent campaign in South Africa of the son of one of our members, Sir Julius Vogel, who has our sincere sympathy. Other members of the Institute have had friends fighting in that brief and most successful campaign, and now we have to-night the pleasure of welcoming home in safety Mr. Selous, who has taken an active part in the war. He is no stranger to you. During last year he was good enough to come here and deliver a most interesting lecture. As you are aware, he went off as soon as there was any idea of fighting, and you know how he distinguished himself during the Matabele