The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-04-09 00:00:00

THE COLONIAL CONFERENCE.
SPEECH BY LORD SALISBURY.

A Conference of the representatives of the Mother
Country and the Colonies was opened in public on
Monday at the Foreign Office, this being preliminary
to a series of private sittings to follow. Sir Henry
Holland presided, and amongst those present were
the Marquis of Salisbury, Earl Cadogan, Earl Gran-
ville, Mr. E. Stanhope, Earl Kimberley, Viscount
Cross, Lord Stanley of Preston, Mr. Childers, Lord
George Hamilton, Earl Derby, and representatives of
Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Cape of Good Hope,
and many gentlemen connected with the Crown Colo-
nies, either nominated by their Governors or invited
by the Colonial Secretary.
Lord Salisbury said he wa's not desirous of taking
any leading part in the proceedings of that Confer-
ence, but they all felt the importance of the meeting,
attended as it was by several leading Colonial repre-
sentative?. (Near, hear.) They would hear a great
deal of a practical nature of the Empire over which
the Queen ruled, an Empire which yielded to none,
and which was superior to all in its greatness, its ex-
tent, and the vastness of its population. But it had
this peculiarity—it was separated from other
Empires by its water-way; it was separated by a vast
ocean ; and they were present to-day to see how
far that peculiarity could be made to benefit
the Colonies at large. The question of Imperial
Federation was not now to be discussed. It would
afford matter, no doubt, for future deliberation; but
Imperial Federation was not an object of the present
Conference. We could not emulate the German
Empire in its Constitutional Federation, nor in its
fiscal policy. The most important subjects for them
to discuss was the Union for Imperial defence. The
interests of the Mother Country and the Colonies
were mutual. There was a tendency to urge that de-
fence was exclusively the business of the Mother
Country, but that was not so. He (the noble speaker)
was very far from suspecting or believing that the
rulers of any of the great countries of Europe were
likely to commit any act of violence upon distant ter-
ritories; but what he would call their attention to
was the desire amongst nations of possessing Colonial
possessions; and the facilities now for the immense
development of naval and military resources, the
power, by practical science, of bringing to bear c .m-
-bining forces upon a single point. All these things
have brought the various distant parts of the Empire
into the sphere of possible aggression. Do not let
them imagine that he could see any aggression likely
or probable on the part of those who wield power in
Europe. The Colonies had a real and genuine
interest in this defence, and a ground for joining
with the Mother Country in making this protection
one which did not rest upon sentimental security,
but was based upon solid and reasonable definitions.
This was a delicate matter, but he desired to
point out the possible danger, and it was
most important they should bear it in mind.
The Mother Country had no selfish desire
in Imperial defence, but was anxious that all
parts of the Emp're should be equally prosperous,
equally glorious. (Cheers.) He had now only to say
how much he and this meeting hoped that the bonds
of union of common race, history, language, and
allegiance, might become more real, so that there
might be presented to the world a spectacle of a vast
Empire bound together by hearty sympathy and reso-
lute co-operation in attaining to those high objects of
human interest which are open to an Empire such as
this. (Loud cheers.) _

The president next addressed the conference, dwell-
ing upon the extraordinary upward progress of the
Empire during the last 50 years. Next he expressed
the conviction that the conference would not have
failed if it merely placed military and naval defence
on a sound footing
Lord Granville expressed his great sympathy with
the Conference, and said that if any justification were
needed for Mr. Stanhope's circular, the presence of
so many distinguished personages would supply it.
He would not venture to prophesy the result of the
deiibrations on any one point, but nothing but good
could result from the meeting of the most distin-
guished of the Colonists and the statesmen of this
country. It would destroy misconceptions and pre-
judices, and tend to strengthen the bonds of steel and
silk which hold this great Empire—an Empire which
had raised to an almost miraculous height the reputa-
tion of the British people. He wished the Conference
God speed: (Cheers.)
Mr. Thorburn (Premier of Newfoundland) re-
turned thanks on behalf of his Colony (the oldest of
the Empire); Sir Alexander Campbell performed the
same office for Canada, Sir P. Jennings for New
South Wales, Mr. Adye Douglas for Tasmania, and
the Hon. T. Upington for the South African Colonies,
Mr. John W. Downer for South Australia, Sir Francis
Dillon Bell for New Zealand, and Mr. Alfred Deakin
for Victoria.

Mr. Deakin said the Colonies would look with the
greatest eagerness for some expression on the part of
her Majesty's Government on the subject of the te-
rible taint of conviction now being poured into the
Australian Colonies. In dealing with questions of
great Colonial interests, Victoria was in favour of a
spirited Colonial policy. It was saddening to see the
difference in the tone of the English desptitches and
those of the German and French Cabinets., With
regard to the questions of the New Hebrides and New
Guinea, Victoria would continue to press its views.
Sir Samuel Griffiths and Mr. John Forrest returned
thanks for Queensland and Western Australia, The
Conference adjourned.