The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-12-11 00:00:00

Ept Stolltbribtle Obser.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 18S6.

IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

TEE relations between Great Britain and
her Colonial dependencies formed the sub-
ject of an Important paragraph in the Queen's
Speech when Parliament was prorogued.
We were told that communications haefbeen
entered into with the governments of the
principal British dependencies with the
object of obtaining a fuller consideration Of
matters of common interest. This week, in
further connection with this momentous
question, there has been published an official
dispatch, which the Secretary of State for
the Colonies has forwarded to the heads cf
all our great Colonial governments, inviling
them to take part in a proposed Confeience
to be held in London next year. The circu-
lar is a lengthy and comprehensive one, and
pregnant with items of interest to every
subject of her Majesty. . The idea of Im-
perial Federation, cdncerning which there
has of late been much active agitatisn, is
discountenanced for the time being, in the
generally accepted or political sense of the
term; while there is throughout Mr. Stan-
hope's dispatch the evidence of a desire for
an early Imperial understanding as to mat-
ters of defence, altogether apart from the
consideration of the causes of any war in
which this country-might be involved. This
wo consider evinces a wjse and accurate
reading of public temper and feeling here as
well as in the Colonies, and points indeed to
the safest and most expedient method of
approaching the whole question just at this
present As things are now it would be
hopeless to attempt to bring about Imperial
Fe leration in its broadest meaning, for there
is no general ground work of unity on which
to work when we come to consider commer-
cial interests and things pertai ing to the
details of their protection. A great deal
would have to be done in the way of reform '
of the regulations and usages which govern
communications and interchanges of produce
between the old country and many of the
Colonies, and vice versa, and also as regards
inter-colonial exchange, before a grand and
comprehensive scheme of Imperial Federa-
tion could be rendered workable and practi-
cal ; and, indeed, the task would be such a
gigantic one that those who consider it hope-
less may well be excused. Much may be
done, we consider, however, iu this desirable
direction by statesmanly and mutually
generous action at the Colonial Office and
in the bureaus of the various dependent
Governments as well as in the wider as-
senablies sf the Imperial and Colonial Par-
liaments. Outsidefof official movement,
too, the platform and the Presss may accom-
plish a grea; cleattOwards the great end in
view if only a true spirit of unselfish federa-
tion actuate the public here and over the seas.
All this, though, must be matter for gradual
progress. A transformation SJ tremendous
as' would have to be brought absut csuld not
be hoped for in the immediate Entine by even
the P:most sanguine. Meantim ), we must
bestir ourselves to keep the links which bind
Britain and her Colonies as strongly closed
as they are. Our depadencies have grown,
some of them, to States of great individual
magnitude and power, and they are sundered
by half a would of space from the parent
isle. Some day ere long this countiy might
be involved in a terrible war—heaven prevent
so dire a calamity—and in that case the fleets
of jealous foes would swoop down doubtless
upon some of those badly protected but
inestimably valuable outlying lands whose
inhabitants acknowledge our common Sove-
reign. No one will contend that the British
navy is equal to the task, in its present con-
dition, of guarding every port which owes
allegiance to the Crown at one and the same
time. In case of a combination of Powers
making attack upon England, most of our
fleet would be wanted for home defence.
We should be unable to extend adequate
protection to places as far away and as wide
apart as Australia, Canada, and India—not
to speak of many another less important
dependency—all of which would be liable
to assault. The merchant vessels, upon
which we so largely depend for subsistence,
would need, in a general war, the attention
of many fighting ships to prevent them fal-
ling into the hands of an enemy. It is there-
fore highly desirable that the Colonies
should enter into mutual conclave with the
Home Government as to how to best estab-
lish a system of defence which shall leave
no weak spot in the whole low? Imperial
coast-line. There is no munner of donbt as
to Colonial enthusiasm in matters of Im-
perial moment; but the fact remains that we
could not adequately protect the Colonies
during a straining •European war, and
further, that the Colonies thernseh es have
not yet looked at all sufficiently to their
own defence. It is high time, as Mr. Stan-
hope and his fellow-Wilisters recognise, flat
this question was seriously grasped. Hence
the suggested Conference. There is a war
spirit abroad inEurope, and, against her will,
England may be swept into the military
maelstrom before she is aware of it. No time
then should be lost in strengtheeino- the
Imperial bulwarks. As to- method', ti e
general idea that the central powers in Inn-
don must act concertedly with the Colonial
executives ought to be paramount. There
must be no Colonial independence nor
inter Colonial jealousy on the one hand,
and no arrogant domineering nor high-
handedness in the other. Britain and
her Colonies, unitedly working for a
general protection against foreign foes, may
yet stand unharmed before any attack.
Without a common plan of action, under any
conditions our invulnerability is irretrievably
gone. All true Britons will hope that from
the suggested Conference an Imperial de-
fence may be built up which will keep every
enemy at bay, and lead on to that larger
fedt ration which will make England and her
Colonies one in every interest, coramercial
as well aa