Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-21
FOR OR AGAINST CANADA.

There is at present a strong party IN
England which is directly in favor of cut
ting of the British dependencies in Ameri-
ca. The reasons urged are the enormous
expense to the mother country of keeping
up provincial war establishment, and the
total uselessness of the provinces, as far as
any addition to the home eXclequer is con-
cerned. These, Of course, if well founded,
are weighty reasons, but there are others
which overbalance them, During the late
session Of the Dominion Parliament the
subject was continually agitated, and many
prosy, few eloquent, and fewer yet practi-
cal speeches were delivered to show that
Canada not only was not a burden upon
the home government, but palpable and
practical blessing, and that EnglaDd's wealth
and power, instead of being depleted or ie-
oDardized, was constantly augmented and
strengthened by her American dependen-
cies. s.--.---.
In addition to these, Mr.. Archibald Ham
ilton has lately read a paper before the sta
tistical society bearing upon this same sub
iect, in which he meets the arguments Of
the economists who complain Of the cost Of
the colonies, and shows by indubitable facts
and figures that the argument urged is
wholly without foundation. Even on strict
Iy commercial principles not only is the re-
tention Of Englands existing colonies am
ply justified, but the importance Of extend
ing The system and founding new colonies
is suggested. In round numbers the sum
derived by the imperial treasury from colo
nial trade during the past nineteen years
has amounted TO fi5,OOO,O0o, while the
imperial expenditure in the colonies has not
exceeded 943, 100000.
The figures on the credit side Of this ac-
count are taken from the customs duties an
nually derived from the colonial products
imported into England, while the debt side
represents the imperial military expenditure
in the different colonies. During this same
period it is shown that the total export Of
British home produce to the provinces
amounted to f45O,OOO0, or 100000,
Which might be considered as so much
added to the home earnings of the British
people. a large proportion Of the money
set down in the list of colonial expendi-
lures is applied to strictly imperial pur-
poses, and should lot justly come under
that head. Nearly the entire amount de-
voted 70 Gibraltar and Malta, which ports
are retained as advanced posts of the en-
pire, ought 20 find place IN the account of
England proper. So also the amounts eX-
pended in the penal settlements at Ceylon
and Hong Kong, Deduct these, and the
sum under the head Of colonial expenditures
seems, from Mr.. Hamilton's showing, to be
Insignificant enough. Thus, the entire sum
of the cost to the British treasury of Can
ada, Australia, and the South Pacific provinc-
es appears by the latest returns to not eX-
ceed hale a million sterling, and the amount
decreases yearly.
The assumption that England would still
erj5y the profits from colonial trade it sep
aration should take place, is dealt with by
Mr.. Hamilton in direct and logical way,
and with abundance of illustration. He
shows that England spends as much indi-
rectly on her foreign connection as upon her
colonies. A large amount is annually eX-
pended in the maintenance of foreign feet
10 proteet The interests of British commerce
and residents, in the maintenance of diplO-
matte and consular agents, and the en-
hanced cost Of military establishments
necessary in the interests Of her foreign
trade. He proves, too, that the colon
les are far more profitable patrons
of British industry than foreign nations.
Trade follows the flag; and the ties of blood
and kindred count more tnan is generally
imagined. The Dominion annually imports
British products at the rate of thirty dollars
per head, and Australia nearly fifty, while
the United States, the best foreign customer
of Great Britain, import only at the rate OF
three dollars per head, and France, even
under the commercial treaty, one dollar and
q half pr head This is the logic Of facts,
and viii go far to dissipate The idea that in
the maintenance Of the colonial relation,
England is simply acting the part Of a ben
efactress, and adding TO the burdens of her
people without receiving any advantage in
return.