, 1874-04-18

dIu H6I CIUWuI S HO 1858 HOUly SuSCdlucu
in the Western Hemisphere and in South
Africa and Australia. The British Empire
consists of a number of growing states,
which are every year gathering strength
and assuming larger dimensions, and the
more closely they are bound to the mother
country the more they contribute to the
strength of the Empire. England must
follow the example Of ancient Rome and
give to all her Colonies and foreign posses
sions, the right of citizenship, and the
name OF British subjects, and of being con-
sldered integral parts of the British En-
plre. 1t is due to her greatness and to the
maintenance of her position amongst the
foremost nations of the world. If she is
content to limit her dominions to the Brit
ish Islands, and desires to cast off her Co
lonies, and to leave them to work out
their w destinies, she must withdraw
from the first rank, and give place to the
United States, Russia, France and Germa-
ny, and see herself at no long distance OF
time, reduced to a level with her own
Colonies in Canada and Australia. But
we cannot believe that this is the view
taken by British Statesmen, Liberal or
Conservative, of the question, or which
would be sanctioned by the British Par
lament.
With regard to the question Of Colonial
Defence, as put by Capt. C0LOMB, to con
sist in the command of the Channel, and
keeping open five main lines Of communi-
cation with the Colonies it seems to us,
tho we speak with difidence, being quite
aware of how little importance attaches to
the opinion of a West Indian newspaper,
that so long as England holds her position
of maritime supremacy, she has nothing
to fear for the maintenance Of her lines of
communication across the seas. The most
difficult to hold OF the lines Capt. CoLoMB
considers to be that to India by the Me-
diterranean and the Suez Canal, the canal
not being in the possession of England.
The passage might be barred, but the other
line would remain open round the Cape ;
and India has a base of it's own, with a
numerous and will disciplined army, of
which a considerable portion is European.
India is quite able to hold her own a
gainSt any foreign attack. She has no.
thing to fear whilst she remains firm in
her allegiance to the sovereignty Of
England. With regard to the Aus
tralian Colonies, and Southern Africa,
they are strong by natural position and
their remoteness, and every day their
strength is growing, and with it their Ca
pabiIity of self-defence. Coming to the
Western Continent, what has Canada to
fear except from an invasion by the United
States, a bordering country, whose inhabi-
tants speak the same language, enjoy the
same free government, belong to the same
race, and are equally interested with them
selves to live at peace, to carry on trade
and agriculture, and to develop the re-
sources of the immense territories covered
by forest and prairie within the limits Of
each reaching to the Pacific Ocean. As
for the West Indies they must so with the
maritime supremacy; while it remains in
the hands of England, no foreign power
would venture to disturb them, or think it
worth their while to fit out an expedition
for their conquest. During the revolution
AIRY wars England took easy possession of
the French and Dutch Colonies and res
tored them on the conclusion of peace,
seeing no advantage to be got by their re-
~tention, The British West Indies form a