The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-11-26
BRITISH rEDERN";os.

There is no other government IN tbs
world which is 80 extended as is that o.
Cheat Britain. The United Kingdom
England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland
covers an area Of only one hundred and
twenty-one thousand square miles, a little
more than the area of New England and
New York, and its population is thirty-fiye
and quarter millions.
Its colonies cover almost eight million
square miles, and have combined popula-
ton of more than two hundred millions.
These colonies are on every continent and
in almost every sea- England's oldest
colony is that of Newfoundland, which was
acquired in 1881 her youngest is the Island
of Cyprus, over which she extended sover-
eighty i'll 1878.
Large as these figures seem, our view of
them is somewhat modified when we learn
that the total population of all the British
colonies, excluding the Indian Empire, was,
according to the census of 1881, only 15,.
259, 724. Thus Great Britain and oil its
colonies, British India expected, do not con-
tain rs many inhabitants as there are within
the United States.
The governments of these colonies are of
three kinds first, by the crown, that is, by
absolute rule, the people having no part in
the government. This is the system for
India, and indeed for most of the colonies
IN number. The whole colonial population
under this species of government is almost
two hundred and two millions
The next class of governments is that of
representative institutions. The people
choose legislatures and make laws but the
home government may veto those laws, and
it retains full control over allpublic officers
This is the form of government for Ceylon,
the Bahamas, the Bermudas, and other colo
MES, having total population of little
less than four millions.
Finally, there is the system of responsible
government, which is allowed TO Canada,
Newfoundland, the Cape Colony and Aus
tralia only, with combined population of
eight and one half millions.
The several provinces which now con-
stitute the Dominion of Canada were form
erly Independent of each other. They
were united by an act of Parliament passed
in 1867. The Dominion is sometimes call
ed federation, or an association of allied
States. 1t is more than that it is almost
true union.
Now there is stroug movement in favor
of similar federation of all the govern.
ments OF Australia, New Zealand and Tas-
mania Thara ora o.,,,a l;as.,,I;a.
way of this scheme which no ono hns yet
been able to surmount.
Beyond this there is a much larger pro-
ject. 1t is proposed to make federation
of the British Empire. The details have
been worked out by no statesman Ms yet;
but the plan involves political or n com
mercial, union, perhaps both of the home
government and the whole or part of the
colonies.
The idea is grand one, but in carrying
it out there will be immense difficulties.
For England would hardly care to give up
the absolute power which, in spite of re-
preventative governments, she holds over
her colonies md ennnfin or Australia
would apparently gain little or nothing by
sharing with each other the government
which each now possesses, independent of
any other power than England
II, however, any way can be found to
accomplish the desired result, it will utach
the colonies to the mother country more
strongly than ever, and make of Great Brit
ain muc.t more powerful country than she
nov is YOUTHS CINNAMON.