The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-13
A Russian View of Imperial Fedora
tion.

tion.
It was a remarkable extract from the st.
Petersburg Noroe Vremya which we pub
lished on Sunday. The view taken Of the
result Of England's attempt to tighten the
bonds between herself and her colonies is
the more important, because, as it is we'll
known, no comments on foreign politics |
can be published in Russian newspapers
unless they nave been previously examined
and sanctioned by the official censor.
Tn threefold aim of the federationists
seems to be as we'll understood at st.
Petersburg as it is in London. 1t is, first,
to establish an inter- Britannia customs
union; secondly, to secure contributions
from all the self-governing colonies to the
British war-feet; thirdly, to make all the
parts of the empire collectively respon-
sible for the imperial policy through a
common representation in the Parliament
at Westminster, or in an advisory
council. AS for a Pan-Britannic Zoll-
verein. all the colonies, hat were repre-
sented at the Ottawa Conference, favor 1t;
they are all willing to admit British goods
at rates of duty lower than those imposed
on similar commodities from foreign coun-
NIhCoyp AoNl lCo % itd III uih WAL
discriminate to some extent against foreign
products in favor of colonial commodities.
The Dominion of Canada has gone further,
and, without asking any reciprocal conces-
sion, has offered to give preferential rates to
imports from Great Britain. 1t is true
that, for the moment, the offer can
not be accepted, because the Belgian and
German treaties, which forbid such a prefer
ence, have not yet been denounced, although
all the c~olonies have recently urged a de-
nunciation of them. With respect to
colonial contributions to the war-1eet, we
may say that one step has been already
taken, the Cape Colony having made
through it's Prime Minister ar uncondi-
tional promise to add a battleship to the
imperial navy; 1t Is possible, even prob
able, that local pride may cause the ex-
ample to be followed by some of the other
colonies, though scarcely by Victoria, which
is in financial straits. The matter OF col
lective representation will be least easily
arranged. Sir WILFRID LAURIER declared
In London that the time would come when
Canada would be satisfied with nothing
short of proportional representation in the
British louise of Commons; a Australian
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not be put of with a few seats In q deca-
dent body like the House of Peers, or with
places in an ornamental council. Only
with great reluctance, however, will Eng
lishmen yield seats in the Hous of Com
mons to the colonies.
Assuming, however, as the Nouoe Vremya
assumes, that the aims of the federationists
are fulfilled, and that the British Empire
is compacted into a centralized State power
full for defence or for aggression. what will
be the effect on foreign countries, espe-
cially those of Continental Europe7 The
NOroe Vremyn answers that from the
moment a Pam Britannia Zollverein were
established, discriminating against the
products Of foreign countries, Cont.
mental Europe would cease. to take any
economic or commercial interest In the
British Empire, and would probably form a
permanent counteralliance or coalition.
That league would have to be dealt with
every time British policy should seem detri.
mental to European interests.
Pressure would be applied to England In
two ways: In the first place, by cutting her
Off from the European markets, and, 80 far as
commerce could be interrupted by cruisers
Aoi vi a. hAoi hSbS 10 "Dis hci
by the industries of Great Britain would
be seriously crippled, If not ruined. Theil
customers could not be reached. In the
second place, while no attempt might be
made by the European coalition to cope
with the British Empire in respect of great
naval armamcnts, and there might, there
fore, be no sea fights on a large scale, theil
combined maritime resources would be ex
pended upon fitting out innumerablc com
merce dcstroyers for the purpose Of inter
ccpting the supplies of food sent to Eng
land from her colonies. Even If the supply
of food staples could not be entirely cut of
so much destruction could be effected tina
the increased rates of marine insuranc,
would put the price of food beyond til,
reach of the poor in the British Isles, ant
thus England would be practically starved
into submission.
1t may he said that, II England were GU
of from all her present European and colo
NAL purveyors of food staples, she would
still be able to obtain adequate supplies
from theU United States, the interest of whicl
it would be. in the contingency supposed. h
remain neutral Now. 1t u true that one o