The times., 1897-06-24
Circulation Statement.
WASHINGTON, THURSDAY. JUNE "a
British Imperial Federation.

British Imperial Federation.
Victoria Regina has had her celebra-
tion. Did it mean anything beyond great
honors paid to a venerable lady who,
for sixty years, has worn the English
crown? or, taking advantage OF ~ aus
piciCus an occasion, was it the intention
OF the British government TO make such
an exposition of national and imperial
military and naval strength and material
resources as should astonish mankind,
aad cause unfriendly monarchs and nations
to think twice tefore attacking any Jr
the lairs of the lion?
Most important 10 this purpose is the
idea OF federated empire, which has
been growing arace for some time; which
has been taken up at last by the home
authorities and by Mr. Joseph Chamber
Tain, colonial secretary, in particular
Nearly generation ago, Sir Charles Went
worth l'ilke published his book called
Greater Britain,'' and gave the first
public impetus to the scheme of a united
empire. Yet, as lately as 1863, English
stateSmen were saying that the mother
country cared nothing whether her colonies
separated from her and set up govern
ments for themselves or not. The logic
OF evcnts and political history for the
past quarter-century have changed all
that 1t is seen with significant clear
ness that only by consolidating the scat
tered forces OF the imperial power; ,nIy
10y taking the segregated and, TO some
extent. competing integrals OF all British
communities and organizing them into
d monster military, Commercial and in
dustnal lrust,- can the nation hope TO
make head against tie jealousies and
aniulosities of Europe, or against the
potential power Of the United States.
The latter consideration is quite as i'm
perative as the other. England thought
that in gaining financi al control of
this country through the decentralization
of silver: in securing the power of dicta-
ton over the Cleveland administration,
and in helping to buy the election of Mr.
Mckinley, her sdominan influence over
the finances and politics of the United
States would become complete and perma-
nent. BIT the defeat OF the arbitration
treaty, and, later, the evident intention
of the American people to thIow off the
yoke of the British and monopoly com
bination, has produced disillusion. Great
Britain must count, and her statesmen
and leading financial and commercial
minds know that she must, with re-
yived and emancipated American nation,
bitterly antagonistic to her policies aud
methods, ere four more years have rolled
around.
Before following out this line of thought,
briefly we may advert to Britain's com
plications elsewhere, In Ireland she has
her own oppressed and down-trodden
Cuba at her door. Never before has it
more definitely appeared that "England's
adversely VIII be Ireland's opport,nityP'
Great Britain holds Egypt, to the rage
anu uOTllIaG1Ou VI IldsltGf anu NlhC
aff,Ont OF the resurrected power Of Islam.
Russia, her ancient enemy, has replaced
her as the ruling power at Constantinople,
and threatens her Indian empire from the
Hin doc Koosh frontier. Her paramo mt
interests in South Africa are menaced
by Germany, and her interests and pos
eaccsoDu 70 in imminent .lauper
from more than possible combination Of
all the great states OF Europe against her.
Thus the gathering together of the
grandest battle fleet that ever rode the
waves of the Channel or any other waters
aud the mobilization in London Of repre-
sentative bodies of British soldiery from
all quarters of the globe, has been con-
ceived, aud well conceived, to warn
modern civilization that Brit ain, even
In her splendid isolation, IS not 4 force
to be despised with impunity.
What the demonstration means for US
ismore to the point Among other things
It means that, on the north. we nolonger
are to look upon Canada as colonial
neighbor Of small military Importance.
We are to think of the Dominion as a
coequai part of a mighty imperial power,
and look into the nlUzzles of the guns
that have been planted on the fortifica-
tious of Halifax and Esquimault with
greater interest Similarly, the other
guns that point at us from Bermuda, the
Barbadoes, Jamaica, British Honduras,
British Guiana, and from the decks of
The British North Atlantic and Pacific
fleets, are to be regarded from new
point of view
Che eiant federated ennire is not vat