The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-03-10
BRITAIN'S POLICY
Colonial Secretary Cham
berlain Expands It.
Develop New Territory As Il Is
Acquired on Civilized
Basis.

| In d speech at Birmingham. Eng.
/ November 13, 1896. Mr. Chamberlain
/ Colonial Secretary, said:
Il should Toe perfectly prepared TO
admit that if other nations would only
stand aside it might have been wiser
that we should have proceeded more
gradually. that we should have devel-
oped the countries that we already pos
sessed before seeking this vast extern
sion. But there was no appearance Of
nations. l can truly say that we were
not the first or the most eager 10 move:
but if we had remained passive what
would have happened? Is it not as
certain as that we are sitting here that
the greater part of the continent of
Africa would have been occupied by
our commercial rivals, who would have
proceeded, as the first act of their pol
icy, to close this great potential mar
ket to British trade? Let me make one
remark here, the proper consideration
of which would, / think. DO very much
to modify that jealousy with which
undoubtedly foreign nations regard
our extension. My remark is this:
That we. in our colonial policy. as fast
as we get new territory and develop
it, develop it as trustees of civilization
for the commerce of the world We Of
fer in all these markets over which our
flag floats the same opportunities, the
same open field to foreigners that we
offer to our own subjects. and upon the
same terms.
And in that policy we stand alone,
because every other nation. as fast as
il acquires new territory-acting above
all in the interest OF the countries that
they administer-every other nation
seeks at once to secure the monopoly
for its own products by preferential
and artificial methods. Under these cir
cumstances. / say, it was matter o. |
life and death to us that we should |
not be forestalIed in these markets |
OF the future to which we may have |
learned to look for the extension o! |
our trade, and even for the subsistence |
of our people. and in considering the
results of our policy, | think we Brit |
ons-l must not say Englishmen, be |
cause my Scotch friends would think ] |
was excluding them from a field indeed |
IN which they have taken even NOR.
than their fair ShaTe-but | say that
the results of. our policy are results
upon which we Britons can look back |
with satisfaction 1t is interesting to
notice that we alone have been success
ful in making these acquisitions prof
table. Every addition to the colonial
possessions of France or of Germany
adds Immediately. and continues to
add. 10 the latest date. a heavy burden
upon the taxpayers of the mother
Whereas in our case all our
colonies and territories are either self
from the first or become
in a very short space Of
line, the French colonies and the Ger
nan colonies seem somehow or other to
all 10 attract any commercial and civ
liam population. | think the recent of
icial returns of the German Empire
show that in their colonies. which eX-
end over more than million square
niles. there are less than 700 civilian
iermans-less. in fact. than there are
If that nationality in many of our own
colonies While in the foreign colon
eS no population from the mother
'ountry is attracted. in our colonies we
ind that settlement proceeds gaiIy. and
hey take off all our most adventur-
,us spirits and relieve us of some of /
'ur surplus population. And | think I
nay go further and say that this sys-
EN-. while it is certainly satisfactory
o ourselves, is productive of advant-
ges to the people over whom we eXer-
Use control. 1t is said that you cannot
make omelettes without breaking eggs.
/ on cannot exercise control over saw
zee countries which previous to your
trivial have been in a state of constant
narchy and disorder without occasion
lily coming into conflict with their |
avage rulers and having to shed some
Hood; but | say that universally il has
proved TO be the case that after a
ime we have secured the pacification
f the country. we have put an end TO
ne tribal conflict which has previously
nteffered with progress. we have de-
JrOyed those slave-raiding expeditions
which have been fatal TO commerce.
nd we have secured the permanent
of the country and the
Increase of the population. Now that
: a statement which / believe applies
TO all the new acquisitions
hitch we have made on the continent
+ Africa. and I cannot help thinking
hat it justifieS even that large extern
ion of territory which has been forced
pom us"