The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-18
MONDAY, DECEMBER is, 1899.
THE EXPIRES FUTURE.

rs the British empire doomed?"
That is the question anxiously asked
by British press and people this week.
Will succession of reverses in one
quarter of the globe sever the strands
of empire in other regions? Will the
disease of disloyalty in one member of
that vast organism called the British
empire affect other portions of the sys-
tenn with the same faint? South Africa
lost, will India follow, and after India,
Australia, New Zealand, Canada and
the rest.
England more than any other nation
depends on loyalty for the existence
of its empire. Her possessions are
scattered. far removed from the mother
country. Russia, with her great, con-
tiguous empire, has little to fear in the
way of rebellion. The United States
also has contiguous domain, such So
called colonies" as Hawaii and the
Philippines standing in no such vital
relation to the whole as do England's
greater possessions to the mother coun-
try. After solving the problem of
widespread civil war; the United
States has little to fear in the way of
instructions. North, south, east,
west, are now united. and except on
minor matters are in accord.
The British empire, then, can only be
maintained through the coming cen
fury by dint of sea supremacy and the
thorough loyalty of it's various col
onies. AS to the former consideration,
it is doubtful if England will much
longer continue to possess the balance
of naval power. Any one Of three great
powers can, if so inclined build as
large navy as England has today.
Could Great Britain continue to main
tain a sea force greater than the COM
-bined forces of Europe? It is doubtful.
There is a limit to the taxing power
possessed by nations. When that linn
it is passed, revolution comes.
AS to the loyalty of her colonies, Eng
land is especially favored. Australia
and Canada make greater boast of
their dependence than other nations do
of their independence. But can this
loyalty survive the shock of loss of
military prestige by the mother coun-
try? That question is being answered
in the Cape colony today 1t is easy
to see by the tone of the official dis
patches from the Cape that the defec-
ton of the colonists there is deemed
almost as serious a matter as Buffers
defeat in the field. But what if India
were lost-India, where millions of
starving and dissatisfied subjects are
held in check by few thousands? The
most astute of British statesmen has
said that England cannot hold India
permanently. Yet India is the keystone
of the empire. Suppose a crushing
defeat by another power should destroy
England's prestige. The sentimental
consideration for union with the moth
er country would be destroyed with
it, and Australia would become a sep
arate state, while the Canadian bound
airy would be decided once for all by
annexation to the United States.
Another consideration is that of pop
ulation. The British isles can support
only limited population. When the
larger English colonies have a popu-
lation triple or quadruple that of the
mother country, will they be content
to follow the apron string" form Of
government? Besides, the majority Of
these now prominent in colonial politics
were born in the mother country; in
two or more generations this reason for
loyalty will not be potent factor. In
Australia federation is making rapid
strides. and is now probably a matter
of months only. Canada can never be
prosperous until united to the United
States. The Dominion is now held back
by the strongest possible ties of 10y
atty. but sentimental reasons will not
be allowed to initiate permanently
against the nations material prosperi-
ty.
History has proven that all great
empires made up of discordant ele-
ments fall. So long they endure, then
they ARE one with Nineveh and Tyre"
The extreme alarmist views Of some
representatives of the British press rel
alive to the probable speedy collapse
OF the British empire are probably un-
warranted. It is unlikely that the
English will be permanently checked in
the Transvaal The British empire
will probably outlast the present gem
GRAFTON. Yet no student OF history