The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-01-21
The Part Taken by The British Col
onies I'm the South African War.


The London NationGl Rerie,o Is right in
laying that the most remarkable feature OF
the present contest In South Africa Is the
rally OF the great British colonies on behalf
OF imperial interests. The following col
ouies, named In the order OF the dates at
which the proposals are recorded, have
offered to assist the mother country with
troops: Queensland, Victoria, New South
Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia,
Tasmania, South Australia and Canada.
After some hesitation the offers were
accepted. The aggregate number OF the SOL
diers thus far procured from these sources
Is, however, not very great. Why, then, is
their appearance in the field deemed so sig
n~ifcant? The far-reaching Importance Of
the phenomenon will be appreciated II We
consider the following questions: To what
do the facts commit the colonies hereafter.
and to what do they commit Great Britain1
There Is no conceivable war upon which
Great Britain may hereafter enter In which
the precedent now established by the
British colonies will not constrain them TO
pour out the blood and treasure OF their
citizens in proportion to the apparent need
Of the mother country. It will be denied.
we presume, by no well-informed persons
that the position taken by Mr.. CHAMBER
LAIN with regard to the conditions Of tho
franchise in the Transvaal provoked tho
present contest In South Africa. Tie
colonies, therefore, cannot confne them
selves hereafter to assisting England
in cases where she Is evidently the
object Of wanton assault. and refuse to
bear any part OF the burdens Of a
war deliberately provoked by the mother
country. Even II one OF the self
governing colonies, all OF which AFRO
gate complete control over their own
naturalization laws, should refuse to COM
rly with the wishes OF the Secretary for tho
Colonies, with what consistency could the
others refuse totake partin acoercive proc
ess? Then, again, there Ia scarcely any
war conceivable in which. after the prece-
dent now set, the colonies can consistently
refrain from rendering their assistance on
the plea that Great Britain is herself
ebundantly able to meet the exlgcncies. II
f. most improbable that ever again In Brit.
ish history will the vast resources Of the
tnlItU IllEuOIl ~ plll'l l't lnuily luOlIls
against the strength Of two puny republics
the aggregate white population Of which
does not exceed a quarter OF a million.
Hcnccforth, the British colonies are logl
cally bound tosupport their mother country
with soldiers and munitions Of war In al
contests, however brought about, whethe
these are wagcd with foreign powers o
against rcbellious dependencies. Such /
the tremendous revolution which has beef
wrought in the relations Of the colonies t
the British Empire. We call It trcmendou
because, although the troops thus far foI
wardnd or promised by the colonies may no
reach ten thousand, that number, logical
and consistently, would have to be mutt
piled many fold were England c~onfrontc
by great mutiny In India, or by a Russia
Invasion 81 that dependency, or by a Cont
mental coalition.
To what has England committed herse'
by the acceptance OF the offers made by he
colonies. and by her consequent connivanc
at the creation OF a fateful PRECEDENT Sh
has incurred Il heavy debt OF gratltud,
whether We define that term as an hone
able recognition OF benefits received or as
lively sense of favors to come. How ca
England testify her gratitude except /
COM, a- ors that involve serious chang,
in the lrt.sh Constitution and drastic inn,
walton, in her existing economical cond
tIons? Can she continue to accept the assis
ancc " her colonies In war, when, in the pr,
yokius or uvcrting Of such contests, q
colonies have hal no share whatever9 Fro
the moment that Great Britain acceptt
the cont'uernts Of the eight sclt.governir
colonies wl!ch we have named, she logical
bound herself to give them substanti
representation at Westminster, so tn,
they may count the cost Of conflicts