The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-23

an air of permanence. that 1t can hardly
be realized that most OF these condi-
tions have been brought about, and many
of the colonies themselves gained or
greatly enlarged. DUNG the reign of one
sovereign. At the time of Victoria's ac-
cession India and Canada were the only
really important possessions of the Brit
ish Grown in foreign lands, unless ia
maica may be considered one. The pros
perlty Of Australia and New Zealand, the
acquisition of the Burmese peninsula, the
marvellous and mushroom-like develop
ment of South Africa, the thorough or
sanization of the Indian Government, the
opening up OF China. ali have come 20
pass within the lifetime of one ruler.
Doubtless the wise legislation which gave
England free trade has had something to
do with this successful gathering of many
nations under one flag. The radical
changes which this involved made the
prosperity Of England dependent upon
that of her colonies, and thus welded the
Empire together as no mere authority
could have done. The mistake made in
onies was not repeated. From the first,
too, the tendency of the age has been
toward tolerance in matters of religion;
and this is no small matter in the ruling
of Oriental countries. In a land like In
dia, where dozen different religions and
sub-religions have their votaries, not only
in one country, but in the same prov
inec, the same community. often in the
same house, any attempt to favor one
form Of faith at the expense of another
would produce revolution. 1t is fortunate
for her power, therefore, that the Queen
has never been bigoted or intolerant
sovereign. In this. as in many other
things. she has been in accord with the
spirit of the age, which has tended al
ways toward individual freedom; and
while she has given her own allegiance to
the form of faith called the Established
Church, she has not striven to efface
among her subjects all other forms of
faith or no-faith. For the rest, the en-
largement of the British Empire is not
to be traced directly to her influence,
except in SO far as her personal dignity
and character tended to give her people
the feeling that they had something to
fight for
There have. roughly speaking, been four
Important wars in which England has been
engaged during the reign of Victoria. The
revolution of 1S43, in the Punjaub, when
Dhulip Singh was raised to the throne,
resulted in the war in Scinde, and indi-
rectly in a war against the Sikhs, prac-
tically ended by the Battle of Sobraon Not
until 1919, however, did the unconditional
surrender of the Sikhs take place, and the
consequent annexation OF the Punjaub
came fortnight later. The possession of
this. important province, and the subse-
quent enlistment of its fighting men in the
British army, has proved from a military
point of view most valuable. since thereby
England has been enabled to hold the gate
way TO India against Russia's advance
from the north. and the loyalty of the
Silahs, who are among the best soldiers of
the native army, removes the great danger
which would inevitably come from prov
ince full of dsaffect.d and warlike inhab-
itants. who could easily be stirred to re-
bellion in the event Of Russian advance
At about the same time too, ortposts of
the Empire were being stre'i-tt med o77