New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-19
BRITISH HUMAN EXPORTS.

Mr. Chamberlain finds in British emigration
an impressive argument for a change in the
fiscal system, If not in the whole constitution,
Of the British Empire. Such emigration has for
many years been large and is still large. The
people Of the British Isles are prolific, and in
addition to increasing the population Of the
islands at fair rate, they furnish every year
myriads of new settlers for other lands. So far
as the United Kingdom alone is concerned,
there might be no objection to that for the ISL
ands are already pretty densely populated. But
from the imperial point of view the movement
is deplorable, for the reason that most OF these
emgrants go outside the empire, to alien lands
Instead of settling in Canada or Australia, or
South Africa, where they are much needed,
they find homes in the United States adding
a valuable element to its population and leav-
ing the British colonies to languish in neg
lect During the half-century Of free trade the
United Kingdom has sent six million people to
the United States, and only three millions to
the British colonies.
Now, on the simple score of population that
is highly unsatisfactory to the British Empire.
1t means that the British Empire is not growing
in white population as rapidly as it naturally
should, in comparison with its rivals. 1t is even
now in such population the smallest of the big
four 1t has only 53O0OO0O, while Germany
has 5S,OO0,000, the United States 100000 and
Russia perhaps 100000 At the present rate
in 1920 the British Empire will have only g.
100000. while Germany will have 100000,
the United States nearly 100000, 900. and Russia
140O0O.O00. That is and will be depIorable from
the British imperial point of view. 1t is es-
pecially unsatisfactory when it is considered
that the British Empire contains a larger unim-
proved and unoccupied area than any Of the
others The vast British possessions in three
continents have more need and offer more room
for settlers than any other realm in the world.
They would give ample room, with favorable
climatic and other conditions to the whole
army of emigrants from the United Kingdom
could it only he directed thither
There is another consideration, Of no less
pertinence and gravity. We have said the
United Kingdom might not object TO the mere
loss Of population to the empire But the COM
mercial loss is greater still, and it is a matter
of most direct concern to the United Kingdom.
The British emigrant settled in a British col
ony remains a good customer Of British trade
while the one who settles in the United States
becomes n competitor The former purchases
on the average f6 worth year from the United
Kingdom while the latter purchases only 6
shillings' worth. That is to say, the British
emigrant settling in British colony is worth
twenty times as much to British trade as the
one settling in the United States. That is the
fact that impels men like Mr.. Chamberlain to
consider whether it is not possible to keep
Britons within the British Empire by directing
the tide Of emigration away from alien lands
to Britains own colonies-the unimproved es-
tates of the empire. 1t even impels them to ask
whether the free trade policy under which so
Improbable q state of affairs has arisen and
been developed is, after all, the best possible
policy for the imperial welfare