THE

HE increased attention which is now being given to colonial affairs, not only by the Government and politicians, but by the people of England themselves, must necessarily lead to a careful consideration of the difficult problems which have to be solved before a thorough agreement can be arrived at between the various colonies, either for a more complete union with one another or for the establishment of a more intimate connection with the mother country than that which at present exists. It may prove, perhaps, no serious misfortune in the long-run that differences should have already arisen between those portions of British North America which have lately been so happily united in the Dominion of Canada; nor that a hitch should have occurred even with respect to South African confederation. Attractive as all schemes of consolidation appear at first sight, it is very easy to anticipate too much from them; and the collapse for the time being of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad to British Columbia, as well as the failure of the more ambitious part of Lord Carnarvon's South African programme, show that even the best plans will be thwarted by the course of events unless due regard is paid to the local conditions of success at the outset. It is something so new for English statesmen to appeal in any way to the national sentiment in their dealings with the colonies, that Englishmen who have always felt that the integrity of the Empire is worth preserving at the greatest sacrifices, and who know that the colonies both could and would render most valuable service in time of need, may be pardoned for taking a too sanguine view of what

may be accomplished by a more generous policy. Much, however, has been said and written concerning the approaching federation of the Empire which it would be quite impossible, under existing circumstances, to discuss from a practical point of view. In any event an arrangement so large, so complicated, and involving such numerous and almost conflicting interests, must be preceded by a far more harmonious action on the part of the colonies themselves than seems hitherto to have found favour with the more prominent among them. But the mere fact that the idea should have been put forward and received with so much enthusiasm, as an encouraging prospect to be realised in the near future, must strengthen the hands of men who are striving to bring about those partial fusions which, valuable as they are for their own sake, may possibly lead to a greater result.

Until very recently the policy pursued has tended to produce and exaggerate the very divisions which it is now desired to break down. No sooner did a colony increase in wealth and population to such an extent that it was able to take up and develop some remote portion of its territory, than a new establishment was at once formed, a separation was encouraged from the parent colony, and the two settlements became, in almost every instance, keen rivals. This was, perhaps, unavoidable at a time when long distances either by land or water were practically much longer than they are to-day; and no doubt the emulation which arose was at first beneficial. But no attempt was made to preserve a central authority, and the Imperial Government itself has never con

sidered it part of its business to allay the sharp jealousies which have sprung out of these separations; nor, indeed, has it appeared to understand them. For this reason more would be gained just now by a general expression of sympathy with any efforts that may be made to overcome the obstacles to union thus arbitrarily created, than by direct interference or suggestion on the part of the home authorities, however well meant. The longer, nevertheless, the present supposed antagonism of interests continues, the more difficult will it be to arrive at an ultimate settlement on terms which shall content all parties. It is, therefore, very satisfactory to observe that the Australian colonies, which in some respects are the most important of all, are beginning to consider very favourably the project of a more or less complete federation of their whole country. Many circumstances have tended to encourage this feeling among the people, and from the people it is now spreading to the politicians. The Intercolonial Exhibitions which have been held at Sydney and at Melbourne within the last five years; the frequent discussion of the subject as regards other British colonies; the marked progress of free trade contrary to general expectation; and, above all, the probability that ere long the principal centres must be connected by railways, have each had a considerable effect in this direction. Possibly, too, the vision of a great and powerful Australian Dominion, of which the whole Empire might well be proud, will have, as such visions not unfrequently have, some share in bringing about its own realisation.

The opportunity is one which may well induce Australian statesmen to sink for the time their local disputes, and to co-operate with one another in carrying out a scheme of confede

ration which, if satisfactorily accomplished, must reflect the greatest credit upon everyone who may have taken part in it. And it so happens that in this particular instance even the local difficulties are more apparent than real. When the proposition is once fairly taken into consideration, from the point of view of general interest, more than half the work will have been done. For the Australians are really the most fortunate subjects of the British Empire. To begin with, they are thorough Englishmen, having come almost entirely from Great Britain itself; they have no sluggish French colony in their midst, no sulky Dutch boers to conciliate; the proportion of Irish to the whole population is by no means excessive; and the few Germans and Italians who emigrate to Australia attend to their own business, and soon become merged in the bulk of the people. This homogeneity alone is, of course, a great advantage, and they are equally lucky in other respects. The miserable aborigines are now completely ousted from the southern portion of the country. There are still, it is true, large numbers of these, the lowest of all savage tribes, in the northern regions; but it would be absurd to compare their paltry attacks upon isolated settlers to the organised resistance which has been offered, and may possibly be offered again, by Maoris to the colonists of New Zealand and by Kaffirs to those of the Cape of Good Hope. Moreover, such as they are, the poor wretches are being disposed of even more rapidly than heretofore, and at a very cheap rate. Australia, too, is removed from any close danger of meeting the foreign enemy in her gate-a danger which Canada is always obliged to take account of and, as far as possible, to provide against. There are, consequently, no burning questions to be damped down before a scheme