THE PULSE OF EMPIRE.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14839, 3 December 1913, Page 12

THE PULSE OF EMPIRE.

WHAT ROME LEFT UNDONE

CNITY OF THE EMPIRE.

(KBOM OCR OWN CORBESPONPENT.) LONDON, October 2-1 ■ Mr Mackinder, M.P., Reader in Geography in the University of London, in a lecture en ''The British Empire in Geographical Perspective" : "The British Empire is an extraordinary agglomeration of societies, responsibilities, and possibilities. Focussed in London is not only these islands, but an extraordinary Empire. It is the ambition of almost all parties, and certainly of all parts of the Empire, that the vast group of communities forming that Empire should continue to act as a unit in the face of tho other communities of the world. Wo believe that is is ior tho good of mankind that this should bo so, and, at any rate, that it is well that* there should bo peace within onefifth of the world if there cannot be peace jvithin the world as a whole. The tradition which has made the Empire began in the great agricultural plain of England. The community, which is the theme of most English history, is one of tho farmers established on the English plain with one city only, London, in the midst. The community iv these islands has always been of Europe, though not in Europe. If Rome had done her work, had marched eastward to the limits of the real Empire, had steam-rollered effectively the centre of Europe as she did Italy. Spain, and France, no Britain wou d have been possible. In the Peninsula of Europe a single society would liave beeu a giant beside a dwarf, and the dwarf would have had to take the hand of the giant. The peculiar history of these- islands has been possible because Rome refused to complete her work, and thus left the possibility of a modern balance of power. Onp of tho conditions of our Empire, is that wo heli> to maintain tho balance of power in Europe,"

DEVELOPING RHODESIA. The British South Africa Company jws decided on a bold etop in tho development of the fine pastoral lands of Rhodesia. Sir Starr Jameson has left for South Arrica after threo years' absence from the country. "The Chartered Company," he says, "has, nowarrived at a most interesting stage ot its work, when largo commercial developments have becomo possible, and it is necessary to establish new organisations to give effect to this. This is especially true in the case of measures for the accelerated settlement of land, and the extension of the large ranching propositions to which we have lately devoted so much attention. Rhodesia is an extraordinarily good cattle country, and in taking measures to increase'its herds we shall bene«» tho community generally, and also make money for our shareholders. Politically, the policy of the company has always been to give the people a greater share in the political life and work of Rhodesia as fast as development has permitted. The details of our new land settlement, the proposals for which are in accord with this policy, Air Wilson Fox and I will disenss with the people of Rhodesia when we get there." THE GOVERNMENT OF MALTA. In the Malta Government ' urazette" a letter to the Governor from the Secretary of State for the Colonios is published, dealing with the constitutional question which was laid before Mr Asquith formally when he was last in Malta. Mr Harcourt regrete that his Majesty's Government cannot see suwcient ground for giving the elective bench a majority in the Council of Government over the official element. However, having .had a personal consultation with the Governor in London, he approves tho suggestions embodied in the despatch of the LieutenantGovernor. The principal of these .suggestions aro that in projects of expenditure and legislation, when differences of opinion ariso in the Council of Government, the points in dispute should be submitted for discussion to the leaders of the official and unofficial elements; that equal number of the ©leetive and the official benches should consider the points at issue as informally as possible : that the unofficial members of the Executive Council should be raised to three, or four at a collective salary of £600 a year, and that the Executive Council be composed of ex-ofncio and specially nominated members. The Council of Government is dissolved.

BE READY FOR WAR! Imperial defence by all tho sister nations of the Empire is advocated by Sir lan. Hamilton 114 his report" on tho military institutions of Canada, copies of which havo now reached England. lie says:—'"The very existence ot that vast organism, Greater Britain, depends on its sea power, coupled with the übiquity of its land forces. Unless, therefore, the true relation of local defence to Imperial defence can be made, dear to- the citizens of the- whole Empire, errors in military policy are bound to arise, and disaster will follow. Neither tho organisation nor the- qualities requisite for a sound system of national defence can bo improvised in the throes of an emergency. Therefore, it can never bo safe for a State to regard its military forces from tho standpoint of presont-day requirements alone* Those forces must jjrow with the nation's growth, and. become a very part of its being. However secure Canada may feel herself for the fleeting moment, even she, happily situated as she may seem to- be, will hardly care to. stake her existence on the assumption "that dangers, now vague and remote in their seeming, will never unexpectedly leap on to the forefront of the platform of her national life. South Africa proved to the hilt the extravagance and weakness of improvised methods. It proved the necessity of an Imperial instrument of war, of which the parts gathered from all quarters of the globe; would readily fit together and work without friction from the start. It proved that the oonception of a homogeneous united army of Greater Britain is unattainable except at the cost of infinite thought and perseverance in preparation."

"SHOCKING, BUT INEVITABLE." Mr Churchill,, at, Manchester:— "There are thousands of people in this country from whost lins no Jinco sentiment has ever issued, whose whole influence on public affairs has been, and will be, "to prevent the embroilment of great nations in war, who aro determined that our country shall not be menaced, and that the Government of if shall be carried on in a decent and responsible fashion. You would say. if I rightly interpret your mind: *T!»is naval expenditure is very shockir.c;. Wβ regret it. we deplore it, we detest it, we abominate it: but our men ' must have proper tools with which to do their work.' You would reflect thftt it is nearly 850 years since England has seen tho camn fires of foreign armies, and that w arc getting rather too old to heprin that now. That is exactly •what the House of Commons has said and done, and will continue to do, no matter xvhat- it costs, so lojig as they are satisfied that the necessity exists."