MANY-YET ONE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1466, 14 June 1912, Page 6

MANY-YET ONE.

THE MISSION OF THE EMPIRESPEECH BY MR. BRYCE. The New Zealand Club entertained a distinguished guest at luncheon yesterday, in the person of his Excellency the Right Hon. Jas. ■ Bryce, Ambassador to. the United States. His Excellency the Gov* ernor presided. In introducing Mr. Bryce, Lord Islington described him as a member of that exclusive group known as the eminent and great men of contemporary.history. Mr. .tlryeo was greeted with applause and cheers as he rose to spenk. lie assured his auditors that ho felt it a great honour to be accorded so warm a welcome. The New Zealand Club, ho went on to remark, was patterned on similar institutions which had now been established in nearly all Canadian cities, even of tho second rank. Clubs of tin's kind had a. great value as affording scopo for the discussion of common interests which were outside and abovo party. The Canadian clubs had done a great deal to strengthen tho national spirit in that Dominion.

Proceeding to speak of "Some Aspects of Our Empire," Mr. Bryce said that the j British Empire was first of all remarkable in being united geographically by . .the element upon which it had been tho . glory of tho British race to display its , prowess. It, was by the set that Eng- , land , had gained her oversea dominions, and it was tho sea that had enabled the Empire to create and maintain its commerce. The Empire was founded upon i principles of liberty and self-government. It was an aggregation of States and nations— many, yet one. The subject countries of the Empire were not held by England alone; they were just as much possessions of the self-governing Dominions as of the Mother Country. .England needed the help of her self-governing Dominions in governing her tropical dependencies, peopled by backward races, who were not yet capable of self-government. After dilating upon the advantage of Imperial citizenship, and upon the brillia'ncy ol Imperial destiny, as compared with that of separate nationality. Mr. Bryca said that the thing chiefly needed to make tho Empire even stronger and more permanent was that the people of'differout portions of tho Empire should have a better knowledge of one another. Tho opportunities that steam and electricity gave should bo turned to even fuller advantage than they were now in promoting a closer and more constant intercourse between the countries of the Empire. •Tf -; c , alan(l "'its well served by the press with telegraphic news'from England, and lie hoped- to see this service still further improved. -People at Home knew a great ,deal more than formerly about the selfgoverning Dominions, and'the day had passed when it was believed that as soon as cue great colonies grew to manhood they would stiver their connection with tno Empire. Mr. Bryce -urged- that New, Zealandors should constantly visit the' United Kingdom, or that they should go by way of Canada. Each country could learn something from the other. One of the things that drew tho bonds of Empire closer was the jiroblem of Imperial defenee. People p r « a ,t Britain were rejoiced to know that all tho Dominions were takin» up this question seriously. Universal pride . and satisfaction had been aroused at Home by the action of • New -Zealand in setting'an example to the whole Empire in her zeal for the welfare of tho Imperial' Navy. Mr. Bryce said that he took a more hopeful view of peace prospects thin some . European newspapers, but at the same time, it was absolutely necessary to' present a strong, and united front in every possible quarter. All the British nations, with their territories bounded by sea, must make themselves safe from invasion. If England were not safe from invnsion, she would have to muintain large forces on land. He was glad that these facts were recognised by tlw pcophi of New Zealand and Australia. Although the Empire was held together by the common need of defence, yet it was also held together by- a great many ties which were of a different, and, in one sense, of a higher, nature, its people were united as members of one race, held together by the great traditions which had been maintained for many centuries; they were held together by thoir love of liberty and by what he might call their mission. The British people had been called upon as a nation, to open up the world, and had established lines of communication all over tho world. They had done more to spread civilisation over Che world than any other people, and had dom something to lead on the backward races. It was one of the highest parts of the mission of the British people to maintain peace in the world. The Empire had enough territory, and th? world knew that peace was essential to the prosperity of the Empire. Being spread over the world as a great industrial and commercial race, it was essential for the British to maintain peace. It was pretty certain that if the British kept peace the rest of the world would keep it too. It had been said, Mr. Bryce remarked, in conclusion, that the ties binding the Empire were light as air, but strong as steel. All in England, and he was sure, all here, desired that the ties should never give way. Ho would say finally: "AH that is oilrs is yours; all that is yours is ours." (Applause.) • At the call of Mr. Eislier, cheers were given for Mr. Bryce and for Lord Islington.