EMPIRE CO-OPERATION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1874, 7 October 1913, Page 8

EMPIRE CO-OPERATION.

ONION OF .ENGLISH-SPEAKING \ PEOPLES. The "Fortnightly . Review" for September contains an articlo by Sir Gilbert Parker, M.P., entitled ','Tho Welding of tho Empire," in which his object is to show that tho welding 'of tho 'British Empire will lead to the welding together of. all English-speaking peoples. After referring to the great value of the Imperial Conferences as being the beginning of a real organisation ho remarks that tlio Imperial Cpmmitteo of Dcfenco will probably prove to -be tho nucleus of ft great Imperial Council with largo powers. "But," Sir Gilbert continues, 1 tho effectiveness of nil efforts towards Imperial organisation depends very much on Canada's solution of tho naval problems. If sho. can composo conflicting views and bring the French alont; with the British in a definito naval scliemc, South Africa, will follow, bearing her responsibility in somo adequate form; though for a long timo no doufit it will bo by direct contribution. It is important, ■ however, that Australia, New' Zealand, and\ Canada should at no distant dato accept tho samo form of co-operation, either by contribution of adequate ■sums of money on tho basis of trade and trade resources and population or ■by local navies. For my own part I believe that tho' ultimato solution will bo the local navy, with obligations to ond co-operation with the Imperial Navy duly denned; and when that is done, and if it is dono, an Imperial Council of Defence, without control of financo hut with advisory powers of no nomi.nal kind, wiTi lay tho foundations of a real Imperial Parliament, as tho Federal Council of Australia over many years prepared the way_. for the CommonTvealth confederation." Sir Gilbert ParkeV is assured that the ■first administrative federation or cooperation will tako place in the field of defence, and that from it will bo evolved ways and means to machinery for a larger executive co-operation. "That accomplished, 'and tho British Empire rendered a fact and not merely a name by an elastic, loosely-jointed, reciprocating union, with the principle of trade preference in operation everywhere, that other larger union," he writes, "will be in sight— and think I may live to see it—tho co-operative alliance of the British Empire and the United States together with all English-speak-ing peoples."

While 011 errand boy was working at the rcnr of his master's premises in Contra! Hull the' ground suddenly collapsod tenon tli him. The lad instinctively clutched some machinery and this' saved lv-m from dropping down what was latei found to be the shaft of an ancient well, tho existence of which was unknown.