RISKS OF BRITISH COLONIES IN BRITISH WARS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 831, 3 October 1870, Page 2

RISKS OF BRITISH COLONIES IN BRITISH WARS.

3:0 IHB EDIT 99, OF T?E HAWKE'S BAY TIME?, Sir,—As the position of British Colonies in any war into which Britain might be dragged is"now arousing discussion throughout Australasia, some of your readers, possibly, might be interested in seeing the vievvs on the subject lately enunciated by one of England's most astute Statesmen, as at page four of the accompanying Pamphlet, Of this litjtte publication permit me ? too, just to say that though much of it must, I think, sooner or later, become current in Australasia, yet .that it was written, during the Cannon street Colonial Agitation, far less in the hope of its proving the humble means of proselytizing for Australasian Independence, than in the hope of its aiding a little in " pricking " Mr Ball into some rather less shameful attitude towards Young New Zealand. On seeing it, Messrs. Youl and Wilson (whose names will be familiar to you as those of Cannon street Leaders) thought well to circulate it in *i influential quarters," as they saH—while, with the encouragement of Mr Gladstone's " many thanks " for a prior little publication of mine on that copious subject, New Zealand Wars, it was shot at him, and at every leading M.P. and Peer, Asking you to have the courtesy to publish these remarks, I am, &a, Charles Flinders IJursthouse. " I do not think that in the present state of *hjugs or in any state like the present, much difficulty is likely to arise; but we have this to bear in mind, that we cannot expect a state of peace always to continue. Take, for instance, the oase of Australia. The ties between thjs country and Australia are undoubt edly strpbg enough to all appearance, and I believe strong enough in reality. But we know, nevertheless, that under present circumstanpes there is no strain whatever upon them. The strain would arise if we unfortunately became involved in some great European quarrel, and if, as the consequence of that quarrel the Australian cojpnists found that their commerce was interrupted, that they were suffering heavy lopses, and obliged to put themselves in an attitude of defence, and this on account of sqme dispute in Europe about which they neither, knew nor cared. This is a st»*te of things which, if it ever arises, may lead many of the colonists to take a view which they do not take now as tp the greater advantages of a position of independence. That I look upon as the danger of the future, the rock ahead as regards the maintenance of the empire. Ido not say that it is a state of things for which I have any remedy* to propose, but it is at least something to see when a danger is Jikejy to arjse, and noj; to be taken unprepared, as unfortunately has been very much an English habit of late in reference to many foreign and colonial questions.''