THE SECRETARY FOR THE COLONIES ON COLONIAL FEELING.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 181, 29 July 1878, Page 4

THE SECRETARY FOR THE COLONIES ON COLONIAL FEELING.

At a dinner given in London to Sir W. Jervoig, the Right Hon. Sir M. Hicks-Beach, iv reply to the toast of hie health, saidthhtnoonecouli be more sensible than be w<*s of the responsibilities which had devolved upon him in his new office, and of the magnitude of the task he had undertaken, and that none of his precedeasors had Uen animated with a more sincere desire to do all thai was possible for the promotion of the consolidation, the prosperity, and tbe security of our great colonial possessions. Tbe subject of the toast was no light thing— it wee m empire

unique in the history of the nations of the world, not based upon the subjection of inferior races, or the conquering hordes of rebellious slaves of severe despots; but it wns an empire bound together by the silken cords of sympathy and of love— cords which oceans and continents could not divide, and which would hold together England and her colonies for the benefit of generations yet unborn. Ours was an empire composed of a race perhaps more qualified than any other for self government, whose very breath was the poss"Bsion of free institutions, but who were united pre-eminently above all people iv one thin« — fn their love of the old country at home, and in their loyalty to the CrowD. Some few years «£O advanced thinkers had decried the connection between Great Britain and her colonies, and had spoken of such possessions as an incubus to Great Brituin, and as entailiug a ri6k if not an actual danger, but these unworthy Meas had for a time, st any rate, tnen diepoeed of by the common sense of Englishmen, by a more extended knowledge of the real position and value of our colonies, and perhaps more than ail by the growing harmony between the mother country and her colonies, and a conviction of the mutual loyalty witb which each was regarded. If there had teea any thought of a separatiou between England and her colonies he believed that we should have heard of it in such times ns these when n selfish interest mig t have guided some of the colonies to separate themselves from us as on the eve of a great and terrible war ; buf, instead of such a movement, we bad seeu manifested a growing spirit cf loyalty to England throughout our colonies as danger was like to co;ue nearer to us, and offers of Volunteers and of help of every kind. It was essential to the progress of our empire that free communication between them should be maintained and improved, but, a3 in (he evens of war our colonies might suffer by an. attack upon cerlaiD points, he considered that it wbb of more importance to undertake woiks of defence ; and, with regard to this matter, he believed that the colonies were ready and anxious to r.crne forward and do their share. Their guest had been for the last year employed in the consideration of the details of a tatk of this kind, the importance of which could not be overestimated, and had given the benefit of his lengthened experience and great knowledge in a scheme for the completion of a system of defence for the Australian colonies, and in rendering them secure against the attack of an enemy. For the performance of that duty hereceived the thanks and good-will of all interested in our colonial empire, and bis merits had also been recognised in that quarter in which. Englishmen valued favours most highly, as he (Sir M. H. Beach) was permitted to state that evening, that Her Majesty waß «o sensible ot the manner in which he had completed his tusk, that «he had resolved to confer upon Sir W. Jervois tbe first class of the Order of tit. Michael and St. George. In conclusion, he trusted that their guest would long live to weor the token of the honour which hod befallen him. 9SS!L. i i.i I i ■ „ .-j—^-— ~^.