PUBLIC
RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
Duty ag President.
Military defence.
Land defences.
In Africa-
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Imports have risen from 2,000,000l. to 10,000,0001.
Exports have risen from 1,500,000l. to 12,000,000l. Of the whole trade, a large and increasing proportion is trade with the United Kingdom, and taking all the imports and exports together, they were in 1885 eleven times what they were in 1837.
I find British shipping trade with the Colonies, in 1837-3,700,000 tons, rose in 1885 to 56,600,000 tons, and our British exports to Colonies, in 1837- 11,300,000l., rose in 1885 to 54,500,000/
8. Let me give also a few figures as to the increase of population.
The population of the Colonies in 1837 was 4,204,700; the population of the same Colonies for the last census, taken in 1881, was 12,753,277; and the population of all the Colonies in 1881 was 15,763,072, which must have considerably increased.
I would also note as curious the rate of increase.
In the European Colonies there has been a slight increase.
In Ceylon the population is twice as large as it was, and the same may be said generally of the other great Asiatic Colonies.
In the Cape it is eight times, and in Canada it is three times as large as it was.
In the West India Islands the population has not quite doubled, while in Australia it is nearly 12 times as large as it was.
9. We are right, in face of these figures, and in face of the extraordinary growth of Great Britain in the last 50 years, in attaching great importance to this Conference. It is of importance in itself as being the first occasion in which leading statesmen of our great dependencies meet in consultation with members of Her Majesty's Govern- ment to discuss Imperial subjects. It is then, if only on this account, an event of great interest to the Empire at large, and indeed I am not far wrong in saying of interest to the world at large, for every great country must watch with interest, friendly or jealous, any movement that tends to strengthen the unity and stability of another great Power.
10. But although the Conference is so important in itself, I hope I am not over sanguine in looking forward hopefully to the future, and in thinking that the effect of this first meeting is not to be gauged by the results of a single year, but that it will be far-reaching, and that this Conference will prove to be only the first of a series, which will tend to show the strength and to consolidate the unity of the Empire. It becomes
us then as pioneers on a new but widening path to walk warily, and to endeavour to make the first start a success.
11. I rejoice to think that in this meeting there is no political, i.e., no party feeling. Noble lords and gentlemen representing all shades of political opinions are present to do bonour to the Conference, and to show their sympathy in this movement.
12. With these preliminary observations, which very imperfectly express my sense of the importance of this meeting, I will now proceed to consider how we can best give effect to the work before us, and make it practically useful in its results.
13. My duty as l'resident this day will be best performed by stating to you the subjects which appear to Her Majesty's Government specially to require and deserve full discussion, and the mode in which, subject to any suggestion which may be put forward for arranging and facilitating business, we propose to carry on the Conference.
14. In stating the different subjects for discussion, I desire to make a few general remarks upon some of them, which I hope will be supplemented by remarks from some of the gentlemen present, but to abstain from entering into any details. Many of these details are of a confidential character, but all will be more properly discussed at future meetings of the Conference, at which the delegates of those Colonies directly interested in the questions for the time being under discussion will meet representatives of the official departments in this country.
15. Now the first subject referred to in Mr. Stanhope's letter of invitation was organisation for military defence, aud he was justified in saying that the question is at once urgent and capable of useful consideration. For myself, I shall not consider this Conference to fail if it does nothing more than place military and naval defence on a Bound footing.
16. Before dealing with naval defence, I wish to make some general observations on land defence with a view to show the pressing necessity of defending certain stations, and the steps that have been taken up to this time in that direction.
17. Prior to 1878 little had been done to modernise the external defences of the Empire. While the fortresses at home and abroad had been to a great extent recon- structed and re-armed, the coaling stations were for the most part undefended, or retained obsolete smooth-bores and methods of defence dating back to the beginning of the
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century. At the same time, vast Colonial progress had been made; which, while it added strength and prosperity to the Empire, at the same time greatly increased its vulnerability.
grown
18. In addition to the internal trade of the Empire, a great carrying trade has up; a trade depending for its existence on security, and involving, therefore, new re- sponsibilities. During the same period steam has become the motive force on whic! the movements and the fighting capability of ships of war depend, so that failing an assured coal supply, no navy, however powerful, will be able to operate with effect in distant waters. The introduction of steam power affects the question of Imperial defence in another direction also. By its means, rapid and certain navai combinations can be made, so that the liability of the outlying ports of the Empire to sudden attack, no longer impeded by wind and weather, is vastly increased. Similarly the development of the telegraph cable systems of the world has further facilitated rapid and unexpected measures of aggression.
19. The apprehension of war in 1878 brought these facts into strong relief, and the first Colonial Defence Committee was appointed to consider what steps could be taken at short notice to provide some measure of security for Colonial ports, On the recom- mendations of this Committee, considerable sums were expended at various ports, and such armaments as were available were hastily sent out and mounted as satisfactorily as the emergency permitted. The entire recommendations of this Committee were not, however, carried out, since it was recognised that defences thus extemporized could have little permanent value, and that the time had come for a thorough investigation of the defensive requirements of the Empire as a whole.
20. Accordingly, in 1879, a Royal Commission was appointed "to inquire into the defence of British Possessions and Commerce abroad." The labours of this Commission extended over two years and a half, and resulted in the collection of a great mass of information on various subjects directly and indirectly connected with the question of Imperial defence; while definite recommendations were made as to the selection of coaling stations, and the general adjustment of the relative standard of defence to meet Imperial requirements. And their report forms the basis of the action which is now being taken in relation to the coaling stations.
21. The matter of the report of the Royal Commission may be classed under three heads :-
(a.) A mass of evidence bearing on the question of Imperial defence generally.
(b.) Considerations relating to the defensive requirements of the self-governing Colonies,
especially those of Australia and New Zealand.
(c.) Similar considerations in relation to Crown Colonies.
22. A great portion of the evidence laid before the Royal Commission was given on the distinct understanding that it should not be made public, as it was clearly undesirable and unwise to place at the disposal of the Intelligence Departments of Europe detailed information as to the strength and weakness of the Empire, together with the officially recorded views and recommendations of an authoritative and specially qualified body of Commissioners.
23. It appeared to my predecessors, however, in the case of the self-governing Australasian Colonies which have undertaken the responsibility of their own defence, that the opinions and recommendations of the Royal Commission relating to this group of Colonies should, as a whole, be confidentially communicated to their Governments; and this course was accordingly adopted in 1883.
24. With regard to the Crown Colonies, for whose defences the Imperial Government, through the Secretary of State, is directly responsible, it was considered undesirable that such detailed communications should be made.
25. I now propose to refer to some of the main considerations which guided the Royal Trade and Commission in its recommendations, and to which I may safely allude. Thus it not be out of place to call attention to certain figures'in relation to the trade and shipping,
may shipping. interests, which are very striking, and serve to bring out forcibly the extent to which the prosperity of the Empire depends upon tho reality of the available defensive power. It is not too much to say that the whole fabric of the commercial system of the Empire, on which the well-being, and even the existence of the Colonies, in a great measure depends, is ultimately based upon the defensive power capable of being exerted in time of war.
26. The value of British ships and of the freight they carry annually was estimated in 1881 to be not less than 900,000,000/. (and, I may add, must now be 1,000 millions), of which it is estimated that in the direct trade of the United Kingdom only, 144,000,0007. is afloat at any one time; but British interests in sea-borne commerce are really larger,
51481.