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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

C.O.

Reference :-

+885

17 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

115

No. 2.

The GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF CANADA to the SECRETARY

114

Huddersfield.

Lincoln.

North Staffs.

Hull.

Liverpool.

Norwien.

Inverness.

Llanelly.

Ipswich.

London.

Oldham.

Italian Chamber

Londonderry.

Nottingham.

Ossett.

South of Scotland. Stockton, Stroud.

8091.

Sunderland. Swansea.

(London).

Luton.

Paris (British

Torquay.

Jersey.

Keighley.

Macclesfield. Manchester.

Chamber).

Tunbridge Wells,

Penzance.

Wakefield.

Kendal.

Middlesbrough-

Plymouth.

Kidderminster.

on-Tees.

Poole.

Walsall. Warrington.

Lancaster.

Mirfield.

Portsmouth.

West Ham.

Leeds.

Morley.

Salt.

Wigan.

(No. 69.)

Leicester.

Newcastle.

Sheffield.

Leith.

Newport.

Limerick.

North Shields.

Southampton. Southport.

and York.

Wolverhampton. Worcester. Yeadon,

SIR,

Sheweth :

That at the recent Annual Meeting of this Association the following resolution was unanimously adopted :-

"That this meeting urges upon the Government the necessity for proceeding as rapidly as possible with its all-round-the-world cable scheme (called the Pan-Anglican Cable Scheme) so happily inaugurated by the laying of the Pacific Cable which has well begun the carrying out of the idea of the oneness of the Colonies and the Mother Country in the great British Empire."

That in the opinion of your Memorialists an Imperial cable encircling the world would be valuable in case of war, as each of the Colonies would in this way be not only able to communicate with one another, but also with the Government of Great Britain in absolute secrecy, and with complete con- fidence.

That by this means confidential messages could be conveyed to our fleet in any Colonial harbour, thus making it much more mobile for all purposes.

That the initial difficulty-the laying of the Pacific cable-having been accomplished at a cost less than the estimate, leads to the impression that the scheme may be accomplished within the estimated cost, which is about 4,000,000l. for the remainder of the cable.

That this is in accord with the recommendation of the Select Committee of 1900, which reported in favour of an Imperial cable supplementing all other means of communication.

Your Memorialists therefore venture to hope that His Majesty's Govern- ment may proceed with this cable which will complete the circle-at the earliest possible moment.

Given under the common seal of this Association the 1st day of May 1903.

Parliament Mansions,

Victoria Street, S.W.

AVEBURY, President.

EDWARD W. FITRIAN, Secretary.

OF STATE.

(Received March 13, 1905.)

[Acknowledged March 18, 1905.]

Government House, Ottawa, Canada,

February 28, 1905.

I HAVE the honour to forward to you a letter I have received from the Secretary of the Board of Trade of the City of Ottawa, covering a report of their Council on the subject of Empire cables.

I know that you will warmly appreciate and heartily sympathise with the Imperial spirit which has caused the Board of Trade of the City of Ottawa to do such excellent spade work in the field of constructive Imperialism.

I also enclose a letter from Sir Sandford Fleming, which explains, in an informal manner, that the Ottawa Board of Trade was inspired by the pro- ceedings of the Colonial Conference of 1887 and 1894 to take the action which is the subject of this communication, and which it is hoped will lead in the near future to some definite result.

I cannot enclose this informal letter from Sir Sandford Fleming without giving expression to my admiration for the splendid zeal with which he has worked for the establishment of an " all red " Empire by lines under Government control. It is owing to his forethought, system to unite the entire business capacity, self-sacrifice and devotion to every movement which endeavours to safeguard and promote the interests of the British Empire, that Ottawa has been able, through its Board of Trade, to give the lead in an attempt to create and organise the opinion of the Empire in favour of a new Imperial service, which, when established, cannot fail to add strength to the Empire, and to advance the well-being of the subjects of the King.

Enclosure 1 in No. 2.

I have, &c.,

GREY.

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

Ottawa, Ontario, January 20, 1905. AGREEABLY to resolutions passed at the recent annual meeting of the Ottawa Board of Trade, I have the honour to submit the report of the Council on the "Cables of the Empire." I have respectfully to request that your Excellency will cause the same to be transmitted for the information of the Home Government and Parliament.

For some years back the members of the Ottawa Board of Trade have placed themselves in communication with commercial men associations in all the oversea British dominions, and have taken means to and trade obtain their views on the subject of cable and telegraph connections.

These inquiries have been continued since 1901, when the Ottawa Board first opened correspondence with centres of British trade and commerce in distant parts of the world. In that year, preliminary communications containing useful information were widely circulated in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, the East and West Indies, and the United Kingdom. These communications had reference to the most effective means of fostering trade, stimulating commercial activity, and creating an electric bond of unity between the separated portions of the Empire. Last year another circular letter was issued by the Board as a corollary to the former. In the latter, the Board pointed out that the scheme which has been designated "The Empire Cables possessed many advantages; that it promises to be the easiest

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