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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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C.O.885

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obtained, and when obtained would provide the cheapest, the speediest, and the freest means of intercourse between all the King's Governments and people throughout his vast dominions.

The documents last issued and circulated by the Ottawa Board of Trade have found their way to many centres of political and commercial influence in both hemispheres. Many replies have been received, the substance of which the Board feels should be made known to the several Goveruments and Parliaments.

These replies are embodied in the accompanying report; they establish beyond all doubt that the British communities throughout the world desire the closest electrical connections, freed from the heayy exactions which private companies impose. They fully endorse the "Empire Cable "scheme; they confirm the view held by commercial men generally, that it will prove to be the most effective common bond between all the self-governing British dominions.

I have, &c.,

To His Excellency

The Right Honourable Earl Grey,

Governor-General of Canada.

}

CECIL BETHUNE,

Secretary.

REPORT of the COUNCIL of the BOARD OF TRADE of the City of Ottawa on the Movement respecting “The Empire Cables.”

Agreeably to the directions of the Board, the President and Council, on April 20th of last year, issued a circular letter reaffirming the hearty approval and concurrence of the members of the Ottawa Board of Trade in the move- ment to complete the cables of the Empire. The President and Council sent the circular letter to various organised bodies representing British trade interests in all parts of the world. The communications forwarded contained full and complete expiauations respecting the proposed system of Imperial telegraphy, designed to bring into closest possible touch all the self-governing British Possessions in each of the five continents.

The Council invited an expression of opinion respecting the movement in order that a judgment might be formed as to the views of the British people generally, and especially those engaged in trade throughout the world. Many replies have been received, and with singular unanimity all expressions of opinion are in favour of the movement.

In order that the Imperial and Colonial Governments should be made aware of the character of the movement, communications were addressed to each of them. Courteous acknowledgments have been received through His Excellency the Governor-General and the Secretary of State for the Colonies, from Their most Gracious Majesties the King and Queen, and from Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke of Connaught.

Special mention may likewise be made of other acknowledgments, namely:

'The Government of Madras, India, transmits sympathetic expressions of opinion in favour of the proposal, from the Chamber of Commerce, Madras, and from the Madras Trade Association."

"The Bengal Chamber of Commerce, Calcutta, is entirely in sympathy with the idea of an all-British cable communication throughout the Empire."

The Chamber of Commerce, Karachi, is fully in sympathy with the aspirations of the Ottawa Board of Trade to link all parts of the Empire by a system of State-owned cables."

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The Upper India Chamber of Commerce, Caunpore, cordially supports the scheme and offers its co-operation in the movement designed to serve great Imperial ends, secure cheaper telegraphy and promote trade.”

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The Rangoon Trade Association is quite in accord with the Ottawa Board of Trade and expresses the opinion that the Empire Cables would meet a great want and be the means of materially reducing telegraphic

· rátes."

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"The Government of Burmah sympathises with the object the Board has in view in connecting all parts of the British Empire by means of State-owned cables."

"The Chamber of Commerce, Singapore, fully recognises the great importance of the proposal to complete the cables of the Empire and will consider how they can assist the movement.'

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The Orange River Chamber of Commerce, Bloemfontein, entirely approves of the scheme, and would be glad to see it carried into effect."

"The Chamber of Commerce of the City of Georgetown, Demarara, views with satisfaction any advance that can be made towards Empire Cables, and Imperial Postal Cable service, and will be glad to see the speedy accomplishment of an unbroken chain around the globe under our own control and entirely State-owned, giving all British people the speediest, cheapest, freest and most effective intercourse throughout the Empire."

"The Trinidad Chamber of Commerce is in hearty sympathy with the efforts of the Ottawa Board of Trade to extend and complete a system of British cables throughout the Empire under State control."

The Conference of Queensland Chambers of Commerce holds the opinion that the Empire system of cables touching British territory only, controlled and owned by the State, should receive the support of the Federal Government. This Conference gives its hearty support to the resolution adopted by the Montreal Congress of Chambers of Commerce of the Empire.'

"The_Bundaberg Chamber of Commerce places on record its entire approval of the movement for the extension and completion of the system of Empire Cables (of which the Pacific cable forms a part), believing that thereby the cost of cable messages will be materially reduced, that the business relations between the different parts of the Empire will be greatly facilitated, and that in the event of war such a system would be invaluable."

*The Brisbane Chamber of Commerce strongly holds that the Empire system of cables, touching British territory only, controlled and owned by the State, should receive the support of the Federal Government of Australia, and gives its support to the resolution adopted by the Montreal Congress of Chambers of Commerce of the Empire."

"The Rockhampton Chamber of Commerce is of the opinion that it is of the utmost importance to the trade and to the social and political relations of the British Empire that the various States comprising the Empire should be in communication with each other and the United Kingdom, by State-owned electric telegraphy. This Chamber heartily approves of the action taken by the Ottawa Board of Trade to further the movement.'

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The Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce expresses hearty concurrence in the movement advocated by the Ottawa Board of Trade.'

"The Warrnambool Chamber of Commerce strongly endorses the resolution of the Montreal Congress of the Chambers of Commerce of the Empire as to the imperative need of the Empire Cables."

The British Empire League of Australia at a meeting in Sydney on September 22nd, 1904, gave formal expression to the opinion that all the self-governing British communities around the globe should be united by a continuous chain of State-owned telegraphs; that such an inter-Imperial line of communication would, under Government control, put an end to the difficulty which has been caused in Australia by the

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