THE BRITISH EMPIRE.

Evening Star, Issue 10395, 17 August 1897, Page 4

THE BRITISH EMPIRE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —So the archangelic rajahs of the English Press find their brains inadequate for the necessary inspiration to wield their pens with sufficient descriptive force to convey to us ordinary mortals the effect produced by the display of our first line of defence at Spithead—the British fleet—or rather a few units of these stupendous ironskinned eoracles scattered over the waters of our globe, guarding and protecting our vast commerce. The three cardinal points of the Britisher's pride is—first, he knows he possesses more individual freedom than any other nation in the world ; secondly, that, all the other nations envy such freedom; and lastly, that he has absolute command of the sea, which at all hazards must be retained, torpedo and artillery science notwithstanding.

How has this Empire been built up? One may fairly say that the Elizabethan era was the datum line. What pluck the virgin Queen and her advisers must have had to withstand and overcome—in thoaa ages of superstitious sacerdotalism—that terrible anathematisation of Adrian which he fulminated against England’s Queen, That it fell with about as much force as an old 68-pounder would fall against the sides of, say, the Powerful was made apparent by the destruction of Philip’s Armada. This was the dawn of that glorious policy of proud insulation and the commencement of civil,and religious rights, which, one trusts, will be sacredly guarded throughout all time. That religion must always be subordinate to the civil power, so far as war is. concerned, history amply proves. What a touching apothegna was Madame Roland’s when on her way to execution : *‘o religion, how many crimes have been committed in thy name ! ” The tolerant spirit yf the British Empire is exemplified wherever one looks in respecting the customs and practices of all who are fortunate enough to come unde* her benign influence. This is the keynote of her success both at Home and with her Eastern subjects. £ One often wonders what the fate of Europe would be were England’s policy and power as arbiter of nations lowered. Do we forget the noble and strategic Disraeli ordering Indian troops to Malta, or do wo forget his grand stroke of policy in buying from the Khedive those Suez Canal shares ? Men such as these build up the British Empire, and are heaven - bora statesmen, whose actions and policies are amended from time to time by many of their successors in order to suit the evolutionary progress of the age in which we live. Would it be impertinent to suggest our youngsters should have prepared for them by the educational authorities a short historical sketch of the leading events of Her Majesty’s reign and what led np to them, more particularly the laws relating to the emancipation of those of her subjects the Jews in particular—thus allowing aliens the right of becoming British subjects and aspiring to hold the highest offices the State can give ? Mr John Mill’s idea of stationing British soldiers in the colonies is an excellent one, and would tend to federation more than all the paper charters put together could give. We should then say with our only poet Kings must go down And emperors frown When the widow from Windsor cries stop. —I am etc., Jack Bunsby. Dunedin, August 14.