PANAMA AND THE EMPIRE.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 2677, 13 January 1921, Page 6

PANAMA AND THE EMPIRE.

CHALLENGE TO BRITAIN’S SUPREM ACY. London November 26. Some rather disconcerting speculations were indulged in by Mr Saxon Mills in a Royal Colonial Institute lecture at the Sheffield University on 'the far-reaching effects of the Panama Canal {says an “Otago Daily limes” correspondent). One result of tin* opening of (ho canal said the lecturer, would be tlm,t the great towns of Australia and New Zealand, which were formerly muon nearer Liverpool than New York, would now bo very much nearer New York than Liverpool. Those might be very serious results for Great Britain. The effect, ultimately might be to place the centre of gravity of the English-speaking peoples more firmly in the New YVorld than ever. The European element even now was a minority of 'the English-speaking peoples of the world, and before long what was known as the New YVorld would contain very many more Eng-lish-speaking people than the United Kingdom. These islands on the north-west of Europe w'ere not going to be for ever the headquarters of tile English-speaking tace. Although other great benefits might be derived from the Panama Canal, this possible consequence for the British Empire had to be borne (in mind. Another important result for the British Empire would be that the produce of YVostern Canada—British Columbia—would no longer go eastward along the railways, bu,t woqld flow out through Vancouver to the Panama Canal, thus making Vancouver one of the most important ports of the British Empire. Tlie West Indies .which had for long been a “dead end” were now thrown across and along some of the most important lint's of ocean traffic in the world. The YVest Indies would bo brought much nearer Australia and New Zealand.