THE IMPERIAL TIE.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12502, 1 April 1909, Page 2

THE IMPERIAL TIE.

SPEECH BY EARL CREWE. DREADNOUGHTS AND PREFER--I__VGE, A MYSTERIOUS OFFER. Received March- 31, 10 p.m. T _ „, "•'-".. LohdohV; March 31. ■in the presence of 150 tiennTn in - eluding Lord Rai_url y ;L?d .trath"cona, the Hon W. Hall-Jones and the I r / mg IT-rch1 T- rch^ nts > shipowner's, bank! ers and financiers, EarlCrewe opened the Victorian offices.. He expressed a hope that the Commonwealths Ser States would bu Id on the adjoining sites. He specially referred to the good management of tho Victorian ailways, and complimented Victoria m P e !^ef' It was impossible to allude to the gift of a Dreadnought without feelings of emotion and gratitude. The Government and country were profoundly touched by this evidence of goodwill, sympathy and loyalty, to the Empire. He was certain that there could not be a closer tie than that founded on common sympathy such as had-been shown first by -\ew Zealand and now by -Australia " m noble contributions to the general defence of the Empire. ■ The "Daily Telegraph," in a twocolumn leader dealing with the open*""S of the Victorian Agency, suggested^that the Imperial idea! is at last trading expression in theLondon architecture of the Commonwealth. New Zealand and South Africa must follow with edifices as expressive of the gieatest factor of modern political life. In connection with the Dreadnought offers, the "Daily Telegraph" recalls the New South Wales contingent to the Soudan. The "Morning Post" says that the German battleships have aroused the overseas dominions to a full sense of the necessities of Imperial .defence. After the splendid offer of the Australian States fiscal changes are inevitable. The "Daily Express" remarks that the Australasian • offers • are the silver lining to the naval cloud. Imperial preference must be the outcome of the colonial Dreadnoughts.