THE Thames Advertiser. Favour to none; fear of none; justice to all. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1897. EXIT 1897

Thames Advertiser, Volume XXIX, Issue 8928, 31 December 1897, Page 2

THE Thames Advertiser. Favour to none; fear of none; justice to all. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1897. EXIT 1897

Anothxk year has passed away —a year so weighted with events of deepseated importance that the task of reviewing its progress, within the space limits of an ordinary newspaper article, seems well nigh impossible. In the great outside werld, in the arena of international diplomacy, Time has marched with rapid footsteps First of all, the fact proclaims itself to all the civilised earth that this is “ Jubilee year.” The British people have been holding a big spectacular demonstration and a great national naval review on a scale hitherto unapproached in the world’s history : a sort of up-to-date triumph such as used to mark the days of Rome’s great colonial empire, but modernised and civilised, though still retaining many striking traces of the old barbaric pageantry. What more 4 sensational event will the historian of the future have to chronicle than this great demonstration in Loudon, this gathering of clans and peoples from all. over the globe, testifying to the unity and solidity of the national structure, and serving as a landmark of that great occasion when the Mother Country and the colonies first aw eke to a full realisation of the splendour and responsibility of empire. With the Diamond Jubilee pageant, the words “ empire ” and imperial,” as used under British dominion, have taken on a fuller meaning, a more comprehensive scope, and a greater glory, “ Imperialism ” is undoubtedly the lesson of the Jubilee year. If we take a glance behind the spectacular drama which has so impressed the world—a peep behind the scenes, as it were—three points stand out predominant. These have been defined as : the re-hahilita-tion of the Monarchy ; the progress, prosperity, and power of the Democracy ; and the magnificent strength of the Imperial tie. The first is the fruit of the good sense and moderating influence exerted by a woman; the second is a sturdy plant which germinated when the Englishman first gained that inalienable birthright—representative institutions; and the third represents the colonising genius of the English speaking race—a genius which ns amount of official blundering and departmental treachery has been able to divert or kill.

Such are the lessons of the Jubilee. Amongst the colonies, the imprint of imperialism seems to have manifested itself most strongly in Canada. The Dominion, which was but a short time ago the prey of a racial hatred even stronger than that in South Africa, is to-day one of tha brightest spots in the imperial realm, and the first of tha colonies to wake any tangible step towards a practical realisation of the scheme of commercial alliance with the Mother Country. The flood of patriotism which has enveloped Canada, ever since the United Spates abused the Old Country over a trumpery South American republ c has been most marked during the current year, sad the Canadian tariff has imparted a new motive power to the cause of commercial federation. Strangely enough, it has fallen en a Premier who is at once a Frenchman, a Roman Catholic,

aad a Liberal to ttko the load in this outburst of sentiment and generosity. Canada stands as the pioneer of the ‘ all red” lines—the steamship lines •nd the Pacific cable ; and as she is -he conoecting link between Britain tnd her great antipodean territories—a sort of keystone in the Imperial arch—it is fitting that Canada should bring these enterprises to a successful ooaolusion. This she has already proceeded to do. The Canadian mail service to Australia (thanks chiefly to the pluck of Huddarfc Parker and Co.) is an accomplished fact, and the Canadian Government has just signed a contract for a fast Atlantic mail service, completing the chain of allBri ish common ca ion. a step which may also result before long in ehortening the length of the Atlantic trip. If these designs are realised, not only with the “all-red” idea be attained, but Canada will stand in a good position to secure all that vast carrying trade which should rightly go to the valley ef the St. Lawrence, but which has been unfairly diverted te the United States. As regards the Pacific cable, which has ia the past received much suppert in Canada, the scheme is at present •' hung up.” Internally Canada is actively developing her great national resources, and has naturally received a well-deserved stimulus from the Klondyke discoveries. British Columbia and the great north western territories have great possibilities before them, and when the Crow’s Nest railway, now in hand, is completed, the work of de velopment will proceed apace. The producing areas of the Dominion—both mineral and agricultural—are rapidly widening as communication is improved, and tie present tiine is one of activity and premise. Another colony which lays claim to the title of “keystone of the imperial arch ” is South Africa, which is a son of half way house to India, and consequently of great naval and strategical importance. The troubles in the Transvaal and Rhodesia have abated, and under the steady hand of Sir Alfred Milner the racial sore gives promise of a gradual healing. Premier Sprigg added a sensational touch to the jubilee flourishes by making an heroic offer of a battleship to the British navy, hut the colony seems to have ether opinions on the matter, and the effect so far has been to make Rhodes’ successor look decidedly small. Instead of shaming the othercolonies with such a munificent donation, it is suggested that Cape Colony should pay a yearly tribute to the navy, which for “ show ” purposes will count as next to nothing. The Cape people else want an “all-red” cable to bo laid to England, in preference to the Pacific line. For the present the African Celossus, having emerged from the Rand enquiry, seems to have no intention of actively reentering into local politics. In Australia federation is considerably “ forrader,” but still a good way off. The last chapter in the book ef constitution moulding is still to be filied, and then comes the referendum —the yen or nay of the people of a continent. In New Zealand the air ia thick with rumors of Ministerial retirements and changes. The chief feature of last session was the great fight which Premier Sedden made fer his Old Age Pensions Bill, thus belying the allegations ef his insincerity. The Bill ran the gaunlet of the Heuse, but was thrown out iu the Upper Chamber. The subsidy to the Canadian mail service, premised some three years ago by Mr Ward, has at last been granted. The outbreak of war in Europe adds another historical interest to 1897. The Eastern question reached a very oritical stage, as it has done many times during the last twenty years, and the Greeks rashly engaged over-whelming odds, with tho usual result. The concerted Powers saved Greece from the worst consequences of her folly. Tho Ambassadors at Constantinople still haggle over the terms of Cretan autonomy, and are still at a loss as to how to deal with Turkey, whose success in the field seems to promise her a new lease of life. Perhaps, when the day for breaking up Turkey arrives, it will coma as swiftly and unexpectedly as the fate whioh is now over-taking the sick man in Asia.

During the year Spain and the United States hare narrowly escaped war over Cuba, and the outcome has been the assassination of Premier Canovas, the election of a new Liberal administration, and the promise of autonomy to the islanders, The States arc developing a new line of foreign policy in seeking to annex Hawaii, and in this connection their relations with Japan have more than once been very “strained,” In Africa—the ceck-pit of Europe—the rival nations have more than enoe been embroiled, particularly in the case ef the AngloFrench disagreement in West Africa, Tunis has now passed into the hands of Frame. In Egypt, the advance into the Soudan has mot with ne reverses ; the railway and the troops are crawling steadily upon Khartoum; Russia and France, hoping to gain an entry to the Soudan from other quarters, are paying their attentions to the Abyssinian monarch, who has also favourably received a British envoy ; and French explorers and adventurers are rushing about the valleys of the Upper N.le and Bahr-el-Gazal, claiming everybody and everything. Everything at present points to the Soudan passing under the Egyptian sway. How the question of England’s occupation of Egypt will eventuate no one « m well foresee.

In India there has been an intermittent frontier war with the bill tribes, and the “ forward policy ” of the administrators is now on its trial. There have also been several ceerietieus for “ sedition ” —an ugly word when used in a British territory.

Lastly, to com* to the Far East, the partitioning of China uni, without a word of warning, to hav# begun, and Russian diplomacy is still triumphant. In the Philippines, the rebels sesm comparatively quiet But we hsve exceeded our space and must conclude. There are many diplomatic and political events which doubtless should flad a place in a resume of the year’s happening*, but tke above stem to us to itfffid out the most prominent. And, on tko whole, they make for the progress ef civilisation, and the breaking dewn ef the barriers of barbarism.