THE BISHOP OF MELBOURNE ON IMPERIALISM.

West Coast Times, Issue 6118, 20 January 1886, Page 2

THE BISHOP OF MELBOURNE ON IMPERIALISM.

Another question I would like you to consider is this : Is it better for the world in general that England or Germany should lead the future, should be the Venice of the future, with the sea for her streets ? Well, I say in a moment, from obvious considerations, England — I mean, of course, as Mr Justice Holroyd explained, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. And why? Because of her insular position, because of her colonies girdling the world, because of the nautical genius of her people, because of her enormous commerce. But let us try this conclusion by applying it to two practical questions now being solved. Which is the race fittest to occupy the vacant spaces of the world and fittest to protect and to lead the backward races of the world ? (A voice : ' The AngloSaxon,' and cheers). Let us take the first. Which is the fittest to occupy the vacant spaces of the world? Are we to say, whatever race it is, it is not the British ; that it is best for us that we fall out of the rank of the leading and ruling people ; that we suppress our instinct of empire, and make ourselves as comfortable as we can, each in his little corner, until wo are "swallowed up by thte deluge of the great coming fight? Are we to say that we feel our strength waning with every year, ov are We to say that we look upon the history of the mother of human freedom as tho discipline of the British races for high service to mankind 1 Do you British men feel yourselves worn out and your work done ? (' No, no !') That you are members of an effeminate and emasculated race, that cannot lead the great files of humanity as they are marching on to freedom and happiness ? J^o ! Do you feel that ? The man that says that knows nothing of the British people, and he is no true British man himself ! My friends, we are a great people, born to lead, bora to teach, and to guide, and to bless, and thereEore, because when we go into a country wo try to establish institutions that are encouraging and consorva • tive of freedom and civilisation, we are the fittest race to fill the vacant spaces of the world, and consequently are the fittest to help, to protect, and to guide the backward races of mankind. Why do we cling to India? I dare saypartly because wo have it, and partly because we have the strong man' s determinationnot to be driven out by insolent force. And also, andmainly I think and earnestly believe, because we feel that the British race has a beneficent mission in India. We are keeping the crowded millions in that continent from falling into hopeless and destructive strife, and by wise legislation and just administration no truthful man can deny that we are largely contributing both to the moral and material development of the Indian people. And shall we give up all at the insolent demand of the Muscovite? ('No.') Shall we turn all those gentle Aryan brothers of ours over to the tender mercies of the Northern Bear, that with his iron claws he may tear to pieces at his leisure that fair fabric of civilisation which it has taken us a century to erect? No. If the Russian hordes come over the Northern passes of India, we will hurl them back into the deserts.