F.—B.

The Hon. Justice Russell, of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, writes: " I have read your letters, and hasten to say that 1 am in entire accord with every word in them, and thank you sincerely for giving me the opportunity to read them." The Hon. Chief Justice Sullivan, of the Supreme Court of P. E. Island, writes: " 1 have read your letters with much interest, and I desire to say that I fully share your views with regard to the advantage which the Empire would derive from the operations of such an Intelligence Department." In group C are given exclusively the views of the principals of twelve Canadian seats of learning. Extracts from the letters of a few of these may illustrate the opinions generally expressed. The Rev. Dr. Bland, of Wesley College, Winnipeg: "The first thing to be secured for the development and strengthening of Imperial unity is that the various parts of the Empire should be brought to know each other better. Out of that will come a deeper sympathy. That sympathy is the essential thing whether it give birth to an Imperial Council or find a better organ in consultation among the Premiers. But that is a question which one need not precipitately settle. The first need is fuller and closer intimacy, and to this probably nothing would contribute so effectively as a free Press cable service around the world." Principal Falconer, Presbyterian College, Halifax: " I think there can be no doubt that while we hope strongly for a larger Imperial unity in the not very distant future, at present the only safe and really effective method of promoting it is to increase our knowledge of, and friendship for, one another throughout the Empire, that it will ere long be seen by the various parts of His Majesty's dominion that a closer union of some sort is supremely reasonable. We may allow time, perhaps almost unconsciously, to work out the comprehensive plan." President lan C. Hannah, King's College, Windsor, N.S.: "I am enthusiastically in agreement with the views you express. In South Africa, Canada, and other parts of the Empire when [ have resided I have been much impressed by the purely local character of most of the contents of the newspapers. Newspaper men are unanimous in telling me it is a question of money ;it costs so much more to get distant telegrams than to publish local gossip. On all grounds I feel the value of the suggestion of free Press news within the limits of the Empire, and devoutly hope the scheme may be realised in no distant future." Principal MacLaren, Knox College, Toronto : "I am glad to find myself largely in accord with the views set forth in your letter. The Imperial question is forcing itself on the attention of all thoughtful subjects of the British Crown. Not very long ago the attempt to unite more closely by political bonds the scattered portions of the British Empire seemed scarcely within the range of practical statesmanship. But the modern applications of steam and electricity are drawing the distant parts of the earth so closely together that what was formerly impracticable seems daily to grow more feasible. In matters of this kind, however, it is especially necessary not to outrun public opinion. To bring all parts of the Empire into intelligent and sympathetic touch with each other should certainly be the first step towards closer political relations, and your proposal for an Imperial Intelligence Department and a free Press cable service seems eminently fitted to prepare the way for those closer political relations to which we should look." Monsignor 0 E. Mathieu, C.M.G., Rector of Laval University, Quebec: "Allow me to offer you my most sincere congratulations on the right ideas you express in regard to the prudence required in dealing with an enlightenment of public opinion, especially when we consider the state of ignorance which exists throughout our vast Empire concerning each of its different parts. Todispel this ignorance is an excellent work." Principal Patrick, of Manitoba College, Winnipeg: "I am a profound believer in the unity of the Empire, and I desire to further that unity in all possible ways, but I am convinced that the people of the Empire are not ripe even for the formation of an Imperial Council, and that anything in the shape of a constitution interfering with the free action of the different nationalities would do harm rather than good. The Constitution of the Empire must be a growth arising out of the needs and interests of the times. It will come naturally, so to speak, when the people are educated for it. If it is to come soon, if the unity which all desire is to be more than a name and an aspiration, the dissemination of sound and full information touching the views, habits, products, and needs of the different peoples will be of essential service. Hence I look with the greatest favour on the suggestion of an Imperial Intelligence Department, believing that such a department wisely officered and administered would do much to unite the different portions of the Empire by furnishing them with the truths and facts which would form the basis for common conclusions and common action. To the forces thus generated I attach a higher value than to anything which may be advised in the shape of an experimental constitution." The late Principal Sheraton, Wycliffe College, Toronto: " Imperial unity, however, must be a growth. Whatever form it takes, it must be the expression of the inner life and conviction of the country. You cannot secure it merely by legislation. There must be a community of sentiment and conviction, and this can only be promoted by a more intimate knowledge and by getting the different parts of the Empire into closer touch with one another. . . . Whatever form the political development assumes, nothing can be done without mutual knowledge, and whatever helps to promote that mutual knowledge and to bring the various provinces and dependencies of the Empire into closer touch with one another is not only most desirable, but it is essential to any advance in the right direction. The establishment of an Imperial Intelligence Department would be a splendid step in the right direction. What we want to do is to dissipate ignorance and to bring all these races and dependencies into touch with one another." Group D gives the opinions of sixteen of the leading clergymen of Canada. Two of these are Roman Catholic Archbishops, seven are Church of England Bishops, and the remainder are Methodists and Presbyterians, including four ex-Moderators of the Presbyterian Church. The

6—F. 8.

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