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of the United States Navy, once truly remarked that " the very foundation of successful naval strategy is efficient and exclusively controlled communications, and the lack of them more serious than inferiority in ships. [Proceedings of the U.S. Naval Institute, vol. 26.] It is, perhaps* these " exclusively controlled communications " that our American friends are now after. Conclusion. This address is not delivered in any spirit of antagonism. It: is merely the expression of views from an outsider —let us say, a humble expert. 1 shall persevere until some of my suggestions come into force; then we can sing the " Nuuc Dimittis." It took more than twenty years' agitation to bring about, the Imperial Pacific cable, so perhaps it is not necessary to despair. " Wait and see," or, in the alternative phraseology of to-day's Punch, " The facts will emerge subsequently, the sequel will duly follow, eventualities will eventuate." I remember once hearing an excellent prescription for the delivery of an address. It was,. " Stand up," " Speak up," and " Shut up." I may not have done the first two efficiently, but,, at any rate, 1 will now attend to the last; and 1 trust I have not already claimed your attention tor too long. As it is, even, I have been compelled to omit reference to several aspects of the subject that I should have liked to touch upon. (Applause.) * Mr. Stanley Machin (Chairman of the Council) moved the following resolution : " That, in view of the facts revealed in Mr. Bright's address, representations be made to His Majesty's Government, urging, for national and Imperial reasons, that —(1.) The licenses formerly granted to British Atlantic companies be not transferred to any foreign corporation. (2.) If, however, such licenses be transferred, seeing thai this will involve the control of all transatlantic cables between the United Kingdom and Canada being in foreign hands, it be strongly urged that His Majesty's Government should co-operate with the Governments of our dominions —and especially with Canada —for the establishment of an independent and strictly ' all-British ' transatlantic cable and land-line connecting w T ith the Imperial Pacific cable; that this should be in duplicate (on different routes) if possible, and worked on a low-rate basis. (3.) It is-further urged, on national and Imperial grounds,, that the latter course should in any case be pursued, but especially if the said licenses are transferred, even if favourable terms are thereby secured." He said it was not usual to move a resolution at such gatherings. He did so because this was a question of .such importance that it had not only been discussed by that and other Chambers of Commerce, but was one which he thought should be brought to the notice of the Government.—(Hear, hear.) — The lecturer had told them of the deplorable position they would occupy if by any unhappy coincidence or circumstance we found ourselves embroiled in war with America. He thought it was a humiliating position that England was unable to communicate with Canada except by permission of America.-—(Hear, hear.) —We ought to be able to do without any possible interference from any outside body whatever.—(Applause.) —-As to the question of expense, how could money be better spent than in connecting all parts of our great and glorious Empire?—(Applause.) —There was nothing on which money could be better spent than in drawing the various parts of the Empire closer together.—(Applause.) —While they were all aware of the magnificent strides made by wireless telegraphy, yet he thought such progress ought not to prevent them from realizing that the important question referred to by the lecturer was now ripe for consideration. In conclusion, he hoped that the}' would bring all the pressure they could on the Government with a view to action in the manner suggested in the resolution. (Cheers.) Mr. Charles Charleton (Vice-President of the Chamber), in seconding the resolution, said he was quite sure that every member of the chamber would indorse it. The matter was one which would be brought forward at the annual meeting of the Associated Chambers of Commerce in March next, and also it would engage the attention of the Eighth Congress of Chambers of Commerce of the Empire at its meeting in London in June next. (Applause.) The resolution was unanimously agreed to. Vote of Thanks to the Lecturer. Sir John Tavbrnbk (Agent-General for Victoria) proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Bright for his excellent address, which, in his judgment, dealt with a question of great Imperial policy— (Hear, hear) —and which ought to be adopted by this country. No better means could be found for promoting the welfare of the Empire than by the owning of a cable, with consequent cheaper rates. The question, however, resolved itself into one of public expense, which he ventured to say would be contributed to by the Empire as a whole. The subject had engaged the attention of the Imperial Conferences, but, unfortunately, those Conferences only met every four years. At the last Conference it was recognized that great reductions should be made in the charge for cablegrams, and he thought some action should be taken in connection with Mr. Bright's recommendation. He was glad that the meeting had agreed to the resolution, and he felt sure that his colleagues and himself would be glad to promote in every way the scheme outlined by Mr. Bright. (Applause.) Mr. Lewis R. S. TomaJjljn , (Deputy Chairman of the Council), in seconding, said that while our American cousins were excellent friends—(Hear, hear) —and he trusted they always would be,, he hoped we should not. be satisfied until we had established a communication controlled by our own countrymen, and he was of opinion that steps should be taken in order to carry out the suggestions which Mr. Bright had placed before them. (Applause.) Mr. Charles Bright, F.R.'S.E., responded, and proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman for presiding, which was seconded by Mr. .1. M. Dick, Lord Desborough briefly replying.