IMPERIAL FEDERATION. A plan to unite the different parts of the British Empire more closely. At present the only formal tie between the various parts of the British Empire is the Crown. Many of these parts being so dis tant, of such diverse local interests, and having no representation in the Imperial Parliament, must naturally drift into complete independence, unless some reconstruction of the British Con stitution be effected which shall retain and strengthen the interests of the self-governing col onies in the Empire. For several years this question has occupied the minds of British states men. In 1884 a gathering of leading mem bers of both the Liberal and Conservative parties, in London, under the presidency of the Light Hon. 5N'. E. Forster, resulted in the formation of the imperial Federation League. A practi cal scheme of federation, prepared by a special committee of the League, was presented in 1892. It recommended the establishment of a council of the Empire, on which the chief self-governing colonies should be represented, including India and the Crown Colonies. This Council should deal with Imperial defense, to -which each part of the Empire should contribute. The adoption of this report marks the end of the stage of gem eral discussion without any definite plan, and the beginning of the period for taking steps to bring the matter to an issue. As the work for which the League was founded belonged rather to the first than the second stage, and as the members differed as to the best plan to be followed, it was decided to dissolve the League at the end of 1893, in order that there might he complete freedom in deciding on practical steps. Its place was taken by several organizations, among which are The United Empire Trade League, The British Empire League, The Imperial Federation (De fense) Committee, and The Unity of the Empire Association. Besides these there are many socie ties in the various colonies.
A conference which met in Ottawa June 2S, 1894, composed of delegates from nearly all the self-governing colonies, marks a step in the prog ress of the movement. The object of the meeting
was to promote the development of trade within the Empire by means of improved intercolonial communication. The keynote of the discussions was loyalty to the mother country and a deter mination to maintain intereolonial solidarity. Thus the conference served to bring about a mutual acquaintanceship and to arouse a feeling of intercolonial kinship. There are several prac tical difficulties to be encountered. Critics of the project doubt if the mother country would per mit herself to be outvoted by a combination of the colonies, or whether each part would be will ing to aid the others in matters not directly af fecting itself. The various colonies have differ ent tariff systems, some being strongly protec tionist, and it is a question whether these last would agree to the free-trade preferences of the mother country, or whether England would modi fy her policy to please them. The basis upon India could be included within the union is also a matter frequently discussed. These and other problems, it is asserted, must he solved before the federation can be accomplished.
On the other hand, the project has received the warm approval of a large section of the British and colonial press, and of men of such widely differing political views as Mr. Forster, Lord Randolph Churchill, Sir John Lubbock, and Mr. Cecil Rhodes. The growing intimacy be tween the parts of the Empire, as shown by the conference of 1894, and the gradual reduc tion of the barriers of time and distance, augur well for the success of the movement. The exist ence of a real and practical, though not formal, union is demonstrated by the aid furnished to the mother country in the Transvaal War of 1899 1902, and in the Chinese fighting of 1900. Many persons see a strong tendency toward ultimate Imperial federation in the recent federal unions of Canada (q.v.) and Australia. See AUSTRA LIAN FEDERATION.