the enormous sum of 1,040 millions sterling-700 millions in
round figures belonging to this country, and no less than
840 millions being the foreign import and export trade of the
British possessions abroad. This enormous trade employs
8,300,000 tons of shipping belonging to th? subjects of the
Queen; and, as a little evidence of the value of one of the
colonies, I may state that of that 8,300,000 Canada alone
possesses 1,300,000 tons. She is only one out of many colonies;
circumstances, perhaps, have caused a greater development of
this particular industry in that colony than in others. Circum-
stances have given her facilities in the development of her fisheries
to propagate a nursery of seamen; and I may venture for one
moment here to digress to tell you that at the last census she had
no less than 47,000 men and boys employed in her shore fisheries.
Measure for one moment the value of that amount of, naval
strength added to that of this country. It is a source of
additional security if only maintained and developed. Such, in
very brief terms, is the empire to which we all belong., It has
been ages in acquisition. It has been created by the genius and |
the heroism of our race for centuries, and I thinkl that thes
preservation of it and the development of it are the very highest
objects which can engage the attention of our statesmen. It is
only, as it were, in its commencement. It is the future of this
great empire that is really the most interesting subject we caur
consider. If we see what it has done within the last few years,
| one is struck with something like astonishment:; but when we
rememiber the influence of steamships, of railways, of telegraphs,
it is manifest that the great natural resources of Canada,
Australia, the Cape of Good Hiope, and the numberless colonies
whieh belong to the empire, must .receive much greater develop-
ment in the future than they possibly can have had in the past.
And it must be remembered that of late years we have seen thatf
Europe has felt the pressure of over-population. It is not
confined to. this country; it has extended to, Germany. and to
Scandinavia, and it is now reaching Italy, Bohemias Hungary--
in fact, all the nations of Europe. - A large tide of emigration is-