Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/412

 404] FOKEIGN HISTORY. [1899.

acquainted with colonial sentiment, and came certainly as a revelation to imperial statesmen. All parties and all classes, almost without exception, joined in the passionate desire to take part in a struggle which was more clearly recognised than even at home as one in which the honour and the integrity, if not the existence, of the British Empire were involved. Military contingents, consisting of highly-trained Volunteers, well armed and equipped, were despatched from all the colonies, and in spite of some initial discouragement from the imperial departments, arising from ignorance or over-officialism, of which the most striking example was the telegraphic message intimating that " unmounted men were preferred," the assistance thus rendered to the British arms in the field proved most opportune and valuable.

The Prime Ministers of the six colonies met, for the last time, to settle the details of the Commonwealth Bill, at Mel- bourne on February 2. They finally resolved that in the matter of a difference between the two Houses of the federal Legislature, an absolute majority of the two Chambers voting together should be decisive. The much-vexed Braddon Clause, concerning the financial contributions of the several members of the Commonwealth, was adopted — to be in operation for ten years, and after that to be altered or not by vote of the Federal Legislature. The federal capital, it was arranged, should be within the territory of New South Wales, a hundred miles from Sydney. Upon the announcement of the final result of the deliberations of the conference congratulatory telegrams from the Imperial Government were received by all the colonial Governments.

The colonies all joined in protesting against the increase of the wine duties in the new financial scheme of Great Britain, as likely to affect prejudicially the colonial wine industry.

There was a good deal of dissatisfaction at the refusal of the Imperial Government to contribute to the cost of the new Pacific cable scheme. The colonies themselves, however, were not agreed upon the route to be taken by the new cable — New Zealand and New South Wales preferring the western line, while most of the others favoured the eastern, as connecting them directly with other British possessions.

All the colonial Governments decided by an almost unani- mous vote to send military contingents in support of the British cause in South Africa — Queensland having the honour of being the first to tender her services. In one or two of the colonies the vote was opposed by small sections of the Labour party, but the popular voice in favour of participating in the defence of the British Empire in South Africa was unmistakably demon- strated. The original contributions of men and arms were in most cases supplemented by large additions. The despatch of the local forces was attended by extraordinary manifestations of public feeling at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.