intrusion. The British Government demanded that Marchand should withdraw. As France hesitated, there was great excitement. A war with France seemed likely. Happily the French Government saw that Marchand had no right to occupy the town, and withdrew him. The work of quieting the Sudan goes on steadily, and under a good government the province is settling down to something like the old prosperity, which it enjoyed before the ruin of the Dervish rule fell on it.

XXXVIII.—THE NEW COLONIAL SYSTEM.

We have seen that when our first American colonies shook off our rule and made themselves independent, the British people took the loss surprisingly calmly. They persuaded themselves that it was what they had expected. It was, they said, natural. Some writers even went so far as to say that sooner or later all our colonies would do the same. Like fruit on a tree, when the colonies were ripe they would drop off.

The New Colonial

This view seemed reasonable; but time has proved it to be entirely wrong. The United States indeed cut the painter", but no colony has followed this example. And now, as we System. know, the tie that joins the citizens of Greater Britain to what they all call "home", or "the old country", is closer than ever. The fact is, that the argument founded on the loss of the United States was based on the idea that we should continue to treat our other colonies as we had treated them. We have not done so. What we governed badly we have

lost. But our statesmen have learned a lesson. What we rule well we keep. The lesson certainly was not learnt at once. For many years we continued to make grave mistakes, especially in the government of Canada. Canada's loyalty was sorely tried, and the temptation to break off was great. There was the example of the States, and the States lay just over the border, often suggesting revolt, and always ready to welcome Canada, had our colony chosen to join them. Yet Canada's loyalty survived the trial, and when days of better government came, has proved itself most devoted to the empire. What is the secret of this better government on the part of Britain?

The answer seems a strange one: The problem of how to rule better has been solved by not ruling at all. Britain has in most respects left off Responsible governing her colonies. She has given Government. them self-government, the right to manage their own affairs, so long as they do not do anything strongly against the interest of the empire. Thus our colonists no longer wish to become independent in name, because they are already practically independent in fact. They rule their own country; yet they have the glory, the reputation, the might of their mother country, Britain, at their backs. Thus they have all the gains of independence, and none of the disadvantages of being forced to guard themselves against the attacks of powerful neighbours. The British flag covers them all.

Canada.

By Pitt's Canada Act of 1791 the two provinces of Upper and Lower Canada (divided by the Ottawa River) had been given a sort of a constitution. It was, however, a pretence; the shadow of self-government, not the reality. For though each colony had elected Assemblies to make

laws, yet the real government was in the hands of a council named by the governor sent out from England, and the Assemblies had no power over this council. In Britain Parliament can turn out ministers whom it dislikes; in Canada this could not be done. Thus ministers and Assembly were continually quarrelling.

Besides this there were other causes of complaint. Lower Canada was mainly French, Upper Canada British, and the races were jealous of each other. Then there was a small body of persons, friends of the Government, who got all the offices, and this was felt as a grievance. Thus the Canadas were both discontented. When in 1837 the Te Deum was sung for the accession of our Queen, many Canadians walked out of the churches. In the same year a rebellion began both in Lower and Upper Canada.

This rebellion failed; but it had one good effect: it called the attention of Britain to the feelings of the Canadians. Britain had reformed her own Parliament; she had freed her negroes: the time had come to free her colonists also. Lord Durham was sent to Canada; in some ways he acted illegally, and he was soon recalled. But he issued a Report which opened men's eyes at home. The outcome of it was the act of 1840, by which the two Canadas were again united and the old system abolished. Henceforth the ministers were to depend upon the support of the elected Legislative Assembly. Since the Assembly could choose its own ministers, it could in fact govern as it pleased.

This plan of "responsible government" has proved completely successful in satisfying our Canadian colonists. We shall see that it has been equally satisfactory in Australia and New Zealand. Before

we leave the story of Canada, one further reform calls for our notice.

The act of 1840 united Upper and Lower Canada; Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and British Columbia still remained

separate. But the new prosperity of

union further,

The Dominion.

Canada suggested that it would be well to carry to knit all these colonies together in one federation. In the course of the years 1867-1871 this was arranged. The provinces keep their separate local assemblies to look after their local affairs, but they each send members to the Assembly of the Dominion of Canada, as the new federation is called. This Assembly deals with all general matters: state debts, loans, and taxation; banking and coinage; naval and military service; the law, the public service, and railways.

This union, established by the British North America Act of 1867, and commemorated by the keeping of July 1st-" Dominion Day"—as a general holiday, has been extended to include new provinces as settlers pushed farther west and grew in numbers. Thus Manitoba and the North-west Territories have been included. Newfoundland alone stands out.

up;

In our sketch of the Australian colonies it will not be necessary to repeat the story of the advantages of responsible government. Canada set the The Australian example. New South Wales took it Group. then came Victoria, New Zealand, Tasmania, South Australia, and Queensland within the space of a few years. The last of the Australian colonies to gain responsible government has been Western Australia (1890). The course of events by which the various colonies gained their desire did not always run in the same way. The important thing to remark is that