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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 76

(From The "New York Times," November 26th.)

(From The "New York Times," November 26th.)

"Throughout the whole of the British Colonies in these latitudes the people have gone wild with excitement over the declaration of war between Great Britain and the Transvaal Republic. There is no limit to their enthusiasm, and the whole of these democractic communities have been suddenly infected with Imperialism of the most pronounced type. Nobody—very few, at all events—pauses to inquire whether the war is a just one, or whether England has any right to interfere with the internal affairs of the Transvaal. The only thing that concerns them is that Great Britain has resorted to the arbitrament of superior force, and, the Mother Country having done this, the Colonies rush to her assistance in crushing poor old Oom Paul and the comparative handful of people in the Transvaal, who consider they have a right to govern themselves without foreign interference or dictation. Everybody feels, of course, that the Republic must go under, and the immorality of the principle that might is right is completely disregarded in this wave of Imperialism that has swept over the whole of the British possessions on this side of the globe. No sooner was the news received of the declaration of war than offers of assistance were cabled to the Imperial authorities from all the Governments of Australasia, and these were at once accepted, more, perhaps, on account of the moral effect they would have upon other nations than because of any substantial assistance the Colonies would lender during the progress of hostilities, because, all told, the combined contingents will not exceed a thousand combatants. To New Zealand the honor belongs of being the first to despatch its mounted rifle corps of 212 officers and men a week ago, and to-day the transport will leave Melbourne, conveying to South Africa the total strength from the Colonies of Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania. To outside nations it would appear not a little odd that self-governing Colonies, 7,000 miles away from the scene of strife should send off bodies of men page 15 to do battle against people they have had no quarrel with, or that they should think it necessary to assist in the subjugation of a people who claim the right of self-government the same as they do; but the jingoistic spirit at the Antipodes is too inflamed just now to care anything about the rights or wrongs of the question. What is uppermost in the public mind is that the Transvaal Republic, as a nation, must be effaced, and the whole of the South African Continent painted an Imperial red from the southern limits of Cape Colony to the Equator. Of course, no one for a moment doubts that England can accomplish this unaided by Colonial troops, and why, therefore, should these distant Colonies interfere at all? In money alone, it will cost the principal of them £50,000 a piece before they have done with the business. Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland have voted £30,000 each, and New Zealand £5,000 in excess of that amount; but if the war lasts for six months they will require to make calls upon their respective Treasuries, which will bring each Colony's contribution up to at least £50,000. When enthusiasm cools down, no doubt people will begin to think that the money would have been spent to better purpose on public works within the Colonies themselves, but they cannot help remembering the fact that a precedent has now been established, and that the Colonies will have to take similar action upon any future occasion, even without any justification for the belief (as in the present instance) that the safety of the Empire is endangered."