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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 85
Introduction. — The British Realm
Introduction.
The British Realm.
Her Majesty Queen Victoria is Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and Empress of India.
The Colonies form a portion of the United Kingdom, though the expression "United Kingdom" is generally only used in reference to the "Mother Country."
| 1. | Those strictly Colonies, which find homes for the children of the Mother Country, such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Cape Colony, the West Indies. |
| 2. | The Dependencies, i.e., those which may be regarded more as possessions held to protect the Realm and its commerce, such as Gibraltar, Malta, Cyprus, Mauritius, the Straits Settlements, Hong Kong. |
The Government of the Realm Outside the "mother Country."
India is a distinct Empire, governed by the Queen, through the "Secretary of State for India," and his Council of fifteen members.
The Colonies Proper have Governments on the model of the Mother Country, with a Governor representing the Queen, a Ministry, and two Houses of Legislature, answering to the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
The Dependencies or Possessions are variously governed, but have generally a Governor and a Council, but not Houses of Legislature.
While a "Crown" colony has not the power of independent legislation possessed by a Colony, it is not so controlled by the Mother Country as is a Dependency.
Thoughts on entering the Exhibition.
| 1. | This Exhibition represents countries whose total area is sixty-six times the area of Great Britain and Ireland. |
| 2. | The countries which are represented are something more than corn fields or sugar plantations, or sheep runs, or timber forests. "The men who send us the products here exhibited have churches and governments, parliaments, universities, and schools. |
| 3. | "The Colonies are great communities in an early stage, and there is no reason why the names of New Zealand or Victoria should not one day sound as impressively in the ears of men as the names of England or France, Italy or Greece." |
See Thoughts after visiting the Exhibition, page 60.
Questions on entering each Gallery.
What is the Situation of the Country represented? What is its size, and its population?
Does this Gallery represent a Colony? If so, I shall look for evidence of the energy and enterprise of the British race. If it be an old colony like Canada, I shall expect to find it has made progress in manufactures. If it be a young colony like Queensland, the natural productions of the country will form its chief exhibits.
Does this Gallery represent Dependencies such as the Straits Settlements? Then evidence of native industry, unaided by machinery, and productions natural to the country, will be shown.
What are the Mineral Resources? Are there any Coal and Iron, the minerals which have been some of the sources of Great Britain's wealth?
What is the Climate of the country represented—tropical, semi-tropical, or temperate? How will its exhibits represent the climate?
What will the Models and Groups teach me respecting the people and their homes, the birds, the beasts, and the fishes?
What impression will the Photographs and Paintings give me of the character of the country and its scenery?
What people are, and what they do, is greatly influenced by the character of the country in which they dwell.
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Excellent Maps abound in the Exhibition, and should be examined on entering the Courts. Care is needed in determining Size or Distance by Map Measurements.