§ 10.—The Economic Value of Colonies.

Much has been said of late on the assumed change of front on the part of public writers respecting the real value of colonies. No economist has ever doubted the immense advantage resulting from the superior productiveness of capital and labour when applied in a new country, and fresh soil, or the relief which the colonies have afforded, and still afford, to the pressure of population on the means page 13 of subsistence in the mother country¹⁰. It is fully admitted, moreover, on all hands, that much of the increase and prosperity of the colonies must be ascribed to the order and security which they have enjoyed under a strong government. The only question is, how far is the protection afforded by the colonial bond still necessary for the security and independence of such colonies? and how far, in the event of any one of the colonies being able to maintain order, security, and independence for herself without such protection from the mother country, and declaring herself free, the trade of the United Kingdom with the same, or the inducement to emigration to such colony, would cease or diminish? The problem is happily not within the range of practical politics. And it is safe to say that common nationality, common language, and common institutions will always prove a strong magnet to draw to one another the scattered portions of the British race. Nevertheless, and for the same reasons, it is as clear that should any colony desire a relaxation of the colonial bond, and be able to start for herself, no harm will come from it, the experience of England as regards the United States, and more recently as regards the Ionian Islands,¹¹ having abundantly proved that neither the commercial relations did suffer, nor the flow of emigration was arrested, after their declaration of independence, or after the special relations ceased to exist.