General.

Grey, Earl (K.G., G.C.M.G.).—The Commercial Policy of the British Colonies and the McKinley Tariff. 8vo. Pp. 79. London. Macmillan & Co. 1892. [Presented by the Publishers.]

The greater part of this work was originally written with a view to being published in the Nineteenth Century, as a sequel to a previous article contributed to that Review by the same author; but, owing to the length to which articles in the Review are necessarily restricted, Earl Grey found it impossible to set forth his ideas in so limited a space; hence their publication in the present form. Although affecting the whole of the British Colonies, the Author more especially addresses his remarks to Canada, a country in whose welfare, he states, he has never ceased to take a deep interest since it was his duty, nearly half a century ago, to take an active part in the management of its affairs as Secretary of State for the Colonies. The chief object Earl Grey has in writing this work is to show that the system of Free Trade adopted in the year 1846 proved beneficial to the whole British Empire, and that the subsequent entire abandonment by some of our principal Colonies of that policy in order to adopt one of Protection has caused much more serious evils than even the mistake made by the British Parliament and Government in 1860. In order to strengthen his arguments, Earl Grey refers to the feelings of animosity which have at different times been excited between the various Colonies by the measures adopted in pursuance of the policy of Protection, more especially as regards the complaints of Tasmania of the conduct of their neighbours in Victoria in imposing duties on the fruits of Tasmania to protect their own growers from their competition. Such action on the part of one Colony to another is, in the opinion of the Author, likely to affect in a manner far from favourable the maintenance of a firm union of all parts of the Empire, a result he would deplore in view of his belief that there exists at the present time a strong feeling for a closer union of the Colonies with the Mother Country. Regarding a complete freedom of trade between British North America and the United States, Earl Grey states that the same duties upon imports must be levied in both territories, since, if they were not so, but higher duties were levied in the one than in the other, goods would be imported into that where page 477 the duties were lowest, for the purpose of being afterwards carried into the one in which they were higher, which would thus lose part both of the trade and of the revenue to which it would be fairly entitled. Canada, therefore, in order to obtain the perfectly free intercourse with the United States which is demanded by one party must, the Author upholds, consent to have its commerce with the rest of the world, including the United Kingdom, regulated by the revenue law of the United States, in settling which it has had no part, and which may at any moment be altered by a Congress in which it has no voice. The important position occupied by the Author, together with his views on the great question of Protection v. Free Trade as affecting the British Empire, cannot fail to ensure for his work a wide circulation.

Parkin, G. R. (M.A.).—Bound the Empire. 12mo. Pp. xii.-268. London. 1892. [Presented by the Author.]

The object of this little work is to supply, for the use of elementary schools in the United Kingdom, a simple and connected account of those parts of our great Empire which are outside of the British Islands, and in which so many of the scholars are likely to seek their future homes. Special attention is directed in the work to grouping facts in such a way that their bearing upon the life of the nation may be easily grasped by young minds, and the closeness of the connection which exists between the industries and interests of our people in the Colonies and of those who remain at home is indicated as often as possible by familiar illustrations. Each group of Colonies is briefly dealt with by the Author as regards their physical features, their products and industries and general history, whilst in the concluding chapters such questions as the trade of the Empire, and how the Colonies are governed, are clearly and concisely set forth. A short preface is contributed by the Earl of Rosebery, who is of opinion that the youth of our race will learn from Mr. Parkin's work how great is their inheritance and their responsibility, and states "those outside these Islands may learn the splendour of their source and their home, as well as communion with the other regions under the Crown of Great Britain; and within, English, Scottish, and Irish children may learn, not to be shut in their shires, but that they are the heirs of great responsibilities and a vast inheritance."