20 JANUARY 1894, Page 3

On Monday, at the Imperial Institute, Lord Lorne delivered a

lecture on "Imperial Federation." Though saying pleasant things of Imperial Federation, he was by no means for hurry- ling on any cut-and-dried scheme. He would, instead, quietly develop the present good relations with the Colonies (1), by improved postal and telegraphic communications—the present -disterted telegrams often did great harm; (2), by the inter- recognition of academic and other titlhs ; (3), by raising the status of the Agents-General ; (4), by advance in military -organisation in the Colonies. That is all sensible enough, and very much to be preferred to the notion of creating a Federal Constitution, which, in all probability, would end in the destruction of the Empire. We have got at present a system which works with the minimum of friction, leaves the Colonies free from interference, and yet prevents them from becoming hostile or Foreign States. Why cannot we let so satisfactory an arrangement alone, and con- tent ourselves with cultivating a friendly feeling with the Colonies ? One way of doing this was missed by Lord Lorne. Why should we not do something to interest the Colonies, and especially Australasia, in the administration of India? Australia, though we forget it, knows herself to be an Asian State, and is beginning to realise how deeply she is concerned in the maintenance of our authority in India.