THE GROWTH OF THE EMPIRE.
The Growth of the Empire. By A. W. Jose. Revised Edition. (Angus and Robertson, Sydney.)—The first two chapters, though Mr. Jose hopes that they are saturated with Seeley, are none the less full of points selected and accentuated with fresh emphasis and insight. The first reviews the Empire as it stands, compares it with the ancient dominion of Persian, Macedonian, and Roman, and glances at its cost. We count gains but not losses ; nevertheless it is fascinating to realise the sums of hard cash we have paid out in the last hundred and fifty years to secure the right to colonise where and when we chose. The second dis- cusses the beginnings of colonisation, and nothing is more curious than the fact that we still had so many freebooters while other nations were really trying to found settlements. We were the laggards, as Mr. Jose says, till the first settlers went out ; and now such is the freedom of English Colonies that possibly some people may deny their right technically to be called an Empire. It is an interesting point to Mr. Jose. His chapters dealing with Australia and the Cape are worth anybody's while to read. He certainly possesses the faculty of presenting a clear summary, and always appears to hold the scales fairly. This work is published in Australia, and is written in a tone and with a pride that must have received gratification from the signing of the Commonwealth Bill and the combined efforts to reassert the Empire which are being successfully accomplished in South Africa. We can heartily commend both the subject and style of this able and most admirably arranged history of the British Empire.
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