We congratulate the Liberal Colonial Club on the work it
is doing for the Empire and Free-trade in providing such occasions as this for discussing the means of attaining greater Imperial unity. Misunderstandings are bound to be removed when Colonial statesmen find Liberals and Free-traders discussing plans for drawing the Empire closer together with all the enthusiasm, and.much more than the wisdom, of Tariff Reformers. We only hope that the exponents of the " All- Red Route," which we heartily desire to see established, will not injure their case by overstatement. We are not sure that insurance companies would accept risks on the percentage of fog mentioned by Mr. Sifton. It is only the fogs along the coast, not over the entire route, that matter. And can ships of twenty thousand tons be built economically, as Mr. Sifton' says, to maintain the speed of the Lusitania ' (which is thirty- eight thousand tons), and carry heavy guns and be efficient. troopships into the bargain ? Such points require discussion. And the cost of the scheme has not yet been mentioned. But we are convinced that the trade and good feeling of the Empire would gain greatly by a speeding up of our communications.
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