nificance of this event, a prominent official in South
Africa said, "Without the influence of King Edward I, I do not think
the union could have been effected."

[1] The Union of South Africa is formed of the states of the Cape of
Good Hope, the Transvaal, and the Orange Free State. Lord Gladstone,
son of the late W.E. Gladstone, was appointed Governor of the new
Commonwealth, and General Botha, who had commanded in the Boer army,
was made Prime Minister.

The establishment of the Union of South Africa completed the framework
of the Imperial Federation (SS618, 619). Admiral Mahan, of the
American navy, classes the expansion of the British Empire with that
of the expansion of the United States, and declares that it ranks as
one of the foremost facts of "contemporaneous history." The
Commonwealth of Australia and the Union of South Africa (with the
Dominion of New Zealand) mark the southern limit of the Imperial
Federation. The Dominion of Canada marks its northeren limit. (See
map facing p. 422.)

All these British possessions enjoy a degree of self-government which
falls but little short of entire independence. In fact, commercially
they are independent, for, as we have seen (S616), while England
maintains free trade, her colonies still keep up a strict protective
tariff and impose duties even on British imports. Notwithstanding
this difference, all the colonies are loyal subjects of the English
Crown, and all stand ready to defend the English flag.

626. The League of Empire.

While this successful movement toward Imperial Federation was going
on, the organization of the League of Empire had been formed (1901) to
cooperate with it and strengthen it.

The League is nonpolitical and nonsectarian. It aims to unite the
different parts of the Imperial Federation by intellectual and moral
bonds. It appeals to the whole body of the people of the Empire, but
it deals especially with the children in the schools. It endeavors to
educate them in the duties of citizenship, and it calls on them to
salute the national flag as the symbol of patriotism, of unity, and of
loyalty. A little later, Empire Day was established (1904) as a
public holiday to help forward the work of the League. King Edward
gave it his hearty encouragement, and it is celebrated throughout the
British Isles and the self-governing colonies of the Imperial
Federation.

627. The King's Influence in Behalf of Peace.

While seeking to make al