sm, ran strong in Australian and Canadian life, and none of
them could be disregarded. A free imperialism, consonant with and
allied to national ambitions, the Dominions would have, had indeed
already, but the idea of Mr Chamberlain and his followers, which
contravened both the new nationalism and the old colonialism, could not
prevail.

As before, the chief subjects dealt with by the Conference fell into
three fields--political relations, commercial relations, and defence.

In opening the Conference Mr Chamberlain declared that the problem of
future political relations had been simplified by the federation of the
Australian colonies and the coming closer union of South Africa. The
next step would be the federation of the Empire, which he believed was
within the limits of {199} possibility. This might come by sending
colonial representatives to the existing House of Commons at
Westminster, but perhaps a more practical proposal would be the
creation of a real Council of the Empire, which in the first instance
might be merely advisory but in time would have executive and perhaps
legislative powers. Elsewhere Mr Chamberlain had made more clear the
extent of the power which he hoped this central council would in time
acquire: he had defined it as 'a new government with large powers of
taxation and legislation over countries separated by thousands of
miles.'

The appeal met with little response. The prime ministers seemed in no
haste to abandon the policy by which they had already acquired powers
so many and so wide. No resolution was moved in the direction Mr
Chamberlain urged. Instead, a step was taken towards making the
Conference itself a more organic body by providing that it should meet
at intervals not exceeding four years. The vital difference between
the Conference and the Imperial Council which Mr Chamberlain desired,
was that the Council when full-fledged should be an independent
government exercising direct control over all parts of the Empire,
{200} and with a dominating representation from the United Kingdom;
whereas the Conference was simply a meeting of governments in which all
the countries met on an equal footing, with no power to bind any
Dominion or to influence its action otherwise than by interchange of
information and opinion.

As to defence, a determined attempt was made to induce the colonies to
contribute to the support of the British army and navy. Mr Chamberlain
submitted a memorandu