e and untiring energy" and a member of the Executive Committee,
which had the enterprise in hand, wrote to the same paper that during
the past six years "every important step in connection with the
Institute has been taken under the immediate direction of the Prince of
Wales. By his energy men have been moved to action and difficulties
apparently insuperable have been overcome. The result of years of
devoted labour was accomplished to-day."

EARLY ADVOCACY OF IMPERIALISM

These were the two chief products of what may be called the Empire
statesmanship of the Prince of Wales. Long before either of them were
undertaken, however, he had shown a deep and sincere interest in the
unity of the Empire--a natural outcome of his training, his travels, his
individual abilities. For many years he acted as President of the Royal
Colonial Institute, accepting the position at a time when people were
only beginning to awake to the fact that Great Britain was more than an
Island and sea-power and when the Institute was the rallying ground and
centre for a small group of men like the late Duke of Manchester, Lord
Bury, Mr. W. E. Forster and Sir Frederick Young, who devoted much energy
and enthusiasm to the promotion of what long afterwards became known as
Imperialism. The patronage and support of His Royal Highness did very
much to give the movement, in its earlier days, a place and an influence
and to establish the Institute as the factor which history has since
recognized it to have been. It was in this connection, on July 16th,
1881, that the Lord Mayor of London--Sir William McArthur
M.P.--entertained the Prince of Wales at a banquet attended by many
representatives of the Colonies and distinguished guests. In his speech
the Prince referred with extreme regret to his not having been able to
visit all the Colonies, and especially, Australia. He had greatly
desired to accept the invitation extended to him two years before to
visit the Exhibitions at Sydney and Melbourne. "Though, my Lords and
gentlemen I have not had the opportunity of seeing those great
Australian Colonies, which every day and every year are making such
immense development, still, at the International Exhibitions of London,
Paris and Vienna, I had not only an opportunity of seeing their various
products then exhibited, but I had the pleasure of making the personal
acquaintance of many Colonists--a fact which has been a matter of great
importance and great benefit t