it would have been
fair in that case for Great Britain to have assumed a limited part of
the expense of compensating retrenched public servants. The practical
objections to such a policy are, however, very great. In this, as in all
matters, Ireland will gain more by independence than by financial aid,
however strongly justified. All payments should be a direct charge upon
the Irish Exchequer, not, as in some cases under the Bill of 1893, upon
the Imperial Exchequer in the first instance, with provision for
repayment from Ireland.

FINANCE.

I summarize the conclusions already indicated in previous chapters:

1. Fiscal independence, with complete control over all Irish taxation
and expenditure.

2. Initial deficit to be supplied by a grant-in-aid, diminishing
annually and terminable in a short period, say, seven years.

3. Future contribution to Imperial services to be voluntary.

4. Remission to Ireland of her share of the National Debt, and
relinquishment by Ireland of her share of the Imperial Miscellaneous
Revenue.

5. Imperial credit for Land Purchase to be extended as before, by loans
guaranteed on the Consolidated Fund, under any conditions now or
hereafter to be made by the Imperial authorities.

Loans to the Public Works Commissioners to be optional.

REPRESENTATION AT WESTMINSTER.

To cease.

CONFERENCE BETWEEN THE IRISH AND IMPERIAL AUTHORITIES.

This is a very important point, because friendly consultation, as at
present with the Colonies, will take the place of Irish representation
in the Imperial Parliament, and will prove a far more satisfactory means
of securing harmony and co-operation. Arrangements similar to those of
the Imperial Conference, only more precise and efficient, and of a
permanent character, should be made for consultation between the Irish
and British authorities on all subjects where the interests of the two
countries touch one another. The need for more frequent consultation
with the Colonies is being felt with increasing force, and although no
permanent consultation body has yet been created, special _ad hoc_
conferences have recently been held--for Defence in 1909, and for
Copyright in 1910--in addition to the quadrennial meetings, where a vast
amount of varied topics are discussed, and the most valuable decisions
arrived at.[185]

What the precise machinery should be in the case of Anglo-Irish
relations I do not venture to say. The Ministers of the respective
c