for War. A few days later
came the announcement that the first to hold this appointment would be
John Crondall. I had news of this a little in advance of the public, for
my work in connection with _The Citizens'_ organization brought me now
into frequent contact with the War Office, particularly with regard to
supplies and general arrangements for our different village
rifle-ranges.

This piece of news seemed tolerably important to Constance Grey and
myself, and we talked it over with a good deal of interest and
enthusiasm. But before many weeks had passed this and every other item
of news was driven out of our minds by a piece of intelligence which, in
different ways, startled and excited the whole civilized world, for the
reason that it promised to affect materially the destiny of all the
nations of civilization. Every newspaper published some kind of an
announcement on the subject, but the first full, authoritative statement
was that contained in the great _London Daily_ which was now the
recognized principal organ of Imperial Federation. The opening portion
of this journal's announcement read in this way:

"We are able to announce, upon official authority, the completion of a
defensive and commercial Alliance between the British Empire and the
United States of America, which amounts for all practical purposes to a
political and commercial Federation of the English-speaking peoples of
the world.

"Rumours have been current for some time of important negotiations
pending between London and Washington, and, as we pointed out some time
ago, Mr. John Crondall's business in Washington has been entirely with
our Ambassador there.

"The exact terms of the new Alliance will probably be made public within
the next week. In the meantime, we are able to say that the Alliance
will be sufficiently comprehensive to admit United States trade within
the British Empire upon practically British terms--that is to say, the
United States will, in almost every detail, share in Imperial
Preference.

"Further, in the event of any foreign Power declaring war with either
the British Empire or the United States, both nations would share
equally in the conduct of subsequent hostilities, unless the war were
the direct outcome of an effort upon the part of either of the high
contracting parties in the direction of territorial expansion. The
United States will not assist the British Empire to acquire new
territory, but will share from first