Fiji and New Caledonia to Australia. I do not believe in it a bit, and I hope that no one with whom I have influence will ever put a penny of money into it, but leave it to those gentlemen who do not know any better.'
"That cable is also laid—the cable from Canada via Fiji to Australia. To Sir Sandford Fleming, that veteran Canadian whose patriotic work will for ever be remembered, the credit of this work is due.
"The chief obstacle which is before us in the fight for carrying out our policy is in the political frontiers. Our object, therefore, should be to abolish political frontiers, so far as telegrams are concerned, in our communications with every part of the earth. In this matter 'political' frontiers, by arrangements with foreign Governments, ought not to be taken into consideration at all. Between man and man these political frontiers should not exist. As a matter of fact to the travelled individual who has friends all over the world they do not exist, except on paper.
"At this point it may be observed that if we cannot get over this difficulty I place my hopes on my friend Marconi. He entirely ignored political frontiers when I received from him at Port Said, on board the "Renown," a wireless message which must have passed over all the political frontiers of France and Spain and the Alps before it reached Port Said in Egypt."
No time was lost in calling a meeting at the Mansion House, presided over by the Lord Mayor, Sir J. C. Bell, and attended by a number of highly important and influential City merchants. Among others present were men of such world-wide interests as the Duke of Argyll, Lord Milner, Lord Blyth, Lord Strathcona, Sir Owen Phillips, Sir William Holland, Sir Edward Sassoon, Sir Albert Spicer, and many others.
The speeches delivered by Captain Muirhead Collins
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