many an eloquent speech which followed sumptuous repasts. Of course there are practical difficulties in the way of such a federation, for free nations in the far ends of the earth will not tax themselves to help England in a European war in which they have no interest,—and a federation which does not mean co-operation in war and in peace, is scarcely worthy of the name. But these practical difficulties did not find expression in eloquent after dinner speeches, though responsible statesmen feel their force. So long as the liberal party was in power, conservatives delighted to blame Mr. Gladstone for not doing something towards this federation. By a strange irony of fate the conservative party came into power soon after, and Lord Salisbury with his "spirited" policy has not found it possible to organize the much coveted federation.
The favorite topic both of speeches and of conversations during these days was this idea of federation. To allow each colony and dependency to manage her own affairs, and yet to string them together by some sort of a common bond of union,—this was the great idea which inspired every one. I am not wise enough to be able to guess what the upshot of this great but hitherto impracticable idea will be, but whatever the upshot may be, every true Indian hopes and trusts that India too will be admitted into this noble federation with England on the same terms, or as nearly the same terms with the other colonies as possible, and that the day is not far distant when she too will have at least a voice and a hand in the management of her own affairs.
