Charter of Incorporation. 5 



of Incorporation, with perpetual succession and a common seal, in recognition of the 

 fact that since its establishment it had " sedulously pursued the objects for which it 

 was founded," and with a desire of " encouraging a design so laudable and salutary." 



The national importance of imparting to the rising generation a fuller and more 

 accurate knowledge of the British Dominions and their resources has, from its found- 

 ation engaged the attention of the Institute, and every opportunity has been taken 

 to urge upon educational authorities and other pubUc bodies the need of giving greater 

 prominence to the subject in the schools of the United Kingdom. As long ago as the 

 year 1882 the Institute offered prizes for the best essays or papers on subjects connected 

 with the British Dominions oversea. 



The Institute has never ceased to emphasise the fact that the Overseas Dominions 

 afford a national outlet for the surplus population and capital of the Mother Country, 

 and committees now deal with the questions of emigration and Empire trade and 

 industry, their special functions being set forth in a separate section of this work. The 

 education of the people of the Motherland as to the resources, trade, history and 

 development of the Empire has been taken in hand by a special committee, and lectures 

 are now being given in various parts of the United Kingdom with excellent results. 

 In accordance with the objects for which the Institute was founded, it has for the 

 past forty-four years taken a leading part in the national work of fostering and popular- 

 ising the great principle of Imperial Solidarity throughout the length and breadth of 

 the British Empire. 



IV.— ROYAL CHARTER. 

 GRANT 



UNTO THE 



ROYAL COLONIAL INSTITUTE 



OP 



HER MAJESTY'S ROYAL CHARTER OF INCORPORATION, 



DATED 26th SEPTEMBER, 1882. 



IDlCtOliH, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and 

 Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith, Empress of India, JLO all tO WbOlU these 

 Presents shall come Greeting. 



XliUbCtCaS His Royal Highness Albert Edward, Prince op Wales, K.G., 

 and His Grace the Duke op Manchester, K.P., have by their Petition humbly 

 represented to Us that they are respectively the President and Chairman of the 

 Council of a Society established in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty- 

 eight, and called by Our Royal Authority the Royal Colonial Institute, the objects of 

 which Society are in various ways, and in particular by means of a place of Meeting, 

 Library and Museum, and by reading papers, holding discussions, and undertaking 

 scientific and other inquiries, as in the said Petition mentioned, to promote the 

 increase and diffusion of knowledge respecting as well Our Colonies, Dependencies and 

 Possessions, as Our Indian Empire, and the preservation of a permanent union between 

 the Mother Country and the various parts of the British Empire, and that it would 

 enable the said objects to be more effectually attained, and would be for the public 



