6 Royal Colonial Institute. 



itself and before Chambers of Commerce, trade bodies, and like institutions in tbe 

 leading industrial centres. There is the further object of facilitating, encouraging, and 

 arranging industrial conferences or meetings to be attended by men of affairs from any 

 or all parts of the Empire, in order to discuss questions of common interest with a view 

 to regulating and co-ordinating the conditions of Empire trade and industry. 



The new departure is of too recent date to expect, as yet, many practical results, 

 but it is manifest what a sphere of usefulness is here opened out, and how well 

 adapted the Royal Colonial Institute is, by its situation and membership, to take the 

 lead in such a movement, and already by means of this committee the British 

 Consular service has been made available to the Overseas Dominions. 



Again, there is the difficult subject of emigration. To a great extent indeed this 

 question has been settling itself. Thus it is very striking how in recent years, without 

 State action, the current of general British emigration has been diverted from the 

 United States to the Overseas Dominions. At the same time there are many ways in 

 which State action might be desirable. The Eoyal Colonial Institute has now a 

 standing Emigration Committee representing both its own members and the leading 

 emigration societies. This committee has recommended that an official committee shall 

 be constituted consisting of representatives of the private emigration societies and of 

 experts, including a chairman, nominated by the Government. This committee shall — 



(a) Advise on all general questions of policy affecting emigration. 



(6) Co-ordinate the emigration societies of the United Kingdom. 



(c) Take over the functions of the Emigrants' Information Office. 



{d) Deal with Labour Exchanges, Boards of Guardians, &c., on all matters con- 

 nected with emigration. 



(e) Deal with the High Commissioners, &c., in regard to questions of emigration. 

 Again, on the question of the emigration of women and of children the committee has 

 made recommendations of far-reaching importance. It has tendered evidence before 

 the Dominions' Royal Commission, and has given special attention during the year 

 to the subject of the organised emigration of Poor Law children. This is not the 

 place to discuss the details of their proposals ; all that we are concerned with here is the 

 vigour and vitality of the parent institution of which they are the testimony and proof. 



Yet another new departure must be mentioned. Recognising that in these days 

 of democracy the task of consolidating the Empire can no longer safely be left in the 

 hands of the upper and middle classes, the Royal Colonial Institute is now seeking, 

 by means of popular illustrated lectures, to bring home to the knowledge and the 

 conscience of the people the resources of the Empire and the opportunities and respon- 

 sibilities attending on its right use and development. This work is still in its 

 infancy ; but it promises, if properly supported by the leading men in the great 

 centres of population, to yield most valuable results. 



But while the Royal Colonial Institute has been busily at work extending its activi- 

 ties in a practical direction, it has not forgotten its other function of being a store-house 

 of knowledge. Some of us can speak with personal knowledge and gratitude of the 

 benefit its admirable library has been in the pursuit of our studies. Nearly 100,000 

 volumes and pamphlets, not one of which does not relate to the objects of the Institute, 

 are a boon, the value of which it is impossible to exaggerate ; especially when they 

 can be consulted under the guidance of a courteous and helpful librarian. A special 

 room has been set apart as a law library, which contains some 8000 volumes and 

 statutes, law reports, treaties, &c. In the law library provision is also made for the 

 storage and display of maps relating to aU parts of the Empire. To give an idea of the 



