308 Royal Colonial Institute. 



Last year, for the first time, tlie Council published a Year Book. Next year this book, 

 I think, will be found to be an even more helpful and stimulating document. I, 

 for one, shall not be satisfied until I see a year book analysing the Fellows and Associates 

 and enumerating the numbers who come from the various counties of England, 

 Scotland, Ireland and Wales, and the various Dominions across the seas. The Secre- 

 tary has handed me a letter which has just been received from the Sherifi of 

 Bristol, Mr. T. J. Lennard. I will read a few extracts from the letter, which I think 

 show, as Commissioner Lamb said, that the Institute is pulsating with life. 



" I have given part of this site (2 Whiteladies Road, next to Victoria Rooms) 

 for public improvement, and the house will be demolished immediately. It will be the 

 most prominent site in Bristol for Imperial purposes when the Bang Edward Memorial 

 is completed. 



" I shall be pleased to give the freehold for the purpose of erecting a bviilding for the 

 ' United Empire League ' (or whatever name is finally adopted by the R.C.I.) if, 

 within two years from this date, you are able to form a local society bearing the above 

 name, embracing all the local members of kindred societies with similar aims, having 

 at least 500 members in Bristol and neighbourhood, paying a minimum subscription of 

 £1 \s. per annum, which would include associate's privileges of the R.C.I, and receipt of 

 the splendid monthly magazine. United Empiee. 



" The particular form the society shall take, and its activities, the members themselves 

 will decide. If you get the minimum 500 members it will not be difficult to get your 

 money for the building to be erected thereon by the issue of debentures bearing 

 interest. I simply reserve the right to approve the plans of a suitable building to be 

 erected, and will keep the site empty for two years from this date in the hope that 

 my offer and challenge wiU be accepted and completed within that time. 



The offer is made in support of Earl Grey's forward policy of ' 100,000 members 

 for the Royal Colonial Institute,' and because I beUeve the needs and the respon- 

 sibiUties of this great Empire should be brought before representative men of the 

 ancient city of Bristol, which is the metropolis of the west of England. If they can 

 be knit together without distinction of politics or rehgion it wiU be a gi'eat gain to 

 the Empire." 



We want that sort of spirit to spread to every town and county of the United 

 Kingdom, and we want to develop the means of enabling men of British citizenship 

 to join some branch of the Institute in every city of the world. Guatemala is a small 

 place in the South American Continent. Some three years ago you had not a single 

 member of the Institute there. To-day you have seventy, and this is the sort of 

 letter which has just been received from a member there : — 



" I have called a meeting of all our Fellows for the election of a committee and 

 chairman. Everyone is responding with enthusiasm. I wiU report to you the result 

 of the meeting. 



" In the meantime arrangements for the dinner are going rapidly foi-ward. We are 

 planning for 60 covers — including guests such as the Foreign Minister and First Secretary 

 of the Government here, the British, American and French Ministers, and other mem- 

 bers of the British Colony who have not joined, and people of importance or distin- 

 guished visitors here at the time. We are planning ' sumptuous ' decorations, including 

 flag, hoists of signals such as ' God Save the King ' — ' England expects,' various forms 

 of the National flag through past centuries. A souvenir memo, with account of the 

 Institute, special programme of EngUsh music, string band inside, military band out- 

 side, English songs (solos), EngUsh choruses by a trained choir and Roast Beef and all 

 other Enghsh dishes. 



