Historical Sketch. - 7 



the Royal Colonial Institute has been busily at work extending its activities 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 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 a most valuable collection 

 of statutes, law reports, treaties, Sec. In the law library provision is also made for the 

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

 Institute's resources it may be added that during the year 1913, 82,360 numbers of 

 newspapers and magazines were received and filed. Considering the benefits of 

 membership it is not astonishing to learn that the Royal Colonial Institute has now 

 between nine and ten thousand Fellows and Associates, and that its growing importance, 

 the widening of its scope and the increase of its membership have necessitated a great 

 extension of its premises. The house in Northumberland Avenue has been almost 

 entirely rebuilt on a larger area, and " as a result," we are told, " instead of the seven 

 inconveniently small and inappropriate rooms formerly available, there are now twenty- 

 five well equipped rooms." 



These things do not indeed go to the heart of the matter. It ia possible for great 

 things to proceed from mean and stuffy surroundings, and a sumptuous club-house 

 does not always produce an active spirit ; but when, as has been made manifest, the 

 spirit is in the right place, it ia surely well that the accessories of comfort and con- 

 venience shall be added. 



There is one other subject, without mention of which any account of the Royal 

 Colonial Institute would be deficient. Useful as had been the annual volume with its 

 permanent record of the progress made during the year, it was generally recognised that 

 so influential a corporation should possess its own monthly organ, reflecting the various 

 sides of its work. An editor was forthcoming who had both a practical knowledge 

 of the Empire and was a trained litterateur. United Empire is still in its youth ; but 

 already it has attained a wide circulation, and few will question the modest claim 

 put forward by the Council that it " has from month to month enabled those interested 

 in the various Overseas Dominions to keep in touch with the more important aspects 

 of Imperial development." Such, then, being the various grounds on which the 

 Royal Colonial Institute has more than made good the aims of its founders, there is 

 no one who cares for the Empire and the Empire's well-being who will not gratefully 

 repeat " Esto perpelua." 



H. E. Egerton. 



ill.— HISTORICAL SKETCH. 



The Royal Colonial Institute is first and foremost a non-sectarian and non-political 

 organisation which exists for the purpose of stimulating the loyalty of all Britons 

 towards the Empire, and for promoting its closer and permanent unity. 



It was founded on June 26, 1868, when a meeting was held at Willis's Rooms, under 

 the presidency of Viscount Bury, to promote the formation of a society which should 

 assume, in relation to the Colonies, a position similar to that filled by the Royal Society 

 as regards science, and the Royal Geographical Society as regards geography. The 

 meeting, which comprised influential representatives of Colonial interests, and members 



