THE GROWTH OF CANADA 293 



the future expansion of American commerce 

 were much irritated at the thoroughness with 

 which the most promising scenes of coming 

 trade and naval stations for its protection were 

 appropriated by the European rival powers. 

 Samoa at least was insured to the commerce of 

 the United States, and in that fact was a source 

 of small but sufficient comfort for those to whom 

 the future of the Philippines was darkness. 



Additional stimulus to American sensibilities 

 was given by the movement for imperial fed 

 eration that took shape and became prominent 

 throughout the British Empire during the 

 eighties. The chief impulse to this movement 

 came obviously enough from the expanding 

 activities of Russia in Asia and Germany in 

 Africa. British prestige and commercial in 

 terests were felt to be imperilled. The Indian 

 Empire might readily yield to the insidious 

 sapping of the Russians; the self-governing 

 colonies in Australasia and Africa might be 

 lured to seek through nominal independence a 

 real connection with Britain s latest commer 

 cial rival. In Australia notoriously, and in 

 other of the colonies with no less certainty, an 

 active fraction of public opinion favored sev 

 erance, sooner or later, of the British tie. In 



