Pecicw of Revicirs, 1/3113. PROGRESS OF THE WOR/.D. 



that most soothing and convenient of 

 all situations for harassed and per- 

 plexed Go\ernments. It will be a com- 

 parati\el}- eas_\- task for Ministers, 

 when Parliament reassembles in May 

 or June, to keep things moving until the 

 balance of their three years' term shall 

 ha^'e expired. Meantime, the recess is 

 being chiefl}' occupied b}' the Govern- 

 ment in attempting to allay party dis- 

 sension. The Political Laljour Leagues 

 have taken up a most aggressive atti- 

 tude towards their Parliamentar}' re- 

 presentatives, and the air is thick with 

 dust. As, however. Ministers have 

 hitherto li\'ed on conferences and con- 

 ciliations, it should not be difficult for 

 them to weather the storm, and the 

 chances are that in the rush and 

 tumble of a general election, all differ- 

 ences will be forgotten. So far as the 

 general bodv of electors is concerned 

 everybod}^ seems to be ingloriously oc- 

 cupied in making tlie most they can for 

 themselves out of the prevailing com- 

 mercial prosperity, that such trifling 

 questions as constitutional or unconsti- 

 tutional Government utterly fail to stir 

 their blood. 



The Dominions' Commission. 



The members of this important Com- 

 mission arrived in Melbourne on Feb- 

 ruary 17, and were accorded a civic 

 welcome. Their report upon what they 

 learn m Australasia may be of great 

 and permanent benefit to us here. The 

 objects for which it was created are 

 best told m the words of Sir Edgar 

 Vincent (the chairman), himself. He 

 said: Our mission is to visit the ter- 

 ■ ritory of all the autonomous govern- 

 ments, to consult there with the 

 authorities of trade and commerce, and 

 with the representatives of the Domin- 

 ions, and then to lay before the next 

 Imperial Conference the result of our 

 deliberations. Our object is not to con- 



tend in the arena, but to sit with \-ou 

 in the gate of Empire, and there to 

 hold converse and high counsel with 

 }'ou. If, as the result of our mission, 

 something is not achieved which brings 

 Australia even closer to the mother 

 country than .she is to-day, something 

 which contributes in a notable degree 

 to the development of your splendid re- 

 sources, and to the increase of \"our 

 commerce, then, indeed, we shall have 

 failed. But we look to the assistance, 

 to the guidance, and to the wisdom 

 of \our statesmen to help us to avert 

 any such catastrophe. Lay before us 

 freely what facilities you require for 

 the furthering of the commerce of the 

 Empire, what assistance may be most 

 of use in bringing )-our lands to bear 

 fruit, and }^our mines to yield up their 

 riches, and we, as far as in us lies, will 

 endeavour to obtain for you that which 

 you desire. Give us your ideas, set be- 

 fore us }our problems, and suggest 

 solutions. Whatever tends to the 

 greatness of the Empire, and the ad- 

 vancement of your prosperity, will com- 

 mand our read\' ear, and is assured 

 of our most earnest consideration. We 

 desire to increase, in an especial de- 

 gree, inter-Imperial trade, and to devote 

 our most strenuous efforts to the de- 

 velopment of the commerce that binds 

 }-ou to the old countr\-, to the self- 

 governing Dominions, and to the rest 

 of the Empire of our King. 



me New Naval College. 



Before a representative gathering, 

 on March ist at North Geelong, Lore 

 Denman declared Osborne House, tht 

 temporary Naval College, open. It wai 

 an interesting and most significani 

 occasion. This is tlie first training col 

 lege for bo}-s destined to be officers ir 

 the King's Nav\- to be founded in Aus 

 tralasia, and the second in the Empir< 

 outside Britain, tliat at Halifax, ir 



