XXXVI WORK IN THE UPPER HOUSE 187 



quid pro quo ? Other countries could not complain. 

 The United States, for instance, give advantages to 

 Cuba and the Philippines ; indeed as far as books are 

 concerned they give all other countries an advantage 

 over us, for the benefit of their own printers. 



I am coming reluctantly to the conclusion that unless 

 some common interests can be brought home to the 

 Colonies, the British Empire cannot be maintained, 

 and its dissolution would be an incalculable misfortune 

 for the human race. 



These Islands cannot, I believe, permanently support 

 the present gigantic expenditure on the Army and 

 Navy ; and unless the Colonies are prepared to help, 

 they must be reduced. — Yours very sincerely, 



AVEBURY. 



He thought it very important that the English 

 case against the Boers, showing that the responsi- 

 biUty for the South African War rested with 

 them, should be distinctly stated, and the 

 Council of the British Empire League asked him 

 to draw up a Memorandum on the subject. 



The Duke of Devonshire, however, who was 

 President of the League, expressed some doubts 

 as to the circulation of the leaflet just at this 

 moment, for reasons which the following letter 

 fully explains : 



IcKLETON, Great Chesterfobo, 

 Essex, April ISth, 1903. 



My dear Avebury — -I have, as you rightly under- 

 stood from Murray, been very unwilling that your 

 excellent leaflet address to the Boers should not be 

 proceeded with, and I think the Duke's hesitation on 

 the point of the origin of the War was due to his desire 

 that nothing possibly controversial should appear under 

 the aegis of the League (he, the President, being a 

 Cabinet Minister), while Chamberlain was working at 

 the resettlement in South Africa. 



I believe that if we go back to the Duke now he will 

 refer to Mr. Chamberlain ; and as I imagine that Mr. 

 Chamberlain may be disposed to think, as you and I 



