Science and Colonial Development 



Empire has been held in Canada ; and Canadian 

 manufacturers have returned the visit. The greater 

 colonies have been well served by their High Com- 

 missioners and Agents-General and by other com- 

 mercial agents. On the whole, perhaps, by these 

 means, and through a generous outlay in the way 

 of advertisement, the colonial producer, particu- 

 larly in Canada, has of late years not had much 

 cause for complaint, though it is only now that 

 attention is being paid to the possibilities of inter- 

 colonial trade. Canada is seeking new markets 

 in the West Indies and in South Africa ; while 

 Australia and New Zealand also see in South 

 Africa a possible outlet, more especially for their 

 frozen meat and butter. Between Canada and 

 Australasia the trade hitherto has been of the 

 smallest dimensions. 



But what of the reverse process ? What steps 

 does the Mother Country take to become ac- 

 quainted with the requirements of the colonies, 

 and to meet these requirements ? The Commercial 

 Intelligence Department of the Board of Trade 

 now has the matter in hand ; but until it was 

 appointed, British manufacturers had no regular 

 source of official information. Their attention was 

 called to foreign countries, and to the colonies of 

 foreign countries by the Consular Reports, and to 

 British crown colonies by the Reports on the Blue 

 Books. And the value of those documents has 

 been increased by the periodical publication of an 

 epitome of their contents. But it seems to have 

 been assumed that British manufacturers were 



