NECESSARY BELIEFS. 59 



of people, and in the United States more than forty 

 millions. Here in Canada and British America are 

 four millions, and in the West Indies and Guiana 

 another million and more. Then we have in Austra- 

 lasia two and a half millions belonging to the British 

 Empire. We have in the scattered Eastern posses- 

 sions of Great Britain more than three millions of 

 people. We have in Africa one million and a half 

 who are ruled by Queen Victoria, and in India two 

 hundred and forty millions Of whom she is the em- 

 press. What, now, if all these scattered millions 

 should be united? we should have about three hun- 

 dred and twenty-five millions in an Anglo-American 

 alliance, or very nearly a quarter of the population of 

 the world. At another centennial of our county and 

 of the British Empire, more than a quarter would 

 be inside this possible league. The Sandwich Is- 

 lands would probably join such an alliance. Would 

 progressive Japan do so? Would Egypt? Would 

 Greece ? 



The Pacific would be to an alliance of all Eng- 

 lish-speaking peoples only what the Mediterranean 

 was to the Roman Empire. 



Such a league might finally adopt the supreme 

 measure of defending itself as a unit in case of at- 

 tack. That would be, perhaps, the last thing arrived 

 at, after free trade had cemented us. But give me 

 these four regulations, — no war without arbitration 

 between English-speaking peoples ; arbitration to be 

 offered to even' nation that attacks such a league: 

 common laws as to patents, copyrights, and money ; 



