King Edward's realm: Story of the making of the Empire

by C. S. Dawe

8. This is the secret of the ready obedience paid to the law by English people in general. Nothing so strikes a foreigner, on entering "the land of the free," as this willing submission to authority, especially as exemplified in the crowded streets of London, where all drivers instantly obey the policeman whose duty it is to direct the traffic. The coachman may have a prince or a duke in his carriage. It makes no difference. He must wait his turn. All alike willingly obey the officer in authority because he acts without fear or favour, with a single eye to the public convenience. Here we have a typical instance of the close connection that exists between law, order, and liberty, those three watchwords of every true Briton throughout the empire. The British are a law-abiding nation, because they join in making their laws, and as a practical people realise the fact that without obedience to law there can be no order, and without order no enjoyment of liberty.

9. It is interesting to read the impressions of an Eastern Potentate in his recent visit to England. "I have been particularly struck in this enormous metropolis with the loyal, willing recognition of lawful authority which pervades all classes, enabling your civil and municipal government to work smoothly, and your press to speak out fearlessly, and like watchdogs to bark at the least sign of encroachment upon the liberties of the subject. By a wave of his hand the police officer directs traffic at crossings and junctions of streets. By his writ or summons the magistrate orders you to appear to bear witness in a court of law. No one thinks of disobeying the policeman or the magistrate. Both are recognised as acting in the execution of their respective spheres of duty. I cannot think of Britain without realising how the source of all her strength is founded upon obedience. You detest tyranny. You love liberty. You bow to authority."

10. Much of what is here said about us resolves itself into one great characteristic, which stamps us all as one people, in whatever part of the empire we may chance to live, and that is the passionate love of justice or fair-play. What men of our race ask for is a fair field and no favour.

(2) IMPERIAL SPIRIT OF OUR RACE.

1. Not long ago a discovery was made which turned all eyes to South Africa as the land paved with gold (1886). In a district known as the Rand, in the west of the Transvaal, gold reefs were discovered of extraordinary richness. Many important results have grown out of this discovery, the most momentous being the great Boer War.

2. The gold-fields of the Transvaal drew a large stream of adventurers and gold-miners from all parts of the world. These "outlanders," as the Boers called them, included a large proportion of men of British nationality. These men were treated by the Boer government with gross injustice, and by Boer officials with open contempt. And when our government demanded fair treatment for British subjects, the Boers took offence at what they considered undue interference. Here then was one cause of the quarrel which ended in war.

3. But there was another cause not less potent. The gold mines of the Transvaal were so productive that the Boer treasury soon overflowed with gold. This wealth stirred the ambition of the Boer leaders, and made them dream of South Africa as a great federal Republic, with the Transvaal as the leading state, and the Boer flag as the national standard. This, of course, meant the sweeping of British authority out of South Africa.

4. The gold at their disposal seemed to the Boers to give them a fair chance of accomplishing this result. At any rate, it enabled them to build forts, to provide arms of the best modern type in abundance, and to employ European officers as artillery instructors. It is true, they may have reflected, our numbers are comparatively small, but all our forces are close at hand, whilst the British will have to draw theirs from a country 6,000 miles away.

5. And so at last the die was cast, and, on the 11th October, 1899, a Boer force entered Natal in the hope of driving the small British army into the sea before reinforcements could arrive from England. In this they failed, as we know, by the splendid stand made by our troops, under Sir George White, at Ladysmith. It is not our intention to tell the story of the war, whose main incidents are fresh in our minds, but to show what a marvellous effect that war has had in drawing out the great qualities of our race, and in uniting the whole empire.

6. In the beginning of the war our arms met with serious reverses. In one dark week of December came the news of three disastrous failures, in our attack on the enemy's position, in three different quarters. But what was the effect of this threefold misfortune? It braced the nation to put forth its strength, it stiffened their resolve to conquer in the end, whatever the cost in blood or treasure. A mighty wave of patriotism swept over the land, and thousands of our best and bravest responded to the call to arms. Regulars, militia, volunteers, yeomanry—all alike, men of all classes from prince to peasant, eagerly proffered their services.