British possessions are scattered all over the globe. Were she to
federate with her colonies the declaration of war on her part with any
country would mean that Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and British
South America would all join in the fight, and help to uphold England's
quarrel. England could then dictate to the world, and her power would
exceed that of ancient Rome in its days of greatest glory.

This scheme has always been a dream of ambitious English statesmen, but
the policy of the British Government has always been against it.

The idea was so vast that no one dared advise the taking of the first
step.

The British Ministers feared that the result of the federation would be
a combination of all the rest of Europe against England, so they adopted
the policy of keeping good friends with their European neighbors, and
allowing the colonies to wait yet a little longer for federation.

The modern statesmen have been extending British influence ever further
and further, in the hope of one day accomplishing the great federation.

It was this dream that was behind the Transvaal raid. The Colonial
Secretary, Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, desired to see the whole of South
Africa under the sovereignty of England, and Mr. Cecil Rhodes had no
objection to making the effort to realize this wish, because the scheme
would have proved as profitable to himself as to the Government. That to
accomplish his purpose he had to crush the Boers, and drive them out of
their own country, was nothing to him; he did not hesitate at anything
that was to be for the honor and glory of England--and the subsequent
enriching of Cecil Rhodes.