A deputation which was received by Lord Salisbury on Wednesday
at the Colonial Office, may, we hope, attract the attention of M. de Freycinet, for it is certainly one of those signs of the times which the French Government ought gravely to consider before it decides to prolong needlessly the very uncomfortable and irritating situation in the New Hebrides. The deputation was sent by the National Federa- tion League to entreat the Government " to call a Con- ference or to appoint a Royal Commission, to be com- posed of accredited representatives of the United Kingdom and of each of the self-governing Colonies, for the purpose of suggesting some practical means whereby concerted action may be taken, first, for placing on a satisfactory basis the defence of the ports and of the commerce of the Empire in time of war ; and, secondly, for promoting direct intercourse, commercial, postal, and telegraphic, between the several countries of the Empire in time of peace,—and any other means for securing the closer federation or union of all parts of the Empire." The deputa- tion was introduced by Sir Thomas Brassey, and several very influential Colonists addressed Lord Salisbury, the Hon. James Service, of Victoria, commencing with a speech in the course of which he observed that " the Minister who could negotiate France out of New Caledonia, and Germany out of New Guinea," "would do more to secure and to strengthen the links that bind the Australian Colonies to the Empire" than could be done in any other way. Lord Salisbury, in his reply, said, somewhat pointedly, that to suggest negotiating Great Powers out of their actual possessions, was hardly a very prac- tical hint. However, he probably understood very well that, difficult as it might be to negotiate France out of New Caledonia, it is comparatively easy to get her out of the New Hebrides, which she has herself engaged to let alone, and that this at least is a sine qua, non for securing the loyalty of the Australian Colonies.
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