The sixth Congress of Chambers of Commerce of the Empire
was opened on Tuesday at the Grocers' Hall by the Secretary of State for the Colonies. About five hundred delegates were present, representing a hundred and eighty-seven commercial bodies, and nearly half came from the remoter parts of the Empire. Lord Elgin in a felicitous speech commended the full discussion of commercial problems from every side as the only way to arrive at sound conclusions. It was a method which he looked forward to seeing put into practice at the coming Colonial Conference. " By appreciating and over- coming and not by ignoring the di"5culties they would attain the ambition of all present,—a united Empire." The first discussion afforded a very good instance of the kind of work which the Congress may accomplish. A resolution in favour of Preference within the Empire was moved by a Canadian delegate. It was opposed by several British delegates, and notably by the majority of the representatives of India. The debate may help to show the nation that Preference cannot be synonymous with Imperialism, since it is a question on which the units of the Empire are not united.
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