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238 ECONOMIC INQUIRIES AND STUDIES
of internal organization to undertake. The Colonial
Empire of France, for instance. is by comparison almost
entirely undeveloped. Russia has still an enormous
amount of work to do to fill up decently the huge
vacant places within its ring-fence. and which are cap-
able of being filled by white population. The United
States, again, are just beginning their colonial policy,
and' have a serious work before them to adapt their
Constitution to the new conditions imposed by such a
policy. Still the condition of our Empire, looking at
the existence of all these powers, is seriously different
from what it has been, and the next two or three
generations will have much to do in adjusting our re-
lations with co-ordinate powers.

Another question suggested by a review of the
Empire is the economic one presented by a state like
India, which has an enormous growth of population
mainly dependent. on agriculture, and where there are
some signs of an excessive growth of multitudes who
have barely the means for the scanty subsistence which
is aimed at and who are always on the verge of starva-
tion. Amidst our great success in the development of
population-and wealth throughout the Empire. in which
there is so much cause for pride and rejoicing, the re-
verse of the shield which we find to exist in the growth
at the same time ofa vast population on the verge of
starvation ought also to be looked at. I t appears to
be the one great economic difficulty which the govern-
ing races will have to deal with, and which is begin-
ning to embarrass them. In assuming an Empire like
that we have taken upon ourselves in Africa we do
not know whether we may not have enormously added
to such embarrassments. which consist at bottom in
the fact that it is comparatively easy to produce a
Pa.x Britannica in the regions we undertake to govern.
and thereby promote a huge growth of population by
the removal of what Malthus called the preventive
checks; but it is quite another thing to secure a more