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376 ECONOMIC INQUIRIES AND STUDIES
naval purposes. But little success seems to have at-
tended this method, which has arrayed against it the
optimism of the colonies themselves, more or less re-
moved as they are from the causes of strife to ,~hich
other parts of the empire are exposed, and their un-
willingness to pay a kind of tribute, as the proposed
contribution looks like, to be administered by a distant
authority. The colonial plan in this matter appears to
be much better. Let each paCt of the empire provide
what defence is expedient according to its local condi-
tions, and be encouraged -to do its best both on land
and water, without any idea of contributions to a distant
centre. A great deal has to be done, and both Canada
and Australasia, I maintain, are likely to produce better
land and naval forces which can be used in time of war,
if they are encouraged to do the work for themselves,
than if they are to become contrib).ltors to our army and
navy departments. India remains a difficulty. It is cer-
tainly overcharged as compared with any other part
of the Empire. But India might gradually be relieved
as the local defences of the whole empire are developed
and it is really made unassailable at every point.
A fourth and last point on which observations occur
to me is with reference to education, included in the
miscellaneous category. On the face of the figures it is
evident that the aggregate expenditure is not suffici-
ently directed to the higher ends of life, which are in-
cluded under the heading" miscellaneous." Literature
so called and newspapers, as well as theatres and other
amusements, with "locomotion" for pleasure, which
may be reckoned among" amusements" in a general
sense, are estimated to have spent on them about 75
million £ altogether, and although this expenditure
includes a great deal which promotes the higher ends
of life, the whole amount cannot certainly be so treated.
Of the remainder- the item of 25 million £ for church
may here be passed over with such reflections as may
occur to some respecting the smallness of the amount
devoted by the people generally to "saving their souls"