Hamilton Collegiate Institute - Vox Lycei Yearbook (Hamilton, Ontario Canada)

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Christmas, 1923 vox LYCEI 21 of the world. Wiolfe 's victory on the Plains of Abraham and Clive's success at Plassey made England supreme in America and India. We must always re- member that Englandls defeat of the French at sea made possible these vic- tories in the far-distant parts of the world. However, there was a check in tl1is steady expansion. In 1783, England ex- perienced her greatest colonial loss when she was forced to acknowledge the in- dependence of the United States of Am- erica. Still, this was not without its beneficial effect. Thereafter, English statesmen exercised the greatest care in legislating for the colonies and soon a policy was adopted of allowing the ute most freedom in the development of rep- resentative and responsible government. During the Napoleonic. tyranny the vic- tories of England over the combined navies of the world. entitled her to the acquisition of new colonies on the world adjustment at Vienna in lSl5. Nelsonk triumph at Trafalgar had left England 's naval supremacy unquestioned, and no nation disputed the right of Englishmen to develop far-distant Australia and the sunny Cape. England had more than re- deemed the loss of her American Colonies. A Greater Britain arose beyond the seas. This little scepter'd islei' of John of Gaunt's time was now the centre of the vvorldls greatest Empire. Witihili our own time we have witnessed the German menace to Britain's naval superiority-but the battle of Jutland sounded the death knell of German naval ambition, and the world later witnessed the most ignominious surrender in naval history, at Scapa Flow, in 1918. As a re- sult of the World Conference at Ver- sailles, in 1919, Britain added to her al- ready extensive Empire, being granted the mandatory power over many of the former German colonies in Africa and the Australasian Islands. Thus, this precious stone set in the silver sea, so suitably exalted by the rugged Gaunt, has developed into the greatest of NVorld-Empires-an Empire which has recently withstood the severest test of the greatest of wars, an Empire which is held together by those strongest of bonds-the bonds of sentiment, love and tradition. Nothing could more tittingly illustrate the vastness, the unity, the solidarity of our Empire, than the gathering of Brit- ish statesmen from all quarters of the world for the great Imperial Conference just held at London. It is with pride that British Colonial statesmen assemble to participate in the innermost councils of the Empire, to discuss questions of common interest, to promote preferential and intercolonial trade, to consider meth' ods of defending the Empire in time of danger. In ancient times, the Roman styled himself a citizen of the world, so highly was majestic Rome appreciate-l, but in our own times, Britain has reached such a pinnacle in unselfishly promoting the best interests of modern civilization, that it should be the proud boast of a Britisher, whether he dwell in the heart of the Empire, in the Antipodes, in Africa, in India, or in our own banner Dominion, Canada, not that 'he is an Eng' lish citizen, nor an Australian, nor a South African, nor an Indian, nor a Can- adian, but that he is a citizen of the British Empire. W'E ARE ONE. Though ages long have passed Since our fathers left their home, Their pilot in the blast, O'er untravelled seas to roam. Yet lives the blood of Britain in our veins! And shall we not proclaim That blood of honest fame VVhieh no tyranny can tame By its chains? While the manners, while the arts, That mould a nation's soul, Still cling around our hearts- Between let oceans roll. Our joint communion breaking with the sung Yet. still from either beach The voice of blood shall reach, More audible than speech, We are One.

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RETAHN Herr Collormieill and Neiveill. Expansion M. J. MCG-ARVIN. This royal throne of Kings, this scepter'd isle, This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, This other Eden, demi-paradise: This fortress built by Nature for herself Against infection and the hand of warg This happy breed of men, this little , world, This precious stone set in the silver Sea, YVhieh serves it in the office of a wall, Or as a. moat defensive to a house, Against the envy of less happier lands, This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England. -Richard II. ln the admirable tribute to his country by that staunch old Plantaganet, John of Gaunt, we can detect the influences which were forming the foundation for Eng- land 's future greatness-the forces of sentiment, tradition, and patriotism. iVe catch a glimpse of the Englishman 's pride in 'his own native land, in its unexcelled geographical position. VVe can appreciate those inate characteristics in the English race which have been the fundamental forces in the development of the British Empire. The words which so aptly described mediaeval England were just as applic- able to the early modern age of Elizabeth when they were penned by the Bard of Avon-the period when England was be- ginning to exert an intluence beyond her own island-shores. The discovery of America had been an event of momentous importance to the little 'tsilver-eoasted isle. It placed her in a central world position. By Shal::speare's time the rugged .island gave indications that she was appreciating her new-found import- ance. She was no longer wasting her inan- hood in futile Wars with France. Land battles are transient in nature when com- pared with the far-reaching effect of naval victories. It is improbable that the great dramatist, with all his knowledge of political conditions and almost uncanny prescience, even dimly realized the ultim- ate signilicance of the defeat of the Spanish Armada by the English sea-dogs- Drake and Howard. How many recogniz- ed that it was the beginning of the de- cline of Spain's extensive Colonial Em- pire and the entrance of England upon a new epoch of her history. The days of the Mistress of the Sea had arrived. Colonial expansion synchronizes with naval efficiency. As the conquerors of Spain navigated the high seas, English settlements and colonies arose. It is in- teresting to observe that England, just recovering from her greatest civil con- tlict, was still strong enough during the rule of Cromwell to humble her next naval rival, when Blal-:e's ships swept the Dutch sloops from the seas, with the resultant curtailmcnt of Hollandls colon- ial ambitions. Religious conflict results in discontent and restlessness. Hence the excessive emigration during the Puritan upheaval- but England did not altogether lose her progeny. They Went to the various col- onies in America and Still maintained a. close connection with the motherland. The close of the iVar of the Spanish Succession marks a definite settled policy in the trend of British statesmanship. BI2l1'llDUl'Ull,Lfll'S victories were gained on the fields of Europe, but in the adjust- ment at Utrecht in 1713, England inaug- erated an unwritten and an unuttered Monroe Doctrine of her own. She kept aloof from the continent of Europe, but she took the far-distant settlements of Acadia and the Hudson Bay District. In subsequent wars England pursued the same plan of colonial expansion. And yet in 191-L, German historians had the effrontery to declare that the British Em- pire was built up by accident. The close of the .Seven Years' War left England the outstanding colonial power

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1923-1924. LYCEUM EXECUTIVE. Summerville. L. r ght. J.W Watson. E. Patterson. C. odd F. H lmnluittee '1 'L 4. 1 4 99 L 'v -- Q' E o A H S E 'i FH .5 .. 2 O 3 E o -u m E 'E 11 oi si 55 :- cb Committee G 1-ls' auusellul' C I- 0 L. : m 5 0 :- E4 c: ? ,QV 'i m :E o cw F 31' 3 ci ul 4:7 E 3 C5 an .E E +7 :- d B an +1 ID bi ua In E r.. O E m 0 an ... 4.- .,-1 V5 sf 'v: U 4. ... C 'w E W ..- N Il oz M D. 1- 6 0 0 .. , E ie O. vi... WE .. ..w E -'E 'nw is 02 wh. mam e3 .. gp .H su .. C0 4-I S 33 23 ki-4 fn. an GJ .Si is 4 5.5 V22 'Em I- O . Es .H av-H President ei :E O a E .2 E4 S 5 ideut E as lst Vice Pres -9 s 2 2 E -5 na Counsellor E o rn .,- s.. :- o E hi