First Colonial Conference

1887 Colonial Conference
Dates 4 April 1887–
6 May 1887
Cities United Kingdom London, United Kingdom
Chair Lord Salisbury
(Prime Minister of the United Kingdom)
Precedes 1894 Colonial Conference
Key points
Imperial co-operation, Naval defence, Pacific telegraph cable, Royal title

The First Colonial Conference met in London in 1887 on the occasion of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. It was organised at the behest of the Imperial Federation League in hopes of creating closer ties between the colonies and the United Kingdom. It was attended by more than 100 delegates, mostly unofficial observers, from both self-governing and dependent colonies. India, however, was not represented.[1]

Among other things discussed, the colonies in Australia and New Zealand agreed to pay £126,000 per annum towards the Royal Navy to help pay for the United Kingdom's naval deployments in the Pacific. In exchange, the British government agreed not to reduce its Pacific Station without colonial consent.[2]

A proposal to lay a telegraph cable between Vancouver and Australia was approved. A Resolution to extend the Queen's title to "Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Ireland, and the Colonies, and all Dependencies thereof, and Empress of India" was also adopted.[3]

The conference was only a deliberative body and resolutions passed were not binding.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Historical dictionary of European imperialism. Greenwood Publishing Group. 1991. pp. 135–136. ISBN 0313262578.
  2. ↑ The Cambridge History of the British Empire, Volume 4. Cambridge University Press. 1929. p. 409.
  3. ↑ New York Times - May 7, 1887

See also