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20 June, 1911.] Reciprocal Visits of Ministers. [\2th Day. The PRESIDENT— cont. Empire. We have close at hand, within a stone's throw of the Foreign Office, the Admiralty, the War Office, the Post Office, the Board of Trade, all our trained staffs, all our accumulated records at our disposal at a moment's notice with regard to any question which arises. Now with the best will in the world you cannot have that, you cannot transport the whole of that apparatus to a remote part of the Empire and without its presence, without your being able to rely upon its assistance and co-operation, I fear that the proceedings of a Conference might be, to some extent at any rate, crippled, if not mutilated. Therefore, while in spirit I entirely agree with Mr. Fisher, and should be very glad if it were practicable to give effect to his aspiration—he does not put it higher than that—l see in practice such enormous difficulties, in view of the real utility of these Conferences, that perhaps he will be content with the first part of his resolution which I am sure will receive universal assent. Mr. FISHER : Mr. Asquith, as members will see the second proposition (b) has been drafted in such a way that it only contemplates consideration of the possibility of holding a Conference, it does not bind you in any way. I would prefer if you would let it go with the statement you have made. Ido not wish to convey to any one the idea that I think it is practicable at the present time, but I do think that the possibility is there. Many things have been proposed in connection with which there seemed to be insuperable'difficulties and they have been given effect to, but at the same time this is a mere expression of opinion. If the Prime Minister holds strongly that he would rather not see it there, I do not mind. The PRESIDENT : Perhaps if you put it in that way, and instead of saying " the next meeting of the Conference," you were to say " a meeting " in that form we could accept it. Mr. FISHER : That was in my mind—" holding a meeting of the Conference." That would cover a subsidiary Conference. The PRESIDENT : It is quite possible that you might have a subsidiary Conference on some specific point. Mr. FISHER : The only other point which I should like to mention is the opinion I expressed earlier in this Conference, that I think those quadrennial Conferences will be too far apart for the future. Ido not debate that. I believe you will have to have biennial Conferences sooner or later, or something akin to them, and I do express the view again as my firm belief, that these Conferences do more to lead to progress and to reduce friction and to help to preserve the peace of the world than anything else that I know of. lam very glad, with that amendment, to have the pleasure of hearing the views of the Minister and yourself, and I wish to thank you for the way it has been received. The PRESIDENT : As so amended it will be the resolution of the Conference. Sir WILFRID LAURIER: Mr. Asquith, I think we have now reached the end of our labours, and, ere we separate, I would claim the privilege, being the oldest member of this Conference, to convey to yourself, Sir, and to Mr. Harcourt, the sense of our gratitude for the manner in which you and he have carried on the labours of the Conference. It was well known in advance that you, Sir, would preside over our deliberations with the dignity, with the fairness, and with the courtesy which has marked your chairmanship all through the proceedings, and which we are most happy to acknowledge, all and every one of us. Mr. Harcourt, young in years, and young in experience, was, if I may say so, under trial. You, Sir, would be the first to admit that upon his shoulders fell the heaviest and the most difficult part of the work—the work of studying, of mastering, of classifying, and preparing for discussion and assisting in the solution of the various questions which came up for consideration, a work which is unseen and unknown by the public and which is to be judged of only when it has fully matured. This work

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