itime provinces, while Quebec still further
increased its overwhelming contingent of Liberals in the House of
Commons. The country as a whole evidently approved the Government's
policy in the war, and was not unmindful of the long-sought prosperity
which was coming under a vigorous administration at Ottawa.

Sir Charles Tupper, now over eighty, but still aggressive and full of
enthusiasm, decided to give up the leadership of the Conservative
party. He was succeeded by a fellow Nova Scotian, Mr Robert Laird
Borden of Halifax. The new leader had been only four years in
parliament, but his ability and straightforwardness had won instant
recognition. Few changes had occurred in the ranks of the 'Ministry of
all the Talents' of 1896. Sir Oliver Mowat and Sir Henri Joly de
Lotbiniere had retired to lieutenant-governorships, and their places
had been taken respectively {195} by Mr David Mills and Mr M. E.
Bernier. The permanence of this Ministry was in strong contrast to the
incessant changes which had marked the last Liberal Cabinet, that of
1873-78.

[Illustration: SIR ROBERT BORDEN From a photograph by Montminy, Quebec]

The questions of imperial relationship raised by the Boer War lent
especial interest to the Colonial Conference of 1902. Again the formal
occasion for inviting the representatives of the Dominions to Great
Britain was a royal ceremony. Good Queen Victoria had died in 1901,
and the coronation of Edward the Seventh was to take place in June.
The sudden illness of the king postponed the festivities, but the
meetings of the Conference went on as arranged.

The United Kingdom was represented by Mr Chamberlain, Lord Selborne,
and Mr Brodrick. Sir Edmund Barton and Sir John Forrest represented
Australia, now a single Commonwealth. To speak for the smaller
colonies appeared their respective prime ministers--Mr Richard Seddon
for New Zealand, Sir Gordon Sprigg for Cape Colony, Sir Albert Hime for
Natal, and Sir Robert Bond for Newfoundland. Sir Wilfrid Laurier
represented Canada. He was accompanied {196} by Mr Fielding, Sir
Frederick Borden, Sir William Mulock, and Mr Paterson. The sessions
were more formal than on previous occasions. Only the prime ministers
of the Dominions spoke, except when questions arose affecting the
special department of one of the other ministers. The earlier
conferences had been in a sense preparatory, and the issues raised had
not been pressed. Now the dramatic press