at the future from the broadest points of view, looking at the magnitude
of its material African interests and the future welfare of the vast
native populations, and its difficult task of civilizing the dark
continent; looking further upon Africa as the half-way house to India
and Australasia, the British Empire asks only for peace and
security--international peace and security of its external
communications. It cannot allow the return of conditions which mean the
militarization of the natives and their employment for schemes of world
power; it cannot allow naval and submarine bases to be organized on both
sides of the African coast, to the endangerment of the sea
communications of the empire and the peace of the world. And it must
insist on the maintenance of conditions which will guarantee through
land communications for its territories from one end of the continent to
the other.

[Sidenote: Dependence on communications by sea and land.]

The British Empire is not like Germany, Russia, or the United States, a
compact territorial entity; it is scattered over the globe, and entirely
dependent on the maintenance of communications for its continued
existence. In future these lines of communication should proceed not
only by sea, but also by land. One of the most impressive lessons of
this vast war is the vulnerability of sea-power and sea communications
through the development of underwater transport, and the immense
importance of railway communication. In fact, to be really effective the
two should go hand in hand. Nor are we at the end of the chapter in
discovering new means of transportation. It is not only conceivable, but
probable, that aërial navigation may revolutionize the present transport
situation.