cHAP. 11] THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA 783 
Island, and it passed an address seeking for the extension 
of the number of representatives from each Colony except 
a Crown Colony, and by Order in Council of March 3, 1894, 
issued after addresses had been passed by the several 
Legislatures, the Crown increased the number to five from 
each Colony in place of the two originally provided. In 
1895 there was no legislation, but resolutions were passed in 
favour of uniform company banking and quarantine legisla-~ 
tion, and of the appointment of a representative of the 
Australian bench on the Judicial Committee of the Privy 
Council. This was carried into effect after the passing of an 
Imperial Act by the elevation to that place of the Chief 
Justice of South Australia, the distinguished lawyer, Sir 
Samuel Way. In 1897 Acts were passed at the request of 
Victoria and Queensland, providing for the mutual recog- 
nition of naturalization, and on the request of all four Colonies 
for the enforcement of orders of the Supreme Courts for the 
production of testamentary instruments. Its last meeting 
was in January 1899 at Melbourne.! 
Meanwhile the movement for a true federation was actively 
proceeding. There had been repeated intercolonial con- 
ferences to discuss affairs of general interest since the 
beginning of Colonial responsible government, and, in 
addition to more formal ministerial conferences, experts 
met on technical points like military defence, postal arrange- 
ments, and so on. Defence 2 now intervened towards union, 
for in 1887 at the Colonial Conference in London, Australia, 
as a whole, definitely assumed responsibility for a subsidy 
of £226,000 a year towards the expense of a separate squadron 
onthe Australian station. It was, as regards military matters, 
! The Council never showed any hostility to the movement for a real 
federation. 
? In 1878 Lieutenant-General Sir W, Jervois reported on defence, 
with the result of increased expenditure and fortifications, In 1881 
the Sydney Conference adopted responsibility for land defence, but thought 
the Imperial Government should accept responsibility for naval defence ; 
this, however, was considered unreasonable by Lord Carnarvon’s Royal 
Commission in a report of March 23, 1882. Tn 1885 Sir G. Tryon negotiated 
in Australia, with the result that in 1887 agreement was possible,