CHAP. V] TREATY RELATIONS 1121 
to be their duty to use every effort to obtain an extension 
of the concession to the rest of the Empire, and in any case 
to ascertain as far as possible whether the other Colonies 
affected would wish to be made a party to the arrangement. 
In the event of this proving impossible, and of the result to 
the trade of the excluded parts of the Empire being seriously 
prejudicial, it would be necessary to consider whether it was 
desirable in the common interests to proceed with the negotia- 
tion. His Majesty’s Government recognize that they would 
not be justified in objecting to a proposal merely on the 
ground that it is inconsistent with the commercial and 
financial policy of the United Kingdom, but the guardianship 
of the coramon interests of the Empire rests with them, and 
they cannot in any way be parties to any arrangements 
detrimental to these interests as a whole. Inthe performance 
of this duty it may be necessary to require apparent sacrifices 
on the part of a Colony, but they are confident that their 
general policy in Colonial matters is such as to satisfy Colonial 
Governments that they would not interpose any difficulties 
without good reason in the way of any arrangements which 
a Colony may regard as likely to be beneficial to it. - 
All these matters have been carefully observed by Canada 
in commercial negotiations affecting the trade of that 
Dominion. All concessions made to foreign powers have 
been given to all the British Empire, and it was expressly 
stated by the Canadian Government in the Canadian House 
of Commons on J anuary 14,1908,that in drawing up the terms 
of the Treaty of 1907 they had aimed at securing that the 
preference given to France should as little as possible deal 
with articles in which there was a considerable trade between 
Great Britain and Canada, and that their aim was as far as 
possible to preserve the preference given to Great Britain 
while encouraging the trade with France.’ It might be added 
that the Canadian Government has maintained a similar 
principle, namely, that the United Kingdom should receive 
the benefits of any inter-colonial preference. 
* See the Report of the Royal Commission on Trade Relations between 
Canada and the West Indies, Cd. 5639, p. 21.