It is the American who takes up his appreciative residence
in England. He comes as a foreigner, observant, amused,
having disclaimed responsibility for a hundred years.
His detachment is as complete as it would be in Italy,
with the added pleasure of easy comprehension. But
homecomers from Greater Britain have never been cut off,
still feel their uneasy share in all that is, and draw
a long breath of relief as they turn again to their life
in the lands where they found wider scope and different
opportunities, and that new quality in the blood which
made them different men.
The deputation had accomplished a good deal; less,
Cruickshank said, than he had hoped, but more than he
had expected. They had obtained the promise of concessions
for Atlantic services, both mail and certain classes of
freight, by being able to demonstrate a generous policy
on their own side. Pacific communications the home
Government was more chary of; there were matters to be
fought out with Australia. The Pacific was further away,
as Cruickshank said, and you naturally can't get fellows
who have never been there to see the country under the
Selkirks and south of the Bay--any of them except
Wallingham, who had never been there either, but whose
imagination took views of the falcon. They were reinforced
by news of a shipping combination in Montreal to lower
freights to South Africa against the Americans; it wasn't
news to them, some of them were in it; but it was to the
public, and it helped the sentiment of their aim, the
feather on the arrow.
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