CHAPTER XVII.
The English are mentioned in the Bible: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
-- Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar.
When we consider the immensity of the British Empire in territory, population, and trade, it requires a stern exercise of faith to believe in the figures which represent Australasia's contribution to the Empire's commercial grandeur.

As compared with the landed estate of the British Empire, the landed estate dominated by any other Power except one -- Russia--is not very impressive for size.

My authorities make the British Empire not much short of a fourth larger than the Russian Empire.
Roughly proportioned, if you will allow your entire hand to represent the British Empire, you may then cut off the fingers a trifle above the middle joint of the middle finger, and what is left of the hand will represent Russia.

The populations ruled by Great Britain and China are about the same--400,000,000 each.

No other Power approaches these figures.