1911 Imperial Conference facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 1911 Imperial Conference
Host country	United Kingdom
Dates	23 May 1911– 20 June 1911
Cities	London
Heads of Government	6
Chair	H. H. Asquith (Prime Minister)
Follows	1907
Precedes	Imperial War Conferences (1917–1918)
Key points
Imperial constitutional arrangements, Imperial Federation, international relations and treaties

The 1911 Imperial Conference convened in London on 23 May 1911 and concluded on 20 June 1911. It was held to mark the occasion of the coronation of King George V on 22 June 1911.

The conference discussed Empire-wide constitutional arrangements with proposals by New Zealand's prime minister Sir Joseph Ward for an imperial council made up of representatives of the dominions which would advise the British government on imperial matters. Ward developed this idea into a proposal for an Imperial Parliament (see Imperial Federation) which would be responsible for the Empire's foreign policy including the declaration of war and would be presided over by an Imperial executive. British prime minister H. H. Asquith rejected these proposals as infringing on British autonomy in making foreign policy but he agreed it was necessary to consult with dominion prime ministers on certain matters. Asquith proposed a standing committee on foreign affairs but the dominion prime ministers could not agree on a final resolution.

The conference came to an agreement on the negotiation of treaties that affect various dominions and that the British government would consult the dominions when preparing its proposals for proposed international Peace Conferences and that future international peace treaties and some international agreements would be circulated to the dominions for comment prior to the British government signing them.

Australia expressed concern about Japan's growing naval power and it was agreed that the British government would consult Australia when negotiating renewal of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. Britain also agreed to consult South Africa about negotiations with Germany considering its colonial aspirations in Africa.

Participants

The conference was hosted by King-Emperor George V, with his Prime Ministers and members of their respective cabinets:

Nation	Name	Portfolio
United Kingdom	H. H. Asquith	Prime Minister (Chairman)
	Lewis Harcourt	Secretary of State for the Colonies
	David Lloyd George	Chancellor of the Exchequer
	Sir Edward Grey	Foreign Secretary
	Lord Loreburn	Lord Chancellor
	Viscount Haldane	Secretary of State for War
	Sydney Buxton,	President of the Board of Trade
	Winston Churchill	Home Secretary
	Herbert Samuel	Postmaster General of the United Kingdom
	Sir Rufus Isaacs	Attorney General for England and Wales
	John Burns	President of the Local Government Board
	Thomas McKinnon Wood	Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
Australia	Andrew Fisher	Prime Minister
	Egerton Lee Batchelor	Minister for External Affairs
	George Pearce	Minister for Defence
Canada	Sir Wilfrid Laurier	Prime Minister
	Sir Frederick William Borden	Minister of Militia and Defence
	Sir Louis-Philippe Brodeur	Minister of Marine and Fisheries
Newfoundland	Sir E. P. Morris	Prime Minister
	Robert Watson	Colonial Secretary
New Zealand	Sir Joseph Ward	Prime Minister
	John Findlay	Minister of Justice and Attorney-General
South Africa	Louis Botha	Prime Minister
	F. S. Malan	Minister of Education
	Sir David Pieter de Villiers Graaff	Minister of Public Works and of Posts and Telegraphs

See also

• Imperial Conference