was becoming pronounced. He was back in Johannesburg in December 1903, and had to consider the crisis in the gold-mining industry caused by the shortage of native labour. Reluctantly he agreed, with the assent of the home government, to the proposal of the mineowners to import Chinese coolies on a three years’ contract, the first batch of Chinese reaching the Rand in June 1904.
In the latter part of 1904 and the early months of 1905 Lord Milner was engaged on the elaboration of a scheme to provide the Transvaal with a system of “representative” government, a half-way house between crown colony administration and that of self-government. Letters patent providing for representative government were issued on the 31st of March 1905.[1] For some time he had suffered in health from the incessant strain of work, and he determined to retire. He left Pretoria on the 2nd of April and sailed for Europe on the following day. Speaking at Johannesburg on the eve of his departure, he recommended to all concerned the promotion of the material prosperity of the country and the treatment of Dutch and British on an absolute equality. Having referred to his share in the war, he added: “What I should prefer to be remembered by is a tremendous effort subsequent to the war not only to repair the ravages of that calamity but to re-start the colonies on a higher plane of civilization than they have ever previously attained.” He left South Africa while the economic crisis was still acute and at a time when the voice of the critic was audible everywhere; but, in the words of the colonial secretary (Mr Alfred Lyttelton) he had in the eight eventful years of his administration “laid deep and strong the foundation upon which a united South Africa would arise to become one of the great states of the empire.” On his return home his university honoured him with the honorary degree of D.C.L.
Experience in South Africa had shown him that underlying the difficulties of the situation there was the wider problem of imperial unity. In his farewell speech at ]Johannesburg he concluded with a reference to the subject. “When we who call ourselves Imperialists talk of the British Empire we think of a group of states bound, not in an alliance—for alliances can be made and unmade—but in a permanent organic union. Of such a union the dominions of the sovereign as they exist to-day are only the raw material.” This thesis he further developed in a magazine article written in view of the colonial conference held in London in 1907. He advocated the creation of a permanent deliberative imperial council, and favoured preferential trade relations between the United Kingdom and the other members of the empire; and in later years he took an active part in advocating the cause of tariff reform and colonial preference.
In March 1906 a motion censuring Lord Milner for an infraction of the Chinese labour ordinance, in not forbidding light corporal punishment of coolies for minor offences in lieu of imprisonment, was moved by a Radical member of the House of Commons. On behalf of the Liberal government an amendment was moved, stating that “This House, while recording its condemnation of the flogging of Chinese coolies in breach of the law, desires, in the interests of peace and conciliation in South Africa, to refrain from passing censure upon individuals.” The amendment was carried by 355 votes to 135. As a result of this left-handed censure, a counter-demonstration was organized, led by Sir Bartle Frere, and »a public address, signed by over 370,000 persons, was presented to Lord Milner expressing high appreciation of the services rendered by him in Africa to the crown and empire.
See also E. B. Iwan-Müller, Lord Milner and South Africa (London, 1902); W. B. Worsfold, Lord Milner’s Work in South Africa (London, 1906); W. T. Stead, “Sir Alfred Milner,” in The Review of Reviews, vol. xx. (1899); and the bibliography to South Africa.
MILNER, JOSEPH (1744–1797), English evangelical divine, was born at Leeds and educated at Leeds grammar-school and Cambridge. After taking his degree he went to Thorparch, Yorkshire, as curate and assistant schoolmaster. Subsequently he became head master of Hull grammar-school, and in 1768 he was chosen afternoon lecturer at Holy Trinity church, Hull. He became a strong supporter of the evangelical movement of the period, and greatly contributed to its success in Hull. In addition to his work as head master, he took charge of North Ferriby parish, about 9 m. from Hull. His published works include essays and numerous sermons, but
his best known work is the History of the Church of Christ (London, 1794–1809). He lived to complete the first three volumes, and two more were added by his brother, Isaac Milner (1750–1820),
dean of Carlisle, who re-edited the whole work in 1810.
MILNGAVIE (locally pronounced Millguy), a police burgh
of Dumbartonshire, Scotland. Pop. (1901), 3481. It lies
6 m. N.N.W. of Glasgow by the North British railway. The
chief industries include bleach-fields, dye-works, a distillery
and a paper mill; but the town is largely a residential quarter
for Glasgow business men. Close to the town are two reservoirs,
Mugdock (62 acres) and Craigmaddie (88 acres), in which is
stored the water from Loch Katrine. Mugdock Castle, 134 m.
N. of Milngavie, is an old stronghold of the Grahams; in Baldernock
parish, about 2 m. E., stands a cromlech, called “the
Auld Wives’ Lift” (400 ft. high), commanding a fine view of
the lands between the Forth and Clyde. Dougalston Loch,
34 m. S.E., contains several rare aquatic plants.
MILO, or Milon, of Crotona, Greek athlete, lived about the
end of the 6th century B.C. He was six times crowned at the
Olympic games and six times at the Pythian for wrestling,
and was famous throughout the civilized world for his feats
of strength—such as carrying an ox on his shoulders through
the stadium at Olympia. In his native city he was much
honoured, and he commanded the army which defeated the
people of Sybaris in 511. The traditional account of his death
is often used to point a moral: he found a tree which some
woodcutters had partially split with a wedge, and attempted
to rend it asunder; but the wedge fell out, and the tree closed
on his hand, imprisoning him till wolves came and devoured
him. His name became proverbial for personal strength
(Diod. Sic. xii. 9; Pausanias vi. 14; Strabo vi. 263; Herodotus iii. 137).
MILO, TITUS ANNIUS, Roman political agitator, was the
son of C. Papius Celsus, but was adopted by his mother’s father,
T. Annius Luscus. He joined the Pompeian party, and organized
bands of mercenaries and gladiators to support the cause by
public violence in opposition to P. Clodius, who gave similar
support to the democratic cause. Milo was tribune of the
plebs in 57 B.C. He took a prominent part in bringing about
the recall of Cicero from exile, in spite of the opposition of
Clodius. In 53, when Milo was candidate for the consulship
and Clodius for the praetorship, the two leaders met by accident
on the Appian Way at Bovillae and Clodius was murdered
(January 52). Milo was impeached; his guilt was clear, and
his enemies took every means of intimidating his supporters
and his judges. Cicero was afraid to speak, and the extant
Pro Milone is an expanded form of the unspoken defence.
Milo went into exile at Massilia, and his property was sold
by auction. He joined M. Caelius Rufus in 48 in his rising
against Caesar, but was slain near Thurii in Lucania. His
wife was Fausta, daughter of the dictator Sulla.
MILO OF GLOUCESTER, lord of Brecknock and earl of Hereford (d. 1143), was the son of Walter of Gloucester, who appears as sheriff of that county between 1104 and 1121. Milo succeeded his father about the latter year. He was high in the service of Henry I. between 1130 and 1135, and combined the office of sheriff with that of local justiciar for Gloucestershire. After the death of Henry I. he declared for Stephen, at Whose court he appears as constable in 1136. But in 1139, when the empress Matilda appeared in England, he declared for her, and placed the city of Gloucester at her disposal; he was further distinguished by sacking the royalist city of Worcester and reducing the county of Hereford. In 1141, at Matilda’s Coronation, he was rewarded with the earldom of
