▁by ▁cable ▁and ▁steam ship ▁to ▁Australia ▁grew ▁stead ily . ▁ ▁The ▁rom ance ▁of ▁emp ire ▁made ▁a ▁much ▁smaller ▁impression ▁on ▁the ▁Canadian ▁government . ▁Nevertheless , ▁it ▁was ▁soon ▁forced ▁to ▁consider ▁its ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁Australian ▁colon ies . ▁A ▁sl ump ▁in ▁world ▁trade , ▁un rel ent ing ▁pressure ▁from ▁V ancouver ▁logging ▁interests , ▁and ▁the ▁persistent ▁arguments ▁advanced ▁by ▁Sir ▁Sand ford ▁F lem ing , ▁a ▁leading ▁advoc ate ▁of ▁the ▁Pacific ▁cable , ▁prompt ed ▁it ▁to ▁accord ▁the ▁colon ies ▁a ▁new ▁importance . ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 8 9 3 , ▁cabinet ▁agreed ▁to ▁give ▁an ▁Australian , ▁James ▁Hud dart , ▁a ▁£ 2 5 , 0 0 0 ▁subs id y ▁to ▁operate ▁a ▁regular ▁steam ship ▁service ▁between ▁Canada ▁and ▁New ▁South ▁Wales . ▁Short ly ▁after , ▁Canada ' s ▁first ▁minister ▁of ▁trade ▁and ▁commerce , ▁Mack en zie ▁Bow ell , ▁agreed ▁to ▁lead ▁a ▁deleg ation ▁to ▁Australia ▁to ▁seek ▁new ▁mark ets ▁for ▁Canadian ▁exports . ▁He ▁was ▁not ▁optim istic . ▁" I ▁do ▁not ," ▁he ▁wrote ▁on ▁the ▁e ve ▁of ▁his ▁departure , ▁" antic ip ate ▁any ▁great ▁immediate ▁results ▁from ▁our ▁visit ▁to ▁Australia . ▁The ▁parties ▁with ▁whom ▁we ▁have ▁been ▁est r anged ▁so ▁long ▁can ▁scarcely ▁be ▁brought ▁into ▁a ▁close ▁relationship ▁at ▁a ▁moment ' s ▁notice ." ▁Bow ell ▁was ▁surprised ▁then ▁upon ▁receiving ▁a ▁warm ▁reception ▁in ▁Australia , ▁and