Quote#Wisdom
The idea of defending, as integral parts of our Empire, countries…
Quote byRichard Cobden · 1804–1865
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: A note to Edward Ellie (1856), quoted in James E. Thorold Rogers (ed.), Speeches on Questions of Public Policy by Richard Cobden M.P. (1878), p. 248.
English (original)
The idea of defending, as integral parts of our Empire, countries 10,000 miles off, like Australia, which neither pay a shilling to our revenue...nor afford us any exclusive trade...is about as quixotic a specimen of national folly as was ever exhibited.
— Richard Cobden
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