1907 Imperial Conference


The 1907 Imperial Conference was convened in London on 15 April 1907 as the 1907 Colonial Conference and concluded on 14 May 1907. During the sessions a resolution was passed renaming this and future meetings Imperial Conferences. The chairman of the conference was British prime minister Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman.
The conference decided to cease referring to self-governing British colonies as colonies and conferred upon them dominion status. Canada and Australia were referred to as dominions in the conferences statements while Newfoundland Colony and the Colony of New Zealand were granted dominion status by Royal Proclamation on 26 September. Natal and Cape Colony would unite with the two Boer colonies of Orange River Colony and Transvaal Colony, which had been given self-government in 1907, to form the Union of South Africa as a dominion in 1910.
The possibilities of Irish Home Rule and self-governance for India were also discussed. Imperial preference was raised but rejected by the British prime minister due to British support for free trade.

Participants

The conference was hosted by King-Emperor Edward VII, with his Prime Ministers and members of their respective cabinets:
NationNamePortfolio
United KingdomSir Henry Campbell-BannermanPrime Minister
United KingdomLord ElginSecretary of State for the Colonies
United KingdomSir Edward GreyForeign Secretary
United KingdomLord TweedmouthFirst Lord of the Admiralty
United KingdomR. B. HaldaneSecretary of State for War
United KingdomH. H. AsquithChancellor of the Exchequer
United KingdomDavid Lloyd GeorgePresident of the Board of Trade
United KingdomSydney BuxtonPostmaster General of the United Kingdom
United KingdomLord LorebrunLord Chancellor
United KingdomJohn BurnsPresident of the Local Government Board
United KingdomJohn MorleySecretary of State for India
United KingdomLord CreweLord President of the Council
United KingdomWinston ChurchillUnder-Secretary of State for the Colonies
AustraliaAlfred DeakinPrime Minister
AustraliaSir William LyneMinister for Trade and Customs
Sir Wilfrid LaurierPrime Minister
Sir Frederick William BordenMinister of Militia and Defence
Louis-Philippe BrodeurMinister of Marine and Fisheries
Cape ColonyLeander Starr JamesonPrime Minister
Cape ColonyThomas SmarttCommissioner of Works
NatalFrederick Robert MoorPrime Minister
TransvaalLouis BothaPremier
TransvaalSir Richard SolomonAgent-General
Newfoundland ColonySir Robert BondPrime Minister
Colony of New ZealandSir Joseph WardPrime Minister