The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-11-06 00:00:00

Our ynlion entrtspoubent.

foremost settlers are having a rough time of it.
Raids upon their cattle are far from infrequent,
and retaliation means bloodshed. The natives
who are not so well off, think that a portion of
the settlers' cattle should belong to them, and
their forays form a serious impediment to the
development of the territory. But such
hindrances and annoyances as these have been
the lot of all colonists in the history of man.
The original inhabitants of a district have a some-
what natural objection to being dispossessed, and
as they have never had the advantage of being
taught the difference between meum and ileum,
they endeavour to appropriate the goods of the
3trangers from across the "black water" who
have come upon their lands. It requires a
race to possess the colonising instinct in
its genuine form to overcome all such
difficulties; and it is because the English have
undoubtedly possessed it that they have been
able to scatter new homes for our sons all over
the globe. This has been done in many cases
without help, and in some with actual hind-
rance, from the Home Government—a state of
things which will in no way mark the progress of
the German settlers, for Prince Bismarck is as
keenly interested in the project as he is in any
problem affecting domestic affairs. It remains
to be seen whether the results will be com-
mensurate with the immense pains and cost
which are being taken to secure them.
A. F. R.
THE NEW BLACK SEA HARBOURS:

An Odessa correspondent says: The Russians
appear very much in earnest in obtaining two first-class
harbours on the eastern coast of the Black Sea for the
as yet undeveloped resources of the Caucasus districts.
The harbour works at Batoum are being rapidly com-
pleted, under the supervision and partly at the cost
af the administration of the Transcaucasian Railway
Company, who look for a great and lucrative commer-
sial traffic through this port. The railway adminis-
tration have now received from the Government a
supplementary grant of 1,500,000 roubles, and pledge
themselves to complete the works within 12
months, when it is believed Batonm will be the finest
harbour in the Black Sea. Novorossisk, situated
higher up on the Circassian coast, possesses many
advantages from its natural position for becoming a
central emporium for the rich mineral districts of
the Upper Caucasus. Although its sea frontage has
a natural formation admitting of the construction of
a sheltered and deep-water harbour, the necessary
works are not likely to be completed before 1888.
The Government have increased the first grant for
this harbour from three millions to 3,590,500 roublss,
and the works are being actively carried on. It is
announced that the Great Sriansk steel Company is
to be amalgamated with the recently-established Bel-
gian firm of Messrs. Cockerill at Nicolaieff, with a
capital of 15,000,000 roubles, and a branch establish-
ment of the united firms, it is stated, will be founded
at Novorossisk, with a capital of 3,000,000 roubles.
With the Briansk supply of Russian steel and the
plant and mechanical appliances of Cockerill for
marine engineering and the production of every
requisite for shipbuilding, Bassi., it is hoped, will be
able at once to dispense with English or other foreign '
marine engines and fittings. Another report on the
same subject adds that Messrs. Krupps have accepted
the tem!, of the concession offered by the Imperial
Government for the erection of a gun factory at
Nicolnieff, conjointly with Messrs. Cockerill. The
latter report I am in a position to state is entirely
incorrect. Messrs. Krupp have at least for the present,
and I believe finally, abandoned all idea of establishing I
either separately or conjointly with Messrs. Cockerill
any gun works at Nicolaieff. It is, however, true that
the lirupps were for some time in negotiation with
the Russian Government on the subject.