The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-01-31

The Tssnch In the Pacific.
fHE sHIxukI AND OCCUPATION or NEW CALEDONIA.
d!. 81 :s e: h:s:s No., Vi,
the posssths 4 the vsnsh have bssa entirely over.
looked There however old pfoysrb ahsut sknttpr
the stable sitter the horss has been solsa which 4
peculiarly spphoaee TO this osss Perhaps that New
Of the sEoh empire attention may Be Paid 70 this
subject. 49,
played out ct Tahiti those Who took the trouble TO think
upon the matter regarded 1t - one OF series OF move
snts having for their ebot the arm estabshmsat OF
French power Poynesia But whoever gave expression
TO sush an opinion was generally laughed 1t for his pAns
The occupation Of singe Aapd was thought 700 trnng
matter to require notice, much les TO excite any sp
prehension Of movements papably aggressive En-
csTt BY few private Individually therefore, the cruelty,
sashsry, and faithlesspess which characterised the
proceedings Of those who represented the grand nation
British faith indeed pledged to the in
dependence of Tahiti bat the coWArdly policy which
sHH..r q a.: EAR. to have been the governing pn
seem, atotal cisregard Of these pledges
The TahitiAns themselves svinosd Enthusiastically thsir
protector" for, until they nearly decimsted
they rented In arms the establishment OF Gallo supre
20
been eSpectsd anavaing ard The contest ended In the
entire suhjusston Of the rmsr. And England looked
1 %s:a "nl' u" D'''' o. '0' V" ''''s '0''a"
Tho Esnsh dominion having been once nrmly sstab-
isiards became easy, and was speedily Effected.
In assuming The paotsotorate Of Tahiti, the French
:sG q necessity IT, . ii: Of
cd dominion And this assumption or claim they seem 10
have fully acted upon, without taking much trouble to
inquire into It's validity Hence they have not only lie
good their footing In the Society ands but have plant
themselves In the Anstra group; and more recently,
motu Pearl isl.ndr, known among mAriasrs ~ the
Dangerous Arch peagos immense Der OF Low coral
islands containing it 10 said population Of about ten
not only Of the peal oyss but Of coooAnut OIL and Of
other products common 10 these regions
The seizure OF the Asrque, was still more impuaent
proceeding the occupation Of Tahiti There
plea OF s'protection when the trcoor no sted 1t
NuAuhiy. and the sovs.sgay Of sr,nos asserted over
he AAiquessrs sturdy race, unable TO a'precate the
slo of becoming attached even slaves to tbs G.s
tnsss than one, .'to lot to hold them" Bat having
obtained footing, and having opposition to
that IL. Of this "" n
feot that Of the Society Ianis whenever the French
may take the trouble to oompls . their conquest
In way and the other, therefore, France has
quired almost exclusive possssaon OF what may be
termed Eastern Polynesia This would have thought
would have been deemed enough. But while Engans and
in the vicinity OF thefe islands, have remained most
accoup'ably blind to their importance France and the
French appear to have been vide awake and to have
dertaken fully not only the importance Of the island
hemselves but tbs facility with which tbs rights Of the
More than one attempt has been made on various prs
fences, upon the liberty Of the Hawaiian Sandwich
BY Frsrch agents and commanders but these Of
forts have been foed BY the frmness Of the Hawaiian
In IL northern regions Of Polynesia France has oouss
queLty - yet obtained footing Bat failure In the
north has prevented ths trying the east
heDc we haze the proclamation Of French authority opr the
cs ma" s. one nc s az mo-. ss s ssss ~
plea OF protec ion There has not evsn It would seem
been any prence OF consulting the native chiefs, their
territory has bees taken possession Of upon bet-r
title than that Of uperior strength
France has only now to get footing Ia Tonga, and she
colonies in Australia and New zsalsnd and tbs northern
regions Of the Pacific Even 1t ID the chain pretty
oomp.sei bat ro,gs sSd ~ dspsndsneies , VII make
wanting. Recent events In that quarter have sorded
0ia excuse for French interference and It oay the
so long from being ,ictussd b. tho sane
policy as has destroyed the fresdom Of TIhiti
the people Of New Caledonia LAT this invssiou
IT Ia very likely they may, shall hAvs again tins
same u tyranny and cruelty Witnessed in
Tahiti; and when the mighty conquest sha have bssn
has been pursusd there's mode OF destruction not lee
sure, although more slow and insidisus.
TO the .sos pso.l No .o,n.p there
fore, have got rid u British eonvctism than
Threatened with French colvictum An u1lmited col
c ion OF Partisan brsAnds within short sud easy voy
age from them coasts wall t@Dd little to the
ecury and happiness OF the coionis ~ fmilsr sol
lee ton OF English outcasts Ia Van Demao's Land
THIS at least ought not to be p.rmittec If Farce
must have penal settlement in the Pscfc let her send
her outlaws some other part Of her Polynssisn domu
the palm clad islands Of the dangerous Arohipe
ago or the valleys Of ths karqaesas Any, bona ads
et,ment upon the New Csledonian group, II would be
difficult perhaps to oppose for although the trade OF
tLese srds has been chiefly In the hAuis OF the Aus
tTass rchsnts NOT tina there ~ been
any actual taking possession any official negot atoms
with the natives Of the group that PURPOSE upon the
nrers,h Of which the Claim OF Franco could be restei
sptse may and must cemsod that France be not per.
riea TO exercise tbs privilege denied 20 England OF
making TIL colony iudiro ly tho receptacle for her
h~est one-upon which the proceedings Of the Frsrch
might be opposed namely u at they are 10 absoae
aon OF the rights Of the New Casdouan TRIBES rse
right Of deodir whether not ,hsy vill beeos
the subjects of fore On State We must candle admit,
however, that have little hope sesiog his
taken By tAs BIiii.h govsInn.nt
particular upon Australian interests, are incasulaos.
But people here, vel in Eoeand, teem obst,nany
blind 10 the vast rssourcs and importance Of TIE many
splendid groups which stud the Pacific Ocean Tbs at
iention Of al IL exclusively occupied Ia colo clubbing
wool owing the various other moncy getting
pstoas Of day life, that there neither tias
Inclination TO lock Into AE thing not having an In
edste bearing upon these pursuits The most brilliant
prospects, fail to command attention Il hey IN Aro
Everybody seems surprised st thts movement OF ths
Fsnco, vheu In point Of faot 1t 10 rae which ought TO
have bten forsseen and guarded Ssainst Tne feel
ing pretty general that Nsx Caledosia In {, be
oolonissd al 1t ought to have been colony Great
would have made 1t Whatever may bs the feelings
the native tribes towards the French there be
doubt that they would readily have coded the sofeen
taken 10 have obtained this s-rsop II for no other pur
poss tbaD to have savsd from with France
shout the projected form alton Of penal settlement
the nifty Of the gold ocuntrs. Of Au.trs. Bo. in
il ,tsd In inquiries, projec, and such
lls shilly shaying This sort o. thing nearly ost us
the evil IL Ii not wholly past cure.
nanael O,C>nu~ll and John NfltchoI.