, 1870-07-15
THE FEEJEE ISLANDS,
Nntional AGITATION for nn 1ndcpen-
dencJ -oficrs to England and
America.


dency Offers to Enr1.n1 1ua
America.
From The Syinfy lAus'ralia> Hera!i, .fpri1 %.
BY intelligence received from Lcynta tn the
26th OF February. We learn that manifeato IN
favor OF establishing an indepenlenc; #, tho
FeeieeB has been addressed to the wh;te +ss;.
dents. and signed BY thirty Of the prinr;na1
lives, families, and property is involved in iii.
question; and they ask, whether relying upon
themselves and trusting to the support they
could mutually accorl each other, they might
not strengthen their position By forming an
independency, whose members should re-
nounce their reliance on the protection Of any
other power, and would swear allegiance to tho
community proposed to be formed,
This is the principal object Of the circular
and of the meeting whicn they proposed to
convene in order to discuss the subject. They
say Many offers have been made to the Bxit-
islands to its possessions. These had ali been
scouted- They further say It appears to us
who have tried to obtain the best information
on the subject that the policy Of the British
Government is to get rid Of such Of ita depen-
dences rs entail 4 cost to the Grown, and get
are allie to dispose Of the produce Of such 10
pendencies in anv market that The colonists
may think tit. 1t holds that, Thetbercountrie5
are cultivated under their flag or not, they will
equally come to the English markets, II such
markets will pay best to the importers Of pro-
duce. The American Government holds
views very similar to tho British Government,
and, though anxious to protect trade and en-
terprise OF every legitimate kind. is unwilling
to weaken itself By having to protect positions
60 far removed from the centre Of its govern
ment. The French have obtained possession
of some Of the most fertile islands in tho
South Seae, whose commercial and military
positions are unriEalled, whose harbors can
not be surpassed for the use Of Warlike deet5,
or ports for merchant shipping. Thus it is
not likely that their government will incuz
further expense by taking possession OF these
islands; nor is 1t certain that it would be de-
sirab1o that the strong and perhaps arbitrary
measures adopted towards the natives and
original holders Of the soil in New Caledonia
would be such ~ world most beneficial
to white Population settling in Fceiee.
It must thus appear that We are in
an excessively unprotected state, far from our
families and fortunes. and although We have
made more room for those We have left be-
hlnd, we not only receive no thanks, but we
also receive no assistance in the soneThat
perilous career which most Of Us have UNDER
t>ken. The Consuls have their hands tied BY
ford US any practical, protection. The promise
that they will SEQ into any affair which may
arise between ll-lisposed savsges and our
selves when man-of-war arrives, is but poor
consolation to the man whose wifo has been
assaulted, whose children have been
destroyed. and who, after several ycara
OF labor in tropical climate, for tho good,
not only OF himself and family, but Of Euro
peans in general, finds himself injured.
wounded and penni1ess, and, to add to the
sum Of hie evils, alighted by hrs Consul and
offered 4 passage home as destitute subject.
On this head, it ia only necessary to add, that
the respect hitherto partially shown By natives
time has % come W whep il behooyes ali Of rs to
consider well our precarious position, and to
take such steps as will enable us to offer a
better eecurity to all commercial people in tho
colonies. and to secure for ourselves. Petma-
nently, the advantages and profits which must
accrue from cuItivating, under proper auspi-
ces. those lands which We have rightfully nc
quired.
The general meeting for furthering this pro-
posal was to have been held at Leguka, on tho
lith Of the presert month.