The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-11
THE FEEJEE ISLANDS.


NutiOnai AGITATION SOr nm ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Offers 10 ENGLAND and America.
from the Sydney (Australia) Herald, April COL
BY intelligence received from Levuka to the 2sth
OF February, we learn that manifesto IN favor OF
establishing an independence in the FeeJees has been
addressed to the white residents, and signed by
thirty OF the principal settlers They say the safety
OF their lives, families and property Is involved I'm
this question; and they ask, whether relying up ON
themselves and trusting to the support they could
mutually accord each other they might not
strengthen their position by forming an indepen.
dency, whose members should renounce their re.
lance on the protection OF any other Power ana
would swear allegiance to the community proposed
to be formed.
This the principal object Of the circular ana OF
the meeting which they proposed to convene in
order to discuss the subject. They sly:-Maily
offers have been made to the British empire solicit
Ing II to add these fertile Islands to its POSSESSIONS
These had all been secuted. They further say:-It
appears to MS who have tried to obtain the best in
formation on the subject that the policy OF the Bri.
tsh government IS to get rid OF such of its Deepen
denotes as entail cost to the Crown and yet are
able to dispose OF the produce OF such dependencies
IN any market that the cOlOnists may think tit. II
holds that whether countries are cultivated under
their nag or not, they will equally come to the Eng
isll markets. IL such markets viii pay best to the
importers OF produce. The American government
holds views very similar to the British government
and though anxious 10 protect trade and enterprise
Of every legitimate KIND, Is unwilling to weaken
itsaf by having to protect positions far
removed from the centre OF its government.
of the most fertile islands In the South
Seas whose commercial and military positions are
unrlSalled, whose harbors cannot be surpassed for
the use OF warlike fleets or ports for merchant ship.
ping. Thus 1t Is not likely that Their government
VIII incur further expensc Ivy taking posses ion Of
these Islands, nor is /: Ger ain that It would be de-
sirabe that the strong and perhaps arbitrary mea
slres adopted towards the ma ives and original
holders OF the soil in New Caledonia would be such
as would be most beneficial to white population
settling in Feejee. II must thus appear that in
an svely unprotected state, far from our native
homes having brought with our families aud
fortunes and although we have made more room for
those we have left behind we not only receive no
tanks. but we also receive no assistance In the
somewhat perilous care n which most OF Us have
dertaken. The consus have their hands tied by
their governments, and are thus unable to afford
any practical protection. The promise that they
will see into any affair which may arise
between 1l-iisposel sayayes and ourselves
when mail-o- war arrives, Is but poor
assaulted whose children have been Toured, whose
property has been destroyed aud VINO, after several
years OF labor In u tropical climate. for the good
not only OF himself ana family, bit Of EurJp ans in
general, finds himself injured, wounded ana penn-
less, and 10 add to the sum OF his evils sighted 10y
his Consul ana offered passage home AZ destitute
subject. On this head it. is only necessary TO add
towards white men is daily decreasing. The time
has como when 1t behoovcs all OF us to consider well
our precarlOI5 position and to take such steps az
viii enabie us 70 of1er better security 10 ali COM
erclal people in the colonies and 10 secure for
serves permanently the advantages and profits which
mnst accrue from cultivatng, under proper auspice
those lands which We have rights ...o1uircd.
The general meeting for 1urlhcring this proposal
was to nave been held at Levuxa on the I4th or the
present month.