The Hawaiian gazette., 1870-07-13
The Fijian OIRculty.
no. 3
From the Sydney Morning Herald.

the FijAn difficulty" since the publication of oui
last article In reference thereto We are told
first, that there has been a renewed application &c
the British Government for protection, in which al
the principal chiefs and white residents have Joined
Secondly that there has been formal invitation &c
the United States 10 4" annex" +" the Archipelago, and
that this Invitation has been signed by 500 persons
including some of the principal chiefs. Thirdly,
(and this piece Of news comes from Europe,) that
the Prussian Government is mot disinclined" to
add the Fills to the extended and extending depen-
denotes over which the black eagle has cast its
shadow; and has sent a vessel of war into these
in order it is believed to bring about such
arrangement u RI q ~
These items of intelligence have an important
bearing upon each other. The renewed application
to Great Britain for protection seems to have been
resorted TO by way of counteraction against the e-
gal scheme for the setting up Of settlers republic,
which we have already adTerted to- What is now
asked is simply that protection and assistance
shall be afforded for few years, until the native
rulers OF FIJI with the assistanee Of the white set
tiers, can form a strong and efficient government,
with good and well administered laws as has been
done at the Sandwich Islands 1t is q reasona-
bic request, and Oae which, il is TO be hoped the
British Ministry will not be very ill-advised to
refuse. This VIII be very different thing from an
assumption Of absolute Sovereignty or even of such
protective supremacy established at the
Ionian Islands. All that is asked for may-as we
shall hereafter endeayor 10 shew-be granted with
out any material risk of embodiment in native af-
fairs. The probabilities Of an annexation Of these
islands TO the dominions of another Power, which
may become hostile, may induce-and ought to in
dueea favorable consideration of the applica-
tion. Let us hope
One important feature in the present aspect of af
fairs is that this renewed application for protec
tion is coupled with offer to submit to any obli-
cations which the British Government may desire
10 impose-in technical language an offer of suzer-
ainty-there can be legal eesson of sovereignty Ell
ther absolute protective, toany other Power, until
the answer ofthe Imperial authorities in London sha
have been received. 1t was asserted that King Tha
kombau has signed the document sent to the United
States. BE has positively denied the fact, and we
believe him. 1t is very probable that the assertions
which have been made to other signatures to this
document, and as TO the gross number of such sigma
lures have had no better foundation. But it, as we
have been assured, the application to the British
Government was Joined in by all the ruling chiefs
they have deprived themselves of all right to offer
the sovereignty proectorste to America or Prus-
sa until relieved by the decision OF Her Britannia
Majesty (or Of her Mnisters) from the obligations
thus voluntarily entered into. Aud neither Ameri-
or Prussian rule could be established at Fiji up
on any other basis than a voluntary cesson from the
sovereign chiefs. The American Government has
through its officers repeatedly recognised the sove-
reignty Of the Fijian chiefains not only by making
treaties with them but by holding them responsible
under such treaties and 10 their sovereign character
for the dongs Of their subjects There could there
fore be no proclamation of American authority on
the assumption that the islands were without recog
nsable rulers. And the number Of American set
tiers is so few, compared with the number of
those who British subjects that there could be
no pretence for assuming the Government of the Ar
chipelago, of any part of it, the plea of neees-
sity for the protection of American interests The
same reasons would apply to Prussia. 1t is true |
that this power has made treaties with the Fiji |
ans, but it would not be likely to ignore the exis
tence Of native rulers, who have not been recog-
missed by the great maritime Powers, and to treat Fiji
If it a region Of which the first corners had
right to take possession And the present extent of
Prussian interests in these islands must be very
small indeed
The idea of praying for annexation to the United |
States seems to have had its foundation in Melbourne
rather than in Fiji ITSELF although many of the set
tiers doubtless strongly inclined TO place them
selves under the protection Of the "star-spangled
banner,n when they were told that Great Britain |
would not accept the offered cession Certain of the
spectators who have been foiled in their attempts
10 assume functions of sovereign character and .
have been obliged TO descend TO the position of mere
land Spectators and traders have probably come to
conclusion that they would be likely TO obtain bet
ter terms for themselves and to render their specu
-istiOus more profitable Ifthey could induce the
United states Government to undertake the general
management of the concern. and to invest therein
good round sum for the purposes of protection and
Improvement. We very much doubt that the au-
thoriiies at Washington, any high officers of the
States have been or are ever likely to be, any
parties this maneuFriug. AS to Prussia, too, the
for believing that there any designs upon
Fiji in that quarter yet very small-mere sup
position That the Prussian Government had no
tion Of forming establishment on some island in
the South Pacific, and intended to send out vessel
OF war for that purpose, was rumored year or two
ago. 1t may be that this is about 10 be done and
that the report of it. coupled with what is known of
the state Of things at Fiji may have given rise to the
notion that Prussia has intention TO obtain if
possible, the sovereignty of that Archipelago 1t
may even be that Prussia coutemplates getting DO
session of one Of the small islands of Fiji for sta
tion, without proposing desiring to lay hands up
on the whole
But Il would be childish 10 shut our eyes against
the possibility that there may be more reality in the
designs attributed to the United States and to Prus
sia than We have considered likely. The desire of
the American Government to obtain territories
among the islands in the Pacific has been often and
very freely spoken of-sometimes in quarters the
enunciations from which ought to be considered as
authoritative. II has been very much the fashion to
attribute to that Government designs which it never
seriously entertained Still it is possible that, for
once the report may have been true As to Prussia,
should have less surprise in hearing that the Ca5i
net Berlin had real disposition secure the Fau
Islands as a dependency. Prussia has not like the
United States, vast Of yet unpeopled country
On the contrary it could very well spare alarge por
tion of it's population, and might find it very profit
able TO of the fertile lands of Fiji for that
purpose. Prussia has also pretty obvious desire
TO become great maritime las it is already great
military Power The acquisition of this splendid
Archipelago-a region with many fine harbors vast
undeveloped resources and so situated to COM
maud the Southern Pseifc-would greatly tend to-
wards the fulhllment OF that desire. F
How would Prussan rule suit the native tribes
and white settlers of Fiji' The latter have shown,