The New York herald., 1870-01-24
Progress of the Annexation Idea at
the Antipodes.
French British and German Interests--Re-
sources and Value Of the Territory
"Htading Off, American Inter.
ests-C0ttOn Lands end
COaling Station.

Ject OF the luture government ana rule OF tile
Fejee Islands, showing forth the anxiety which is
evnccd by tho great European Powers to obtain
secure foothold IN the antipocal territory and thus
'hcad orr the American advance and inrercommu-
nion In that direction from California and ptce
TEE FEJEEs-THRIR RESOURCES AND PROSPECTS,.
From the Otago IN. ~ Times, Oct. 2Ol
The following extracts from letter received by o
gentleman In Dunedin, from friend In the Fejees
have been hanued to the writer says) for publica
ti0n,-
The Melbourne company ore at work surveying
tneir land at Suya and IN lne ael9hborhood Ine
can learn, every thing seems gong on well. Mr..
Cooke the manager Is ~ the country, and has been
10 Suva ana the lower Rewa, but not vet up the
river, although he talks Of coming mp to meet the
planters respecting sugar mill shortly. They also
talk Of making road from Suva 10 Rewa town,
that 1s about twenty miles by river below me. II
they 40 all this and organize some means OF getting
Of It especially, viii make RAPID procrcss and the
Suva viii prove formidable rva to Levuka for the
use Of ocean,gong vessels. But considerable num-
bers Of people have lately come here, aud Is said
gruat many more are on the wing from Melbourne.
II they come before proper preparations are
the latter especally-it viii be bad for
them, and cause. rear, reaction against Fejee.
out labor, and they know how helpless the want
makes them. As to this labor question: small ves-
sells are still gong and coming and bring back with
them dity or sixty men at q time. These men are
engaged for three years. Wages run now at four
pounds year ana the passage money i've pounds
with an engagement TO send them back again at tae
expiration OF their agreement. These arrangements
are made before and attested by the Consul. so we
has been abandoned. They arc heathens and canni.
bals when they arrive, and give us good deal OF
trouble to get them into habits Of regular work a.
these habits and the knowledge tney have gained
which cannot but do as much good as years OF
preaching IN erecting some degree of CIVILIZATION
among them.
The government here is dead letter, and for my
own part, nope II will commune 80. have little
hope OF doing anything with the natives. Ttey are
CIMe ecTOn1 ki'ad ana 1 t0oE TO me French as the
Germans rs here to the North German % Sover1mens mt
asking them TO take possession has been xensvely
signea AnE,aer roth mas Just gone 20 tue English gov
soon claim some adequate protection. II we could
throw on our allegiance, and fight our own battles,
wemight hope BY poncy TO hold our own; but whie
declining to protect us our respective governments
would soon in.eriere II we presumed to try to pro-
to say oil is peace and we have no need OF protec-
ton by force at this moment; but win the number
OF white settlers coming in, fear this cannot last
The natural tear II will excite among the natives
that they are gong to be 0utnumDereu will OF ITSELF
IN their ignorance. be likely to excite feelings OF
hostility.
NATIVE MEMORIAL TO GREAT BRITAN-ANNExATIoN
OK AN ENGLISH PRoTECTORATE-wHAT QUEEN VIC
TOEIA WOULD GAIN.
Subjoined VIII be found a copy OF the memorial
addressed to the British Secretary OF State for the
Colonies, by the inhabitants OF FeJee, towards the
close Of 1862 praying either for annexation to Great
Britain or Tor the establishment OF protectorate.
Annexed to 1t is copy OF the document, in which
the memoralists set forth the which should
operate with the imperial governments to comply
with the prayer Of their petltion:-
MEMORIAL
To the Right Honorable the Earl GRANVILLE, her
Maesty's Secretary OF State for Colonial Arfairs:-
The memorial OF the undersigned, native and
foreign residents or VIII humbly sh0weth-
That at puDnc meeting held ~ Levuka, Ovalau,
"a fhn lnn Qt0n ffc IInr fhn
dicncy of mem0rlalizfng the American or some
other government, with the object Of inducing IL to
take this group OF islands under It's protection and
nag, it was proposed and carried by q large anu
most influential majority. THAT the present cOndl-
tion OF VIII renders u imperative upon this commu
nity essentially BRUSH, to at once memOriaiZe In
conjunction with the dominant chiefs Of Flti the
British government with the object OF obtaining for
this group OF islands either annexation to Great
Britain or the adjacent colonies or the establish
ment OF o prOtectorate nag and interest, but par
sicuary annexation to the Australian colonies, to
which. bs their geographical posllion ana undoubted
future Importance, they appear destined to be
united.".
May it please your Lordship therefore, to lay be.
fore her Majesty's government the accompanying
document, which your Lordshp's mem0rlalists trust
second invitation to add Vitl to other British depen
denotes In Australasia.
And your Lordship's memorialists, as in duty
pound, Will ever pray, &c.
CAUSES AND PROFITS OF THE MOVEMENT.
The memorialists humbly show that In the year
1850 the cession OF the VIII Islands TO Great Britain
was proposed and oirered by the united chiefs and
landowners or Nirl and Colonel Smythe was com.
missioned by his Grace the Duke OF Newcastle to
proceed hlther and report upon the capabilities OF
the group, and the expedlency or her Majestys gov.
ernment accepting the offer.
The principal reasons at that ttmo urged for ac-
ceptinR the sovereignty OF VIII werc:-
FiysThat the group would prove good station for mail
Second-That they would offer supply OF cotton.
And In conjunction with the first reason that
their position was important to the national power
ana security III the Pacific ocean.
lish the impolicy OF annexlng the islands.
Firsvii lies about 1900 mites Auckland New
oer wrs om the . sd nns
days passage from the last named port BY any ordinary
Seoarhe island Of Vii Lsvu possesses an area of nearly
saperar 70 that island in osse.sn good harbors and
sr o4s M s ana y , Of WHICH
offer another comparison, 1t Is six times large Maur
TirdThe second island in size 70 Vanua Lcvu. with
area Of nearly square miles The island enjoys the
FSmn~The third island Taviun of an area of about
Island Of kanaay, M & Of &. s Of .bog,
be reference to the accompanying chart but those
named are re- .hs ,s most osn,S important, s,ss !,
tenant Creek Of her Majess ship lssk n 1855 antcpa
best the line Of mail steamers which, the
q racs sa
enter The rum nny be so ss s Of
would 81 necessary only the Gooa thence
shown by the chart, IL Gear and open.
Seusn-The distance from Sydney to San Francisco via
viii is aboul 662O miles, l0 miles less than the lately
collapsed via Panama From Auckland an intercolonia
searer viii convey the mails to and from New Zealand
Beng IN the direus line OF route between San
Francisco and Sydney there Is NO reason 70 believe
tno superior attraction or greater security being
enjoyed by the neighboring is.ssnds that VIII VIII
0e chosen as the efepot, more particularly as tnere
already exists here settlementof British SUBJECTS
and valuable and increasing traffic with the colo.
MES. In Viii rumors have already been heard of
annexation by other Powers than Britain, and both
natives and settlers, mutually tired OF the present
state OF things prepared TO accept the protection
OF almost any one OF tne great POWERS that VIII
interest itself for their welfare. In 1859 the question
asked by the government OF Colonel Snlythe was
"Whether or not Viii ought to be ADDED to the
numerous colonial possessions OF Great Britain
from the same motives OF ordinary expedi-
sency which direct the general national policysn
The reply, as stated IN the preface, was In the
negative. Opara now in the possession OF the
French. was recommended rs q coaling station. Tne
quantity OF cotton grown at VIII was considered un
likely TO exceed insgnlncance and, finally, 1t was
concluded any civilized Power that might make itself
fArfl