The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-04-14
Annexation of Papua, or New Guinea.

"lf New Guinea is not annexed by Great Britain
the probability is that it will soon be annexed by
somebody else. 1t Is at least clear that European
interest in this portion of the Pacific Is on the
increase. We all know that towards New Gui-
uea wistful eyes have been turned by the Dutch,
to whom the credit Of having been among the
first explorers OF the Island belongs. A short
time ago we were told that an ex peditiOn o.. three
thousand Italians under Menotti Garibaldi was
about TO start for the purpose Of setting up an
Italian colony in New Guinea. The Italian ad-
venture came to nothing, but it showed that our
friend Signor D'AlbertIs had succeeded in en-
gagIng the interest of his countrymen in the
question OF the annexation of the island. We
know that France is bent on making up Tor any
loss Of influence she may have suffered in Europe
by a vigorous policy of colonial expansion. Nor
is it to Africa and Asia alone that she is turning
her attention. Nowhere else have tie French
been more active than in the South Seas. 1t has
not yet been announced that the French have
designs on New Guinea, but they have made 1t
clear enough that they intend their policy in the
Pacific TO be q progressive one. 10 the French.
the Dutch, and the Italians, al of whom are
supposed to desire anneXhtIons IN tie South Seas,
we must add the Germans. Ii is well known
that OF the classes who have settled in the
various groups Of the Pacific they are the most
numerous. The men who are doing most to
make the South Sea Islands the homes OF Euro
peans are German citizens, ana the leading firms
III lnOSe leldIluS DSlOn1 10 OtIBh III epeCuldtOTe.
Much as the French like to acquire territory in
that part of the world they do not, as q rule,
prefer TO live there. They are better pleased to
acquire colonies in which they can set up French
influence than those in which they can establish
settlements for the French people. Tie French
man 5 idea of a colony Is, for the most part, a
place that Is brought within the compass of
French commerce and Of French rule.
"Tne German people think that the German
Government ought to annex New Guinea, the
idea being that the island might be made the
foundation OF a future colonial German kingdom.
= According to our idea says the A!geneine
Zeitung, it might be possible to create out Of the
island IA German Java a great trade and planta-
ton colony, which would form a stately iounda-
tombstone Tor Il German colonial kingdom of the
future When Germans who live at home
know more about New Guinea they may speak
with LEES confidence both of its climate and its
resources. But there can be 10 doubt that they
are right in thinking that New Guinea is an
island on the acquisition OF which they might
congratulate themselves. We may add that If
the ypIace Is to be annexed by any other Power
thqin England we should be glad to see it in the
hitnds of Germany. Nor. 1t we are unpTepared
To nIex4tA+LhR 7aan -Me-aem plain if 1t is ap-
pA2prIuted by Germany or France. We have no
risht to maintain a stationary policy in the South
Seas, and to complain that others pursue II policy
of progress. At the same time, it New Guinea
is annexed at all, it ought to be annexed by
EDHldIu. ApIIl lEOm III dlu u ne pldCt, II
will not be pleasant, and 1t may not be safe, to
have a foreign Power so neal the northern
boundary of this continent. For what We know
of New Guinea, end for what has been done
there, we are Indebted chiefly to British hberality
and enterprise.
Desirable, however, as it may be for England
to annex New Guinea. there is little ground for
expecting that she will DO anything OF the kind.
The English Liberal party dislikes annexations,
and of late the dislike instead Of decreasing has
been increasing. a proposal to annex Egypt
would in all probability have wrecked even Mr..
Gladstone. Some time ago Lord Kimberley sug-
ges,ed that the colonies should go into a partner
ship with the Imperial Government in carrying
out Polvnesian annexatIons. 1t may be doubted
whether a Colonial Minister would be disposed to
start even this idea now. The notion is that
England has too many colonies, that colonists
cannot be trusted to manage black races, and that
so far as South Sea Islands 90 what Australians
want is not to strengthen the Empire, but to
secure advantages Tor Themselves, and to throw
the expenses and the risk necessary to the secur-
ing those advantages upon the broad back of the
mother country. This at least Is what the organs
Of English opinion have thought hitherto, and we
suPpo,e it is what they think now. Sydney
Morning Herald.
What political footballs certain politicians Of
Europe would mako of islands and groups of
Polynesia. Notice tie statement. 1t was 'sug-
gested that the Colonies (Austrulia) should 60
into a partnership with the Imperial Government
in carrying out Polynesian annexations.