The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-07
TIE LATE ANGLo-aEnmAN TRADE.

By her late exchange with Germany, of
the little island of Heligoland for the lat
ter's rivileges-tantamount to owner ship
lon the island of Zanzibar. England has
well sustained her reputation as the
shrewdest national expert in the art of col.
onization that the weird has ever known.
In acquiring" or trading for territorial
possessions. England is the national coun-
terpart OF the accomplished Joe Bowers"
whom Judge Baldwin describes in his
Flush Times in Alabama" who would
start on an annual tour with q windbroken
or spawned horse, and return with fine
drove Of first-class mules, two or three
racers. q good carriage team, and perhaps
a considerable coin surplus; as Mr.. Bowers
scorned to make any trade without getting
more or less boot"
Heligoland, Germany's share of the late
trade, is little triangular island in the
North sea, about forty miles from the
mouth of the Elbe, its greatest length
from north to south being about one mile,
and its greatest breadth from east to west
about three-fourths of mile. The popula a.
ton has ranged from 900 to $500. Its
chief use to England was at the beginning
of this century as station for her fleets
during the war with France; later as a
depot for manufactures to be struggled
into Germany. and more recently as a col
onia, establishment, more ornamental and
expensive than useful, except TO make
places for certain scions of the English no
bility, and for second. third, and subse-
quent sons of the gentry.
For on this little islet, scarcely larger
than an average American farm, England
has maintained q Colonial Governor. a
Colonial Secretary, tso Councillors and a
Treasurer. The latter must have sug-
gested the "Pooh-Bah" of the "Mikado. ~
He has served as Communicated Chief of
the land and sea forces of the colony-the
entire outfit consisting Of five coast-guard
men; also as Chief Justice, Attorney GEN.
eral, Chief Constable, County Court Judge,
Governor of the Gaol, Sheriff. Turnkey,
Justice of the Peace and Executioner.
During the entire term of service of the
present incumbent the civil suits have
averaged about one in three months, and
he in his multfarious capacities has from
| first to last had to dispose OF but one Grim.
| inal action. That was for stealing half q
dozen pewter spoons. The prisoner was
convicted and sentenced to two weeks al
| hard labor in prison garb. A new suit
the best the convict had ever worn-had 10
be purchased in order 10 comply with the
| latter requirement; the only labor to which
| il was practicable to eonsign him was al
shoveiing sand on the beach for eight hours
| q day, aud for confinement 1t was found
necessary TO board him at the house from,
| which he had stolen the spoons. The in
| cident constituted an epoch in colonial his.
| tory; ever since that time all deaths, births
| marriages and important occurrences ART
dated as so long before or since the man
| stole the pewter spoons.
1t goes without saying that the expense
| to England of this ostentatious colony ha.
been vastly dispropor,ionate to It's reven
ues. IL has been thousands of pound.
| sterling on the one hand and q minu.
| quantity on the other.
In consideration of the transfer of thi,
| costly and protitiess colonial elephant from
her own to German hands, England OBJ
tanned Germany's right TO administer anc
| collect the revenues OF the Zanzibar coas
| from vangs south 60 the Romuva river
with imports of 100000 to $4,000 600
and exports of 100000 to $4,000, and
a rapidly growing trade This, too, In
| open defiance Of distinct agreement viii