The times., 1899-11-12
AUSTRALIANS War Fever
COIonists Eager TO Help England
Fight the Beers.
The PremierS Advocating a Policy of
Caution-A Large Alien Population
nnd Hostile Powers in the
Pacific Liable to Make Serious
Trouble for the Island Continent.

SYDNEY. Oct 1.-THE war fever in AUS
trala has reached an acute stage, and
there is scarcely a bush township where
there are not q few strapping young fellows
eager 10 volunteer for service with the
British troops in the South African colonies.
Fascinated by the glamour Of war, they
overlook the fact that without some knowl-
edge Of military discipline they would SIM
ply become food FOR powder The Aus
traIian premiers, TO their credit be il SAID,
have kept their heads cool, and notwith-
standing the loud talk Of the military com
mandants. refrained from adding fuel TO the
flames. They have excellent reasons for
their cautious policy. OF late years the
military vote in each Of the Australian col
onies has been largely reduced from mo-
tives Of economy, and consequently the
efficiency Of the defence forces has become
70 some extent impaired. The cost OF send
Ing Australian troops 20 the Cape Viii more
than cUunIerbalance the savings effected
during The last five years, and the military
position OF the colonies viii remain IN
its present unsatisfactory condition unless
the colonists are prepared to bear an IN
creased burden of taxation.
NOT a few Of the leading Australians
consider that the interests OF the British
Empire would be better served were the
colouists to concentrate their energies on
the work Of colonial defence. They have
several thousand miles OF coast line 70 pro
tect. and with the scanty forces al their
command could do little in the way Of
repell5ng hostile attack unless they had the
assistance Of ships from the imperial navy
rtre
ing the flower Of The colonial volunteer rife
corps TO South Africa seems preposterous.
OF course, if the British Empire were IN
danger. the case would be different. but il
is the Beers, rather than the British, who
are likely 10 go under.
And il must be remembered that with the
appearance Of Russia IN the Pacific and
the rise Of Japan as one Of the great pow
ers OF the world the state Of isolation in
which Australia has existed since the
earliest days Of settlement has disap-
peared Japan has never forgiven the re-
Etrictions imposed by the colonial parlia-
ments on japanese immigration, which she
regards. as ignominious and insulting, and
later on she may have something TO say in
the matter The Chinese authorities are
equally discoutented, but In the present
condition Of their forces can do little more
than shrUg their shoulders.
The germs Of serious difficulty between
Australia, Japan, and China are 70 be found
IN the anomalous state of affairs in the
greater portion Of the northern part Of the
island c0ntiueut-the back door OF Aus
tralia" as il is not inapuy designated.
where the bulk of the population is OF
Asiatlc origin. a strange medley of Malays
Hindoos. Chinese, japanese. and Polyne-
SLAMS. Sooner or later the wave Of Euro
pean settlement viii reach these districts
and then The trouble VIII begin. Already
the whole OF the northern Queensland pearl
fishing industry is in the hands Of Japa-
uese and Malsys, and Thursday Island is
becoming generally known as Little Ja-
nan" or the Asiatic residents in Australia
he Japanese are by far the best. IN the
southern colonies they make excellent cit
iEens. and readily assimiiate with European
manners and customs. But their presence