The age-herald., 1901-07-06
OFFICIAL REPORT ON
 EUROPEAN COMMERCE
BY ALBERT HALsTEAp.

N1f@N@N%-fK chief of the Treasury Bureau of static- ties has just returned from brief visit to London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam and Brussels, where he went for the purpose of making some statistical studies regard- ing the commerce of European countries. and especially their commerce with and development of their colonies.
 'I was greatly impressed" said MT. Austin, with the interest evinced in CO., lonia1 questions at all tho Capitols which I have visited. Each of these five coun- tries has its colonial department or di- vision, with thoroughly-equipped force largely made up of men who have had long experience fin the colonies of their countries. In England the colonial office at the home government interchanges at. intervals its employees as far as practi- cable, with the colony. thus obtaining practical and experienced men fin the home office and keeping corps of men in training in the colonies. At the Neth- erlands, whose colonial work is a matter of pride on the part of every citizen of that country, the head of the colonial de-
 
 Java, the principal Netherland colony and one which has been eminently successful. In France the colonial department is ex- tremely active, obtaining large numbers of reports from It's colonial officers and distributing information by a specially organized bureau for that purpose and in Germany and Belgium equal interest was manifested.
 Everywhere found great public in terest in colonial matters outside of off, cial circles. In London, for instance, there is a colonial institute. composed of several hundred ex-officials of the colonies and others interested in colonial matters, which has library of nearly 50000 vol- umes and which Is in close working re- lation with the library of the colonial de- pertinent. also containing 50000 volumes. The members of the institute hold month ly meetings for the discussion of matters pertaining to the management, commerce, statistics and prosperity of the colonies and their commercial relations with the mother country. At Paris there Is colonial organization with about 5000 members, some of whom have had experi- ence in the colonies, others are merchants and business men desiring to keep in con- stant touch with business conditions and opportunities in the colonies and still others who are students of colonial subjects from an economic standpoint. In Germany although their colonial system is young as compared with those of England, Nether- lands or France, the colonial association numbers over 2c,ooO members scattered throughout the empire, some of whom are officers and ex-offlcials, others connected with the army and navy, and many others who are interested in the commercial and agricultural development of the colonies.
 ''The study of colonial conditions and %-><<<<<<<S%<-><- haps many officers are afraid they may have climatic fever and look on a little whisky as a good preventive. Grog used to be the mariners compass and anchor and log. and several other useful articles. Possibly it still is among the lonely mar iners at Guam. This would explain why the fear of the deprivation of grog should should excite more indignation than all the instances of previous terrorism, theft, and gambling referred to by Com mander Schroeder.
 The order closes by inviting "the many honorable men of the command to bestir themselves" They are told that when they shall have attained to real man. hoods estate by peaching on the fellows who stole the whisky the command will become "a source of pride instead of being source of shame to their off cers," whose whisky they have consumed "and a disgrace to their country and to their uniform
 This Is a remarkable order It indl- cates wounded feelings, rather than good judgment If the Governor of Guam must be naval officer. is 1t not possi- ble for the Navy Department to select one who is a good disciplinarian. has some discretion. and will not make laughing stock of himself?