The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-08-18

0Dss4al Cerrsspendencs Of The Sunday Rspublia
Thursday Island. Torres Strait. June B.
Germany 10 rapidly spotting this part Of
the Pacific with her possessions. She Is
giving new names to her different proper
ties. 50 that one will soon need q Teutonio
dictionary to know where he H. Just north
Of Torres Strait on the other Ads of Brit
ish New Guine 10 Kaiser wilhelm's Land.
This u the German section Of New Guinea.
the largest island Of the world. The great
collection Of islands to the eastward which
were once known A. the New British Arch
ipelago, IL now the Bismarck Archipelago.
and instead Of New Britain and New Ire
land We have Neu Pommsrn and Neu Neck
lenburg. Tho Germans now own the Ad-
miraity Islands They have renamed the
Duke Of York Islands Neu Lauenburg.
They hare long owned the Marshall Islands.
and In 1850 they bought the Carolines. the
Pelews and the Ladrones OF Spain for some
thing like y, 900. 900. They would have in
oluded Guam in the bargain had we, not
taken possession Of 1t in our settlement Uf
the Spanish-American War. and they are
still looking about for everything loose. All
the islands I have mentioned are now gov
srned in connection with Kaiser wilhelm's
Land. and all together they form what may
be called Germany's colonial island empire
Of the Pacific.
Kaiser wllhelm's Land.
Let me first give some new information
about Kaiser Wilhelm's Land. The country
ID almost unknown. and a vast part of 1t
10 yet UNEMPLOYED. Tho Germans have their
scientific parties and surveying expeditions
scattered here and there over it, but the
interior will long smain untrodden by white
men. The country is better known as Ger
man New Guinea 1t forms the northeast
srn quarter OF that island. having been I'M
der the rule Of the Germans for the past
seventeen years. Up until 1890 its govern
ment was in the hands of the German New
Guinea Company. but the administration
was taken over by the Imperial Government
two years ago. and all appointments now
come from the Emperor himself. The ma
terial developments are all still in the hands
Of the New Guinea Company. which con-
trolls the trade. not only Of the mainland,
but of the islands. and which has steam
and sailing vessels moving from port to
port.
Kaiser Wilhelm's Land proper Is about
one-third . large As the whole German
Empire and its German population is just
nfty-three souls. 1t has. in addition to
these. about 10000 natives and five other
Europeans. 10 you can see that the land is
by nc means overcrowded. The seats of
government at present are the town of STEP
hensort. on Astrolabe Bay. and Herbert
shohe. on the island of Neu Pommern.
Resources of the Colony.
Not far back Of Astrolabe Bay are the
Bismarck Mountains. which are now being
prospected for gold. and that SO success
fully that mines have recently been opened.
although I am unable to say anything as
to the output. Cocoanut groves to the
extent OF 5000 trees have been set out,
and there are also plantations Of coffee,
cotton. tobacco and rubber.
One Of the Rest parts Of Kaiser wilhelm's
Land Il at the southeast on Huon Gulf.
Here thers II q good harbor. and the
country Is said to BE- well populated. Tho
land u wooded along the coast but farther