Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-03-29

acted AS interpreter and translator in our
consulate at Apia. She also speaks the
languages of the islands in which she
trades.
The islands of the Bismarck archipelago
nave altogether an area about half
large as the state of Ohio, and their popu-
lation is about 10000. the most of whom
are natives There only 200 Europeans
on the islands, of which ninety-six are
Germans and thrty-four English. There
are few Chinese and Samoans. The
commercial development of the islands is
in the hands of the German New Guinea
Company, which operates both in the
archipelago and New Guinea. 1t has it's
| trading stations here and there and it
exports copra, trepang, cotton and shell.
A little south of these islands are the
Solomon Islands, part of which belong
to Germany. They are inhabited largely
by SavageS and are of no great value The
Bismarck archipelago, New Guinea and the
Solomons, as well as the Carolines and
the islands to the northward, are ruled
from New Guinea, the imperial governor
residing on the Island of Neu Pommern.
1t is in China, however, that the Ger
mans are making most progress. They
| seem 10 have tacit understanding with
| the Russians as to territory, and have
| such contracts with the Chinese as will
give them an enormous part of the
trade of North China. By the treaty
| through which Kiau-Chau bay was ceded
| to Germany that country was practically
given the control of the trade and COM
mercial development of the province of
/ Shantung. This province is Just south of
Chilli, which Ii Hung Chang ruled, and
In which is Pekin, and north of Kiangsu
where Shanghai is situated. The Grand
canal runs through it from north to south,
and the Yellow river crosses it in a north
easily direction.
land, and population about one-third as
large as the whole United States. 1t is a
country of great mineral wealth. 1t has
vast fields of coal which are yet undevelop-
ed, and gold has been found in the noun
| tains. By the treaty of Kiau-Chau the
Germans have the right to construct rail-
roads through this territory and also to
develop mining property for ten miles on
each side of the roads. The roads are so
planned that they take in several great coal
fields. and make them tributary to Kiau-
Chau bay. The treaty provides that all
machinery and materials must come from
Germany, and that in any future develop
ment of the province by the Chinese they
must first apply to German CAPITALISTS for
money for all their schemes In other
words, Germany has the first chance at
everything in Shantung, and the people
| of no other nation can come in until she
has decided that it is not worth her while
| to do so.
At Kiau-Chau Bay.
The actual territory owned by the Ger
| mans contains only about 200 square miles:
but there is neutral zone back of this
which practically belongs to them, which is
thirty miles in length. and. as will be seen.
| the treaty in reality gives them the whole
province.
The Bay of Kiau-Chau is about twenty
miles square. II is large. enough to anchor
all the ships of the Pacific, and the Ger
| mans are dredging 1t and building break
waters. so that 1t will eventually be one
of the finest ports of the far east. They
are now spending about $20.p00. 900 on sea
wall to inclose the inner harbor, They have
laid "a railroad to the auarries In the hills,
several miles away. and carry the stone
down on steam construction trains. They
are putting out piers and making har'bor
improvements which would he credit co
any of the European ports They are build
| ing dry docks which win do the repair
work of the great German steamers, and
are terrifying the bay
A German town is going up on the edge