The Washington herald., 1907-05-12


government
A very interesting, though somewhat
highly colored. dispatch from MeIbourne
contains the complaint that the success
OF the Kaiser at the German elections,
with its popular Endorsement OF his
colonial policy. has not been good news
to Australians. What is now dreaded IS
a move in the direction of the acquisition
by Germany OF the whole Of Dutch New
Guinea That Germany is anxious 10
negotiate with Holland with a view 10 q
deal is already common knowledge, the
dispatch AYERS. The fear Is that the
British foreign Office is not fully aware
of the game that is being played at the
Australian end Of the world
The Dutch portion Of New Guinea IS
considered the most fruitful part Of the
entire island. It's possession by Ger
many, IN addition 60 that section Of ths
island already under the sway OF the
Kaiser would be a menace TO Australia.
Dutch New Guinea commands the west
erly outlet OF Torres Straits, the Ara
fura Sea and Australia's trade route to
the far East for hundreds of miles IN
fact. until Australia has built her trans
continental railway to Port Darwin and
constructed her coastal navy Of coastal
destroyers and torpedo boats. she is pow
erless TO protect her back door from being
burst open by force from Dutch New
Guinea.
What Australians want is. OF course.
the purchase OF New Guinea by Great
Britain. and the exchange Of some such
outaying possession as North Borneo for
German New Guinea and Samoa; and
the intelligence referred to Is evidently
inspired and calculated to bring the mat
ter forcibly before the home authorities.
Persistent to the last. the Nov9s
Vremya Of St Petersburg. despite the
deniaIs published in the English press.
repeats its report regarding the repre-
hensible behavior OF certain Engiishmen
lin Persia. and particularly the conduct
Of AIr. GbP. ChurchhiH. Oriental secre-
tary to the British Legation at Teheran.
Mr. Churchill. the journal says, by every
means attempts to excite against Russia
The middle and lower classes.
Editorially the NOvoe Vremya says.
I'VE are far from suspecting the British
government from double dealing. But We
have a right to expect that the foreign
Office viii give full explanation Of thess
events. and of the role PLAYED by some
members OF the British legation
In view OF the fact that the British
foreign Office has already made an in
quiry and established the fact that the
Russian accusations are unfounded. their
repetition is regarded in diplomatic cir
cles here as nothing short Of an affrOnt.
The agricultural statistics of ireland
show that there were 72.07 more acres
under cultivation in 1906 than in 1875,
the total being AIS pa acres
The increase under cereal crops was
81. .153- acres. under hay $3.50 acres. and un-
der fax 1881 acres. On the other hand
there was a decline Of 1851 acres under
green crops. The yield all round proved
above the average.
With regard 10 potatoes the acreage in
1895 was 6l6,l07 against 6l6555 in 1855,
while the average yield per acre was the
lowest In the United Kingdom, being 435
tons against 49l in Wales COS in Scot
land, and SIS in England. In 1865. Ire
lands potato average was 555 tOas per
acre. but that of the ten years lSe6-1305
was 4-e5
The Petit Bleu. Of Ostend, says il
has secured absolutely reliable conhrma-
ton OF its report recently discredited in
Berlin and London, TO the effect that an
important German steamship company
has opened negotiations with the Belgian
government for the purchase OF the Os-
tend Dover steamship line. which is By
no means a paying concern. A large
sum is reported TO have been offered.
but up to the present. at any rate. it Is
not believed that the negotiations have
been successful. The Petit Bleu ex-
presses a hope that the State will not
entertain any such proposals, as the up
keep of the Dover-Ostend line is a naa1v
ter OF national interest and sufhcientIy
important 20 be worth some financial sac
ri6ce. Referring 10 the denials published
a few days ago the paper expresses the
hope that they were the result of-the ex-
-asssra Of hn rtiau nud rhaf sh. r-orr,.-