The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-04
~

We have already seen that OF the
| strategic colonies Kiao-chow Is little
| likely TO have value other than that
| OF strategic position, that the great
area of German East Africa has an
enormous possibility of economic value
in future growth Because OF this fact
| that even an outpost whose principal
purpose IL to subserve some end OF
major politics may have the possibility
OF value In the soil on which 1t is set
we may repeat some OF the former colo
MES in the following review OF the
situation and possibilities OF the susten-
! tation colonies.
German Southwest Africa has been
considered in Berlin as OF great i'm
! portanCe and economic value. Its area
amounting to one and a quarter times
European Germany, IL OF little agricul-
tural account. its chief race OF blacks,
the Hereros. have involved the empire
| in an arduous and inconclusive war at
great expense and may at any time
cause more trouble. In fat the long
stretch of coast upon the South Atlantic
offers no port at which ships may en-
gage safely in commerce, for LuederltZ-
. buCht Is no more than an open road
stead. a. all times uncomfortable ard
frequently dangerous to the shipping
which may use II, and the only exit
for the commerce of the country is
through the English port of Walvisch
Bay. The great importance OF the pos
session lies in the presence OF damantif-
erous reefs OF great productivity. This
item OF the wealth OF the colony ad-
mits Germany at Amsterdam and in
Hatton Garden to the seats of the
mighty in this article of luxury. II is
matter Of common note that in British
South Africa there is such an over
production of the gem that the market
for diamonds would be swamped II 1t
were not strictly regulated by the few
men who are able TO control the out
put. 1t will he seen that Germany.
through the possession Of its reefs in
It's own colony, can threaten this syndi-
cate arrangement and is in position to
demand that the whole of its product
: be bought at its own price to forestall
ruinous competition which not even
the enormous combination OF British
capital could withstand.
, Nearer the equator on this west coast
of Africa wN have mentioned Togoland
: in the Nigeria and Congo neighborhood.
only $4,000 square miles, to which we
add for completion OF the record the
, small settlement OF Kamerun with but
! l9l square miles In Togoland there Is
, economic promise both in minerals and
, in agricultural products yet at the pres
ent il has lain quite undeveloped.
In German East Africa experimental
, culture has been made of the great
staples Of the tropical and sub-tropical
, agriculture, rubber, tea. coffee, kola.
qulnne and a long line OF rare drugs
and dyestuffs With characteristic
thoroughness the Colonial Government
. has been at pains to experiment with
, each Of these staples in State nurseries
, in the several climatic zones to de-
termine the most favorable soils the
, climates which best promise success. TO
campaign against the insect and fungus
pests which threaten the culture. Only
after these tests have received the an
proval OF the Governor at -Salam
: Is the colonist free to make his own
: plantation and to seek TO win such com
. mercial success as he may. In the last
few years there has been a steady in
: crease in the value OF colonial grown
, material for export, and the metropolis
has shown Itself capable OF absorbing
all the consgnments from the African
/, hill lands.
= What may lie behind the first shore
{ ward mile of the New Guinea colony II
A is impossible now to determine, for the
l foot Of the explorer has scarcely left the
{ beach; the great midland river, the
: kaiserin Augusta Fluss, Is known only
$ in brief and rather timorous reconnois.
sance. The value OF New Guinea at the
( present, equally the value Of the Caro-.
lines, the Ladrones, the Marshalls and
. OF Samoa. lies in a single product
@ Copra.
Thus we recur to the basis of Theodor
= Weber's dream. which has become a
r colonial empire nearly four times the
4 size of that continental German empire
I which was proclaimed at Versailles, for
r Weber dealt with the future only In
= terms OF the cocoanut product. The fig.
= ures of copra production are very easil,
n carried in the head; a ton OF sun dried
copra is the product OF $500 nuts: eacf
Y tree at ten years of age and for the next
I century will produce at least 100 nuts
= trees may he planted almost anywhere
n Mt a distance of thirty feet in quin.
= cunX order, and they need no care In
= planting or rearing to the producine
o age OF Ave years. The trade at first