GERMAN AFRICA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8269, 14 October 1915, Page 3

GERMAN AFRICA.

BERLIN DESIGNS SMASHED BY BOTHA. General Botha's unrelenting pursuit of the Germans in South-West Afri;a and the practical eifaceroent of German power and the German Mag in every part, of the "Dark Continent" except German East Africa, where the .fight still rages, are events that form a, curious sequel to the' whole course of ' German policy in Africa. - The dramatic turn of the tide, by which Gor-; many's colonising ambitions in Africa have been completely overthrown, is doscribed with full details and aiaji'j documentation in a book entitled "The • Germans and Africa," by Mr Evans I Lewin, the librarian of the lloyal Colo--1 nial Institute. The book throws a clear light upon many events in South African history that have been very obscure hitherto, and it brings out in great prominence the fact that the neriod of 43, years, which elapsed fes-' tween the Franco-Prussian War and j the outbreak of . the Great War in, August last year, was utilised by Germany not only for making preparation ! for the struggle that she intended to bring on in Europe, but also in chal-. lenging Britain's ascendency in South j Africa^ and in making a determined effort to oust her and to replace her in that region of the world as well as in others. ' ; Earl Grey, who contributes an introduction to the book, cuts down to the root of the difference between British and German methods of colonisation. He remarks that, while Great j Britain has acquired colonies; either in order to protect ill-treated..natives.'dr.; to substitute peace, law, order, and prosperity for tyranny, bloodshed, famine, or war, or for legitimate purposes of trade, Germany has, in her colonisation, been actuated by military considerations. Her colonial policy has been. directed not by her business men but by her soldiers. She has created military settlements here and there, and has endeavoured to acquire strategical points which might serve as bases for future conquest. That was particularly evident in her Moroccan policy. It may be added thatat was equally evident in. her repealed attempts to connect German East Africa with German South-West Africa, .and thus create a German barrier, cutting off Cape Colorfy from the north—attempts which were brought to nothing by the shrewdness of Cecil Rhodes, who opened up Mashonaland, and .through the formation of the British South African Chartered Company drove a wedge between tho two German •possessions and kept tho road open to

the north. A very good idea of the ' colossal collapse of German ambitions^ in regard to oversea territorial expansion is afforded by Earl Grey Ts statement in. regard- to Morocco. He writes: — "Apart from the opportunity which the occupation of that- country would have given her to raise the natives ofAlgeria and Tunis in rebellion against the French, the southern harbours o£ Morocco, and especially Agadir, would have been an invaluable strategical base for attacking some of the most ,?#~ important sea routes .in the world, for fishting tho United States, for striking. at the Panama Canal, and for conquer- ■ ing Southern Brazil, where several hundred thousand Germans live in compact masses. If we draw a direct lina from Berlin to Pernambuco we find that Agadir lies almost exactly half-way between these two towns. This fact^ taken in connection with the ambitious character of German aims, and their . bearings on tho future of Brazil and the Monroe Doctrine, did not seem to be appreciated by the Americans whom I met in Canada in 1911. They apparently failed to recognise that British policy in opposing the Germanisation of Morocco aimed at the protection of American as wefl as British interests. 1* , . _,' The Germans proposed to erect_ * huge structure of territorial acquisitions upon the strategic base of Agadir, which they thought they could wrench from France without 'much difficulty. Britain vetoed the initial robbery, and the huge structure; has remained unbuilt. The reflection is prompted that if Lord Palmerston had /vetoed Bismarck's grab at Kiel as resolutely as Sir Edward Grey vetoed Kiderlen- , r^.^ Waecliter's grab at Agadir, the German ' craving to acquire the "overseas possessions of their nations .might have been deprived of the opportunity which gavo it a start, for Kiel would still be Danish,and the Kiel Canal in all probability non-existent. The . author o£ this book gives a very complete history k .of Gorman colonisation, in Africa—the " " origin of ' which he traces 'to a visit which President Burgers, of the Trans- '""" vaal .Republic, paid to Berlin in 1876. . The impression which disengages itself from a study of these vory informativechaptors is, that the whole scheme of, German colonisation was elaborated too hastily and its growth forced ta«* rapidly for permanence. Germany at^y- - - tempted to do in 40: years, what Britain j took four centuries to. accomplish. Her .failure has been thorough, for b«r I colonial empire, such as it was, baa disappeared.--" Sydney Daily Telegvaph."