The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1885.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 75, 7 April 1885, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo

TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1885.

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The German colonising movement has been receiving a large amount of attention in the English Parliament and press. During a debate on the Steamship Subsidy Bill, Prince Bismarck gave an intelligible exposition of his policy, and it is one that should com' mand the sympathy of a Colonising nation like the English. Replying to Rintelen's objections to colonising ventures, Bismarck declared there was good prospect of building up a thriving mining industry at Angra Pequena,and obtaining a supply of cotton from the German producers in the Cameroons and New Guinea colonies. He stated that negotiations with England regarding the Cameroons territory were making satisfactory progress. In concluding his speech, Bismarck said since God's blessing had crowned the policy of Germany for twenty years, and as the Germans had withstood the foe in 1870 as a nation of brothers, party strife and dissension must not now be allowed to ruin the newly-founded empire. These words were received with great cheering in all parts of the House.

The feeling in England nppears to be one of genuine friendship for Germany. The differences which had arisen over the publication of a report of a confidential interview, and the friction caused by the African and New Guinea annexations, have been smoothed over by Count Bismarck's mission. With regard to German interests in West Africa, England concedes to Germany the whole of the Cameroons country, with the exception of tbe mission town Victoria, where the Germans are alleged to have hauled down the British flag. England further agrees not to interfere with any action Germany may take in the entire country, from the south bank of the Rio del Key, a small river emptying into the Bight of JJiafra, some distance north of the Cameroons, to the Gaboon, which enters the sea near the equator. Germany, on the other hand, recognises the supremacy of England over the country lying between the north bank of the Kio del Rey and Logo. This covers the basin of the Lower Niger. The German and English Governments have agreed to appoint a mixed Commission, to assemble at Capetown, for the purpose of adjudicating the claims of British subjects in the German territory, between the mouth of Orange River and Cape Freer, and the claims of German subjects in British territory on Walfich Bay and on islands near Angra Pequena.

The Blue Book correspondence which gave so much offence to Germany consisted in a report from Sir Edward Malet, Biitish Minister at Berlin, of an interview with Prince Bismarck at Berlin, during which the latter read to Sir Edward a despatch that he (Bismarck) had sent to Count Munster, the German Minister at London. This despatch was dated May 5, 1884, and the object was to show the British Government that England could render Germany signal service in the latter's policy of colonial extension. In case England should undertake to grant this favour, the despatch indicated that Germany, in return, would support English interests nearer home. The defcpatdi further gaveit to be understood that in the event of failure to secure the desired arrangement with England, Germany would be under the necessity of seek-

ing from France) on similar torms, the assistance England had refused. Sir Edward Malet asked Bismarck what Germany wanted j did she want New Guinea or ? Bismarck replied that it was impossible for him ttt answer Sir Edward's query. Germany had now como to an understanding with France, and this precluded him from making any farther explanations. Thepublicationofthis synopsis of the official instructions sent by Germany to her ambassador in London, shown in confidence to Sir E. B. Malet, was undoubtedly ill-advised, and Earl Granville, in the House of Lords, made the amende honorable, which was frankly accepted. Count Bismarck's mission afterwards cleared away the lingering trar-.es. tff disagreement. Tn the. HoUoe of Commons on March 12th, Lord Fitzmaurice, Under Foreign Secretary, admitted that there had been a passing cloud of misund rstanding with Germany, which, however, had happily been removed. Mr Gladstone declared that he would stand behind no man in the value he attached to the friendship of Germany. [Great cheering throughout the House.] He must sayi however, he wan not pre-. pared to admit that tile friendship of at\y country in tlie world was now, or ever had been, necessary to enable England to maintain her position. He thought where Germany's colonisation operations were bona fide and consistent with the rights of all parties, England, with due regard to the claims of her own colonists, ought to meet Germany in no grudging spirit, and should refrain from discussing the occupation of this or that spot after the manner of hucksters, showing a disposition to grudge what we are unable to hold. If Germany became a colonising power, he would only say God-speed to her. He hoped she would become England's partner and ally in the work of civilising the world. This was the spirit in which he viewed the matter, regardless of this or that despatch. Germany would have the best and heartiest wishes of the English Government, and every encouragement which it was in their power to give. [Great cheering.]

John Bright has been more decisive still in his denunciation of the insatiable earth hunger which lies at the bottom of much of tho opposition and angry feeling manifested towards German colonisation* Speaking at Birmingham, lie said : —

''Thoro is a spirit which is by no means dead, and that is tho spirit which is raised and cherished by tho editors of whom I havo spokon. Thoy cultivato as much as they can a hunger for more territory ; thoy havo beon lamenting that tho Colonial Otlico has not annexed a great island in tho South Pacific, an island so groat that it may bo called almost v continont; and thoy complain because a few Germans havo occupied a small portion of that vast torritory. They do not jeein to bo awaro of tho fact that in tho United States thoro aro no emigrants to that country who nro moro highly prized by tho country than tho Gormana who take rofugo among them and make their homes thoro. Then they want moro torritory, moro colonios, moro taxes, becauso, as you oxtondyour territory you lay yoursolves open to demands continually for greater fleets, moro expenditure, and heavier taxes, and at tho same timo you lay yourselves open to greater chances of dispute and greater peril of diflbrencos with other nations. Theso men seem to havo road history without, gathoring cithorfonao or knowlodgo from it."

While we fully agree that the neutralisation of Samoa and Tonga is the best solution of the international difficulties which environ the problem of government in those islands, and that it would be damaging to New Zealand—lying, as both groups do, on the direct track of commerce between this colony and America — for them to pass under a foreign flag, we have no sympathy either with the Australian doctrine of exclusive rights over the South Pacific, nor do we participate in the unreasoning jealousy of German colonisation. We rather hail, with Mr Gladstone and Mr Bright, the advent of an enlightened nation like the Germans ns a new civilising agent in countries now delivered over to barbarism.