THE ANNEXATION QUESTION.

Press, Volume XLI, Issue 6053, 9 February 1885, Page 3

THE ANNEXATION QUESTION.

[Bt Cablx.J [By Burcrsxo TauwArs—Cwraem. fSPSCIAt. TO PBBSB ASSOCIATION.] Received February 9th, 0.*5 a.m. LONDON, February 7. .. In connection with the .question of annexation of islands' in] the Pacific the following particulars have been published :— In August Prince Bismarck intimated to the Imperial Government that Germany would protest against the northern portion of (New Guinea being annexed by Great Britain. To this intimation Earl Granville replied.; that the limit of British annexation would be only the southern coast, and in September he informed Prince Bismarck that in consequence of the pressure brought by the Australian colonies the English Government had decided to protect all unoccupied territory except s small piece at the north of the island. Prince Bismarck objected to this, and in October Earl Granville reverted to the first intention of only annexirg the Southern coast. In December the Hon. Eobert Meade, one ef the Assistant Under Secretaries of the Colonial Office, who was despatched to Berlin, by the Foreign Office to make arrangemen*'B for, the making of a convention to adjudicate upon the rival claims to the Pacific lelauds, proposed at Berlin that Great Britain should possess exclusive protection over New Gninea, and that Germany should be recognised a$ /having a protectorate over New Britaii, New Ireland, and York Islands. Hβ also proposed to

neutralise the remaining unoccupied islands of the Pacific, and he specially referred to Samoa and Tonga. He further suggested that England should offer a small concession in Africa to France, providing the latter gave up all claim to the New Hebrides. Prince Bismarck refused. To this Earl Granville answered that the proposed annexation of the northern portion of New Guinea by Germany would lead to strained relations with the colonies, and Prince Bismarck replied that the internal policy would be unaffected so far as as Germany was concerned, and he insisted on the fulfilment of the promises made in October. In January Earl Granville agaia-protested against the German annexation of the northern portion of New Guinea, . prior to the appointment of the proposed commission, and at the same time intimated that England had now extended her protectorate as far as Huon Gulf. He also charged Germany with intriguing for Samoa. On the receipt of this Prince Bismarck instantly wired that the proposed extension to the Huon Gulf would probably involve a collision of interests. Earl Granville explained that he was unaware that Germany desired any of the territory to the Southward of the Gulf named, and he also admitted that there wa3 a treaty which provided that neither England nor New Zealand wished to annex Samoa at present.