GERMANY'S COLONIES.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15338, 23 July 1915, Page 7

GERMANY'S COLONIES.

OPERATIONS REVIEWED.

STATEMENT BY MR BONAR LAW

TRIBUTES TO COLONIAL

ACHIEVEMENTS

LONDON, July 21. In the discussion on the Colonial Office vote, Mr Bonar Law, Secretary for the Colonies, made a statement concerning the military operations against the Gorman colonies. He eaid the Germans in Africa. .13 in Europe, had been much better prepared for war than wo had been, but the spirit Britishers had shown in the various colonies, and the manner they had volunteered for service, was evidence that the spirit which built up the Empire was never stronger and more marked than at the present time. The natives also were most loyal. ■ Mr Bonar Law paid a tribute to the gallantry of the Canadians, New ZeaLanders, and Australians, and expressed admiration of the quality of their troops and the services rendered by them to the Empire. Mr Bonar Law stated that when war began our commerce was much interfered with by German cruisers, assisted ,by the wireless stations in the Pacific and Africa. It wae therefore of the utmost importance to obtain possession of, or destroy, those stations. The most -nowerful one was in the German Pacific Islands, and the suggestion was made that Australia and New Zealand should take possession of the islands containing the stations. They agreed, and New Zealand undertook U> seize Samoa. "Within a, week the New Zealand Expeditionary Force was ready, and Now Zealand occupied Samoa on the last day in August. (Cheers.) The Pacific islands which the Commonwealth undertook to deal with, were of importance, as they included German New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, and the .Solomons. The Australian Forces wore large and were escorted by three Australian warships, one of. which was in at the death of the Emden. (Cheers.) The occupation of the islands did not take place without some fighting, but within a few months of the outbreak of war all the islands were in our possession. In Togoland, the only German oversea colony which had paid its way without being subsidised by Germany, there was an immense wireless station, costing about £250,000, which was in communication with Berlin direct. The Germans destroyed this station before surrendering. "Wβ had not, he said, got possession of the Cameroons yot, but the German hold was precarious, and was not likely to last Ion*;. In the earlier stages of tho campaign in the Cameroons wo had suffered severe losses, and had had to retire to the Nigerian border, but with the assistance of the French, progress had been kept up. Wo had captured, on June 11th. a strong town, with a considerable number of prisoners and war material. Iv regard to South-We&t Africa, he observed that tho Germans wero consoling themselves that it had been won by the Dutch under a Dutch General. Tho Germans we.ro perfectly welcome to this consolation, but every citizen of the British Empire was pleased it was won by a self-governing Dominion, and that its Prime Minister was the General in command. Mr Bonar Law said he was eorry to bo unable to give ;in account of a complete victory in East Africa, or even, an advance. The position there was largely a stalemate. From every British possession had come men to join forces with England. That was a fimj record for us as a nation. Wo could say that neither business nor luxury had eapoed tho courage of the race, nor made it loss able to fight than in tho dflys when lighting was necessary for tho existence of our l&npire. Our native levies had fought well and gallantly, and nowhere showed a want of discipline, nor had ■they committed excesses. In one instance, where ono of the legs of a nia-chine-uuu tripod was shot away, two .'West African privates allowed themselves to be used as tho legs quite efficiently untir-tho enemy was driven off. All those who had read General lan

Hamilton's despatch must feel that neither in this nor any other war had creator courage been shown than that of the Australians and the New Zealanders in tho landing at GallipoH. (Cheers.) A NATIONALIST'S VIEWS. (Received July '22nd, 0.30 p.m.) "LONDON, July 2i. In the House of Commons, after Mr Bonar Law had spoken, Mr T. P. O'Connor said he hoped, for the .sake of tho inhabitants of tho captured German colonies?, they would never be aikod to exchange beneficent British rule for Gorman, That would be a poor return sor tho valour of our .soldiers. Tho Government's pledge to consult tho Dominions upon European policy at the conclusion of tho war had removed a reproach felt jn Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and South Africa, which were pouring out their blood and treasure.