ODE LONDON LETTER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 8323, 10 November 1887, Page 5

ODE LONDON LETTER.

[from OtTE OWN COEBIBPONDENT.T London, Sept. 28. SAMOA. • Dr Tanner, M.P. for Mid-Cork, is known in the House of Commons more as a schoolboy buffoon than as anything approaching to the nature of a politician ; but there seems little doubt that he was making a good shot at the truth when he asked Sir James Ferguson in the House on Monday night whether it was really the fact that Her Majesty’s Government had cried peecaoi to the German Consul in Samoa. The conduct of the Germans in Samoa bears a very strong resemblance to that of the French in the Hew Hebrides j that is •to say, there is the same disregard lor treaty obligations, the same excuse for the landing of troops, and the same virtual occupation of the principal island of the group. The only circumstance which distinguishes the action of the Germans from that of the French is that the conduct of the latter was to a certain extent unexpected, while that of the former is simply an extension of the policy they have been pursuing all along in Samoa, where they have always been hostile to Malietoa. The German official press put forward in a vague way in addition to their complaints of pilfering and trespassing on the part of Malietoa, the assertion that insults were offered to the German Emperor on the recent celebration in Samoa of his birthday. They also dwell very strongly upon the moral delinquencies of Malietoa, just as if no stone could be thrown against Tamaeese in that respect. They, however, reiterate that there is no intention of altering the status of the Treaty Powers by any steps which have been taken with regard to Malietoa. The British Foreign Office seems disposed to accept these assurances, though everybody who is prepared to accept facts as facts laughs at the idea of being asked to believe that Germany can upset the reigning King of Samoa, and put a creature of her own in his place without very seriously disturbing the relations which have subsisted between the three Powers interested in the group. If Tamasese is to be elevated to the throne backed up by the power of Germany, it is not likely that he will show himself amicably disposed towards Great Britain, or even towards the United States, between whom and Germany there is at present some amount of tension. The Washington Government are no better pleased than ourselves at the turn affairs have taken, but whether they will at the approaching Washington Conference throw their influence on the side of the British representative cannot be said. So far as one can learn the holders of land in Samoa in American names have parted with their interest therein to British subjects, so that one powerful motive for the active interference of the United States has been removed, and Great Britain is practically left to settle matters with Germany as best she may, tbe United States retaining little more than a sentimental interest in the group. k Sir J. B. Thurston is now in England, and before the leading officials of the Foreign and Colonial Offices had left London for their holidays, he had several interviews with them. He was sent for by the Foriegn Office a fortnight yesterday, when the first intimation of what was happening in Samoa reached this country. Ho is reported at this meeting to have spoken his mind very candidly, and to have frankly told the officials that, had Lord Palmerston been at the head 'of affairs, conduct like that of Prance in the New Hebrides, and Germany in New Guinea and Samoa, would not have been permitted, and that the vacillation, hesitation, and weakness displayed by Great Britain In dealing with Pacific questions, was the main source of all the difficulties we had in that quarter of the globe. What the Foreign Office authorities said in reply has not transpired, but their thoughts must have gone back to the time when Mr Deakin and Sir Graham Berry indulged in similar vigorous plain-speaking at tbe Colonial Conference. Sir J. Thurston has now gone into the country in a frame of mind the reverse of satisfactory, for he thinks that his prospects of successful negotiations at the Washington Conference are very considerably imperilled. The ostensible explanation of Germany’s conduct is that she wishes to consolidate her influence over Samoa, and ultimately to bring the group under her flag. In support of this view Prince Bismarck’s saying is quoted, " Wherever the trade goes 1 will go too; ” that is to say that he will plant the German flag wherever the the Germans have created a trade. Bat there is another theory put forward, which finds acceptance in many well-informed quarters. The entire interests of Germany in Samoa lies in the Company which took over the affairs of Messrs Goddefroi and Son, the great German traders in the Pacific. This Company, the Handels und Plantagen Gesellschaft, is believed to be by no means satisfied with their pecuniary success in Samoa, and to be quite willing to be bought out of the group. But a good deal of the stock of this Company is held by high personages in Berlin, and its managers are believed to be the ear of the Foreign Office. It is said, therefore, that Germany is creating the present state of affairs in Samoa, partly with a view of inducing the Australasian Colonies to buy out the Handels und Plantagen Gesellschaft, and partly to increase the nominal valne of that Company’s interest, when the proposal is made to assess the same. This view coincides with the opinion which has always prevailed in Anglo-Colonial circles here, that the German-Samoan difficulty is purely a question of cash, and if the Hew Zealand Government chose to do so they could buy out German interests, and practically take possession of the group. If the Samoan problem is to be solved in a manner satisfactory to Australasia, the Colonies will have to take the initiative, and it is no use disguising this fact. Amongst those over here who watch Pacific questions there is not a great amount of sympathy with the attitude taken up by Australasia in this regard, and this feeling prevails almost as much amongst An glo-Australasians ' as amongst Home politicians. It is felt that they want something which is unreasonable. If they desire to keep other Powers out of the Pacific their plan should be to say to the Imperial Government, “ If you will annex such and such islands of importance we will bear the expense of annexation and administration, inasmuch as the annexation is to be undertaken for our.benefit and protection.” To a request preferred in this fashion the Imperial Government would find it impossible to give a refusal. But the attitude of the Australasian Colonies, as declared at the Sydney Convention, amounted to saying that they did not mean to incur the trouble and expense of annexing such islands, as it was important for them to have in their possession at once so as to prevent other Powers taking them, but they desired to have the South Pacific declared a close preserve, and to be able to appropriate the various islands as tljey wanted them. But a policy like this is manifestly impracticable. At present tbe South Pacific is Australasia’s if the Australasians like to pay for it, although they will now have to pay much more than they would-have done ten years ago; but they cannot expect to get it for nothing. The current idea seems to be to get it at the expense of the British taxpayer. But that is out of the question, and persons in influential positions in England are beginning to speak out strongly upon this pomt. .Wixeaever a Colonial in society commences to moot Pacific questions, and evinces a disposition to complain of the conduct, apathy, or indifference of the British Government, he is at once met with the remark that the Colonies show an unreasonable expectation that the Imperial authorities will embroil themselves in quarrels with other Powersover.mattersin.which-the.-El^panß

at large has a minor stake, or that they will embark in undertakings involving the tft.Y-pfl.yftf in considerable expense* which, cannot be justified on the score of Imperial importance. This feeling lies at the root of a great deal of the apparent indifference ■ to Colonial interests, with which the Foreign and Colonial Offices are often reproached. The plain fact is, that no English statesman dare run the risk or plunging the Empire into war oyer a matter of minor local interest, and m regard to which, even the persona locally interested—as witness the divergence of view -between Victoria and New couth Wades on the New Hebrides question—are not of a unanimous opinion, and which, also, it is within the power of the portion of the Empire locally concerned to settle for itself. It has been remarked by niany persons in this country who watch Colonial affairs with interest, that, if Australasia desires to maintain exclusive predominance in the South Pacific, her proper plan is to raise a loan of one or two millions in order to buy out such other Foreign Powers as can be bought out, and pay for the annexation and administration of such portions of the .Pacific as. for her own interests, she considers ought to be brought under the British flag. . . ■ Mr Kinloch Cooke has given the British public the benefit of his opinions on the Samoan question in the shape of a long letter in tbe Times. Sir Peter Scratchley b qnopdam Private Secretary claims special consideration for his remarks on the ground that they are not taken from Blue Books or official documents, but are the result of observations made on the spot. An unsophisticated person might be so rash as to suppose that the calmly-matured opinions of British Consuls and diplomatists would be of more value than the hasty reflections of a garrulous globe-trotter ; but such is not the opinion of Mr Kmloch Cooke. THE NEW HEBRIDES. The Paris correspondent of the Times ia responsible for the statement that a settlement of the Suez Canal and the New Hebrides questions is on the verge of completion, while the well-known Vienna newspaper, the Political Correspondence, informs ua of the main terms of the latter, namely, the evacuation by Franco of the islands; and the entrusting to each Government of the duty of watching over the interests of its subjects. Practically, therefore, the New Hebrides are to be neutralised, as is proposed to be done in the case of the Suez Canal. Should this story turn out. to he true it will be the best nows we have had for some time, and will constitute a-•distinct triumph for .Lord Salisbury. One strong basis of probability for the rumour ia the fact that Lord Salisbury is very anxious to settle some of the questions in dispute between Great Britain and other Powers, in order that he may set off ms achievements in the field of foreign affairs against the moderate success of his domestic policy. The noble marquis is now staying at his chateau in Normandy, and has had several interviews with M. Flourens, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, as possibly the settlement of the Suez Canal and New Hebrides questions, of which the Times’ correspondent speaks, may have been the result of these meetings between the English and French statesmen. Meanwhile, the latest news from Australia points to a serious revival of the difficulty connected with the . treatment of French escapees from New Caledonia. The recurrence of this unpleasantness in an acute form has attracted comment on this side, and is held to justify the stringent legislation which the Australasian Colonies propose to take to protect themselves against the recidiviste nuisance. Information received from Paris indicates that, whatever. they may say to the contrary, the French Government have not abandoned the idea of transportation, and from statements .proceeding from official sources, .it may ho gathered that they intend to utilise convict labour to a greater extent in the future for the purpose of preparing the way for free settlers. M. Etienne, Under-Secretary for the Colonies, has addressed a dispatch to the Governors of Now Caledonia and Guiana, soliciting their co-eperation in facilitating immigration into those Colonies. He confesses that hitherto emigrants to the French Colonies have been easily discouraged by their first difficulties, and have often had to bo shipped back as paupers. But he thinks good results might be secured if convict labour was utilised for doing the rough work of clearing the settlement, and for tilling, roadmaking, and building settlements. ,M. Etienne suggests, for 500 or GOO persons might be founded in the unoccupied regions,' 'allowing at least 50 acres per household. The land might he cleared and the villages .built by convicts, and the farms then offered to emigrants, who would pay for them by instalments. When the village was. fairly started the convicts could erect the necessary public buildings, and then be withdrawn to begin the same ■process elsewhere. M. Etienne’s suggestions read very well on paper, but it is not apparent how they could be carried on in New Caledonia, for it is understood that there is little additional room there either for free settlers or for convicts. Both the Spectator and the Saturday Review of Sept. 10 contained articles upon the New Hebrides question and French convictism in the Pacific. The Spectator expatiated on the folly of the French supposing that they could rear a healthy Colony out of a penal settlement, while the Saturday Review commented very favourably upon the suggestion thrown out by M. Macquet, a French writer, that if the Australians are seriously troubled by the influx of escaped convicts on to their shores, they should flog them severely when they catch them. It believes that this course, if systematically and rigidly carried out, would have a most beneficial deterrent effect, and that the escaped recidiviste would think twice about coining to Australia if he knew he would be flogged if caught there. ; . CRICKET. The , two' English cricketing teams ■which are visiting Australia this year left on Saturday 'in'the Orient line steamer Iberia, namely, Shaw, Shrewsbury, and tilywhite’s team, which is going to New South ‘ Wales, and the team which has been arranged by the Melbourne C. C. The -Melbourne Club team consists of the . Hon. M. B. Hawke, Yorks; Mr G. F. Vernon, Middlesex, captain; Mr W. W. ' Read, Surrey; MrM. P. Bowden, Surrey; Mr A. C. Sfcoddart, Middlesex; Mr T. C. O’Brien, Middlesex; Mr A. C. Newton, | Somersetshire ; K. Abel, Surrey ; J. T. Kawlin, Yorks ; K. Feel, Yorks; W. Bates, Yorks ; J. Beaumont, Surrey; andW. Atte- ■ well, Notts. The New South Walesteam consists of:—Mr C. A. Smith, Sussex, captain ; Mr W. Newham, Sussex; Mr Q. Brann, Sussex; Mr L. C. Docker, Derby; A. Shrewsbury, Notts; M. Read, Surrey; G. A. Lohmansa. Siiprey; J. Briggs, Lancashire ; E. Pilling, Lancashire;, G. Ulyetfc, Ypriift; J- h[- Preston, Yorks; A. _D. Pougher, Leicestershire; arid J. Lillywhite, Sussex. These two teams will make the eleventh which have visited Australia from England, the first visit being made in 1861. The dates of the visits of the previous teams, and the names of the captains are as follows 1861, H. H. Stephenson; 1863, G. Parr; 1873, Mr W. G. Grace; 1876, J. Lillywhite; 1878, Lord Harris; 1881, Alfred Shaw; 18S2, Hon Ivo Bligh; 1884, Shaw, Shrewsbury, and Lilly white; 1886, Shaw, Shrewsbury, and Lillywhite. These nine teams played a total of 183 matches, of 1 which 92 were won by the Englishmen, 22 lost, and 69 drawn. The most successful team was that of Mr W. G. Grace in 1873, which played 15 matches, of which 10 were wori, three' lost, and two drawn. Next in point of success was that of the Hon Ivo Bligh in 1882, which, out of 17 matches, gained nine, lost three, and had five drawn. A doubt is felt in cricketing circles hero as to whether both these teams can be a success, and, from what we learn, the same opinion prevails in Australia, for, just as the Iberia was getting up steam a tug rushed alongside bearing a telegram from New South Wales, predicting a big failure for Shaw, Shrewsbury, and Lillywhite s team, owing to the divided support likely to ha accorded to it by tho cricketing authorities in Sydney, and the difficulty of arranging matches. The fact of both teams going out together is also regretted,

because, apart from the illfeeling likely to be engendered in the Colony by the acute competition between the two, it is felt that English cricket will ho placed at a disadvantage. Hitherto we have always sent our strongest teams to Australia, but it is obvious that the beat team we could turn out would consist of the beat men in each of the two rival teams, so that instead of a pick of English talent being concentrated in one single team it is divided between the two, and the chances of both being defeated are very much increased. Shrewsbury this year for the second time is at the head of the batting averages his figures showing 1063 runs for twentyone completed innings—an average of 78*7. ‘ MELBOURNE AND MANCHESTER. Great interest ia being felt by Lancashire merchants in the Melbourne Centennial Exhibition, and a desire is expressed that Lancashire should be represented, there on a scale commensurate with its Australasian commerce. The total, exports from Great Britain to Australasia in 1885 amounted to a little over twenty-five millions sterling, and out of this eight millions consisted of Lancashire produce, so that that County may claim to enjoy nearly 33 per cent, or one-third of the Australasian export trade. Such being the case Manchester is naturally anxious to be well representediat Melbourne. At a special general meeting of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, held last week, it was decided to communicate with the London Committee of the Exhibition, requesting them to obtain from the Melbourne Executive facilities for a Lancashire annexe, a demand which is quite justifiable in view of the‘extent of the commercial connection between Lancashire and Australasia. The request has been very favourably entertained by the London Committee, but the impression exists that difficulties are being made on the other side. However, Sir Graham Berry will go down to Manchester and address the Chamber of Commerce on the subject nest week. The Lancashire people are likely to require 100,000 ft of space, which, allowing for passages, &c., will mean 150,000, so that their request is. rather a “large order,” and the Melbourne Executive may be pardoned for not liking the idea of the trouble involved in a separate section'of this size. But it would be such a manifest feature at the Exhibition that an effort, might be made to accommodate the Lancashire people. CATTAIN COOK. Sir Saul Samuel, the Agent-General for New South Wales, has just obtained possession of two very interesting collections of relics of the famous circumnavigator, which are going out to Australia, to be placed in the Museum of Cook antiquities now in course of formation by the New South Wales Government. One of them, tho larger of the two, was on view at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition. The greater number of these belonged to a country rector, a descendant of one of Captain Cook’s brothers, and the remainder were the property of other individuals, from whom Sir Saul obtained them either as gifts or purchases. The collection consists of a goodly muster of clubs and other lethal weapons with which the South Sea Islander was wont to settle differences of opinion with his fellow-creatures. Perhaps the most interesting article ia a large feather cloak, which was placed upon Captain Cook's shoulders by Kalaniopuu, King of the Sandwich Islands, on Jan. 20, 1779, about three weeks before he was wounded. At that time Cook was in high favour with the Sandwich Islanders, who believed him to be a god. There is also an ornamental waistcoat, made out of Tahiti cloth, a helmet, a dress-sword, some shoe buckles, and the Bible out of which he conducted Divine service in the course of his three voyages in the Endeavour and the Resolution. An ear-ring made from New Zealand jade (which was presented to him by a Maori chief), an account of the transit of Venus in his own handwriting, an Oriental box, a piece of the rock on which he was killed, and an arrow said to have been fashioned out of the small-hone of his leg, exhaust the list of articles specially worthy of mention in this collection. The second collection is not so large, but more interesting, and the story of its discovery is almost romantic. On his first voyage Captain Cook was accompanied by Mr, afterwards Sir, Joseph Banks, the famous naturalist. Sir Joseph Banks had a house in Soho square, in which he lived up to the time of his death in 1820. Some years ago this house came into the possession of a Mr Calvert. The tenant who was occupying it failed to meet his engagements, and in 1859 Mr Calvert took over some of his property. On examining the same and inspecting the house generally with a view to having it redecorated, Mr Calvert discovered an attic in the house which was divided into three apartments. A portion of it was cut off from the rest of the apartment by a wall, which everyone living in the house seemed to have thought was a permanent structure. The landlord, however, discovered that it was simply a wooden partition, and on being pulled down, three small compartments were disclosed to view. One of these, the smallest af the three, was found to be full of curiosities, which bore labels in Sir Joseph Banks’ handwriting, stating them to have been brought from the South Seas by Captain Cook in the Endeavour. They were all arranged in an orderly manner, and it is believed that Sir Joseph Banks was iri the habit of making use of them to illustrate some lectures which he delivered on Captain Cook and his discoveries. I may mention that an immense mass of Sir Joseph Banks’ private correspondence was found in one of the other two compartments, and this • furnished ample evidence of the authenticity of the handwriting on the labels. There are a few clubs and spears amongst these curiosities, but they are of the ordinary Pacific Island-type, and call for no special mention. The two most noteworthy objects are a couple of preserved heads of New Zealand Maoris, which are really wonderful to look at when one reflects that they must be considerably more than a hundred years old. Tho heads have evidently been removed from the bodies, cleaned out, and then tho flesh and the skin of the face and head have been subjected to some tanning, hardening and preservative process, which has caused it to adhere firmly to the bones, so that the two heads look like those of a mummy. They are in a wonderful state of preservation. The hair remains on the scalp, the skin of the faces is without a scratch, the bright mahogany colour of the Maori complexion has been preserved, ! the tatooing is as clever and distinct as it j is on the face of a Maori of to-day, the I expression of the features is most natural and life-like, and both skulls possess their full complement of sound white teeth, showing that there was little scope for dental surgery amongst the Maoris of a hundred years ago. One of the skulls, the owner, of which was, perhaps, a Maori " masher ” when alive, has two jade orna--1 rnents hanging from the ears. The pieces are about the length and shape of a man’s little finger, and highly polished. At one end a hole is bored, through which is passed a strip of Native twine, which then passes through a hole in the ear. There are several greenstone adzes and axeheads, the shaping and polishing of which must clearly have been the work of a lifetime —if, of course, the Maoris had no steel . implements to work with.' One of them is so beautifully cut and polished that Sir Francis Bell thinks it must represent tho labour of at least two lifetimes. Tho carving on some half-dozen paddles which form part of the collection is truly artistic, and considering that it must all have been done with a flint intrument deserves to rank on a level with the woodwork in the Indian Court of last year’s Exhibition. Some clever carving is shown on a curiously shaped little wand, evidently an emblem of authority, and on the handle of this is scratched in Captain Cook’s handwriting, “Made for me by Wonga.—J. C.” Amongst the other minor curiosities are a shallow wooden howl with a lip at one end, said to have i been used for catching the blood from the human sacrifice, and handing it round for the assembled cannibals to drink ; and the miniature figure of a woman carved on the ends of an ivory tusk. The label describes this as an exact representation of the figurehead of the ship Endeavour, and as

having been carved ’ by a sailor on board named Jackson.

There ia one curious little feature in connection with these relics, namely, that Sir Joseph Banks by his will left his antiquarian objects of interest and the contents of his museum to the Trustees of the British Museum, and it is suggested that these authorities may lay claim to the relics which Sir Saul Samuel has just purchased. The A gent-General of New South Wales will probably solve the difficulty by getting the collection out of the country as soon as possible. Sir Saul Samuel is also trying to ascertain what became of the two ships in which Captain Cook made hie three voyages round the world, the Endeavour and the Resolution. The Admiralty are affording him every assistance in this search, hut bo far he has not met with success. AOSTBALASIAW NAVAL DEi’ENCK Forms the subject of a letter to the Times, written by Lord Brassey, and dated from Sydney. The noble lord describes the present Australasian squadron as being inadequate to the wants of the situation, and asks that it should be strengthened, even beyond the extent implied by the creation of an auxiliary Australian fleet. He bases this demand on the fact that the Prussian fleet in the Pacific is much stronger than the squadron in Australian waters; but he seems to leave the China fleet entirely out of consideration. In case of a war with Russia, the Pacific fleet of this power would be confronted in the first instance by the Chinese squadron, and it would only he in the event of this squadron being defeated that the Australian fleet would he called upon to act. There is, however, a good deal of soundness in Lord Brassey’s suggestion that British men-of-war should be withdrawn from stations where they are not wanted, such as those on the American coast, and placed in vital portions of the Empire, which are at present insufficiently defended. He also recommends that the officer in command of the ironclad which, under the new arrangement, is to he permanently stationed in New Zealand, should have the rank of commodore. The Colony, he points out, is separated by a wide stretch of waters from the Australian ports, and is not always gratified as frequently as the Colonists desire by the presence of a ship of war. There is no doubt that it would be an advantage to Australasia to have the British fleet in the South Pacific increased, and there is much to he said for Lord Brassey’s suggestion that some of the oldfashioned ironclads should be utilised for the duties of the police of the Pacific, and thus enable the newer ships to be employed solely upon the work of protection. A DISOKACEFUIi SCENE ' was witnessed at the well-known sporting grounds at Lillie Bridge on Monday. Two professional runners, H. Hutchens, of London, and Harry Gent, of Darlington, were to run a race of a hundred and twenty yards for .8100 a-side. As is usual at pedestrian contests, a crowd of several thousand persons of the rougher sort, and including many well-known bookmakers, assembled on the grounds. The bookmakers ascertained that they had been backing the wrong man, and prevailed on some of the roughs to obstruct the course and prevent the race being run. Finding this was the situation of affairs, Gent and Hutchens prudently beat a quiet retreat, otherwise they might have been roughly handled by the mob. A row being apparently inevitable, the gatekeepers also got out of the way, taking the money with them. Seeing that no race was coming off some of the spectators applied to have their money returned, but found that both money and money-takers had quitted the scene. The departure of Gent and Hutchens was not found out until they had been gone about half an hour, and then simultaneously the discovery was made that the money could not be refunded. A wild spirit of vengeance thereupon seizes hold of the mob. They tore the palings, wrecked the pavilion, the refreshment rooms, the stands, and the gymnasium, a,nd, piling up the debris, set fire to the whole. In fact, they converted the whole grounds into one scene of wreck and ruin. The few police on the scene wore utterly unable to cope with the rioters, and it was not until the arrival of a strong body of constables that the mob was dispersed. Hutchens will be well known to Australian sportsmen, because he visited that Colony in the autumn of 1884, and ran very unevenly, but on the whole creditably. His antagonists were (Samuels, Malone, Clarke, and Trinder.