CURRENT TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12397, 10 January 1901, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

The present discussion concerning Fiji recalls some of the early attempts

to give the islands a fixed form of Government. The group was ceded to Britain in 1374, after a good deal of hesitation on both sides. Writing in the August number of “Temple Bar” two years earlier, the Earl of Pembroke gave an amusing account of an attempt made by the Fijians to establish constitutional government. The earl was in Fiji during the period of which he spoke, and probably helped to shape -events. “An infectious political fever raged through the township- of Levuka and spread rapidly,” we are told. “ Those who really had and knew how to use them, set themselves to work upon the most plausible plans; the rest asked each other vaguely, ‘ I say, old boy, do you know how to make a Constitutionbut, as may be imagined, there were none in Fiji who had been brought up to that line of business, though there were few trades unrepresented.” Public meetings were held every day, and the discussions were often fierce and stormy. There was no one recognised king of Fiji and no single authority to appeal to. It certainly seemed a hopeless task to establish law and order, and the white residents were further disappointed when the British Consul refused to countenance the proceedings. At length the form and principles of the new Government were generally agreed upon. “A representative of both worlds, a lawyer who had turned parson,” says the Earl of Pembroke, “drew up the Constitution in legal form, reconciling the work with his second profession by saying that he did it as a ‘ labour of love.’ But I suppose the instincts of his first profession were too strong for him, for when he appeared before a public meeting to read them the document, he demanded a ‘remuneration’ for his services. One wicked man suggested that they had been deceived by the expression ‘by these presents ’ in the beginning of the document, but he was instantly suppressed. After a stormy discussion, in which the lawyer predominated over the parson, he shook the dust .off his feet, put the Constitution in his pocket, and took ship for New Zealand.” Next year the British Government was forced to pay attention to thg demands of the white residents, and the negotiations then opened ultimately led to the annexation of the group.

Mr John P. Holland, the submarine famous inventor of the subnavigation.' marine torpedo boat whidh . bears h-is name, and which has been' purchased by the United States Government, is making preparations for one of the most interesting experiments that has ever been mad© in connection- with ocean traffic.' It is his intention- to-at-tempt to travel 3500 miles under the sea. He is making preparations to start out in a new submarine boat he has invented. He will first -of all go to- Bermuda, thence to Fayal, in the Azores Islands, and then straight on to Lisbon. The plans for the voyage, it is stated, have been very carefully and thoroughly prepared, and Air Holland -entertains no fear of failure. The rea-1 object of the trip is to demonstrate the fallacy of the opinion that submarine boats cannot sustain themselves -at a great distance from a base of operations; that they are useless -as an offensive weapon against a country on. the ether side of the sea; and that their mission, M they have one at all, is for only -coastal defence. Air Holland also desires to show (his boat in foreign harbours' to foreign Governments. He has the utmost confidence in “ No-. 7,” as it is called. There will be eight other men on board. It has been urged -against -submarine boats that if they were sent very far, the crew would not be able to stand the confinement. An attempt will be made to show that this also is a fallacy, but, to guarantee the men against any hardship, -an extra crew will be carried in a tender which will accompany “No. 7.” The inventor, who (has been interviewed on the subject, says that those in the tender will envy him and his crew when storms come on. While they are being knocked about on the surface of the water, he will quietly sink to where everything is still and placid. The little vessel seems to have been fitted up with all possible convenience -and modern appliances. The cooking will- be done by electricity, which will also- be used for lighting and such heating as is considered necessary. The ventilation, it is said, will be so well provided for that it will be much better" than that on -the best steamer afloat. The start will be made from the Holland Company’s yards in Bayonne, and it is proposed to make .the trip next month.

The coal famine in Ausatjstbalian tralia seems to be only coal and a temporary affair, mainly the British due to the holidays in connavy. nect-ion with the Commonavealth celebrations, and it is not likely to lessen the indignation that has been caused by the British Admiralty ignoring the mines in New South Wales. At present the war vessels in Chinese waters are being supplied with Cardiff coal at a cost of about £3 5s a ton, and it is alleged that Newcastle or Illawarra steam coal could be landed in Hongkong at 55s a ton. The latter price ivas actually quoted to the Admiralty, but the gentlemen in authority, Avhile admitting that Newcastle coal was all they could require for steam purposes, objected that it “ not being smokeless, it might interfere Avith the vessels signalling Avith one another.” If the matter rested here it might, as the “Daily Express ” observes, be allowed to pass. Butwhat are lie facts? America and Germany are both fairly up to date in everything of this kind, and their navies are draAviug large supplies of coal from New South Wales at about half the price Great Britain is paying for her fuel. No one Avill deny, of course, that the smoke from Newcastle coal might on very rare occasions interfere with the signalling betAveen vessels of Avar, but the inconvenience would be so very small that it scarcely seems worth paying thousands of pounds for its removal. The “Express” thinks that the Avhole stupid business is due- to “ a one-sided agreement based upon barren sentimentalism,” and that the Australians have a very serious cause for complaint. It certainly does look as if the Admiralty Aver© strangely indifferent to tlife claims of the colonies to share in the business of The Empire, and Ave shall not be surprised to learn that the effect of the short-sighted policy is to drive still more trade from the Alother Country into the hands of America and Germany. If these countries are constantly sending their vessels to Sydney and Newcastle for coal, they must sooner or later convince the Australians that there are mutual advantages to ,be dented frqmi an, exchange pf prpdnotej,