GERMAN COLONIES.

Mataura Ensign, 2 September 1914, Page 6

GERMAN COLONIES.

OFFICIAL STATISTICS. The last issue of official statistics gives the following particulars regarding the various German colonies in the Pacific:— KIAO-OHAU. Kiau-Chau, on the east coa'jt of, the Chinese province of Shantung, was seized by ■Germany in November, ] 897; the town, harbor, and- district were by treaty transferred to' Germany on a 99 years' lease, Martin.' 6, 1898; ;*.nd the tustrict was declared a protectorate of the German Empire, April 27, IS9B. The administration is entrust to the Navy Department, and a navel officer is Governor.

Area, about 200 square miles, exclusive of the bay (about 1200 square miles). There are 33 townships, and a population of about 192,000; white population with the garrison, 1913, 4470 (Germans 3806). Surrounding the district and bay is a neutral zone, whose outer limit is 30 miles from highwater' mark on the coast of the bay, its area being about 2-300 square miles, and poprfatidn about 1,200,000. The garrison (3125 men) consists of German 'marines, with a small "force of Chinese soldiers.

In 1911 614 vessels of 1,070,000 tons ■ entered at Kiau-Chau. A railway,] , Tmng-Tau to Poshan, is 272 miles -' -long. ' IN THE PACIFIC. . KAISER WILHELM'S' LAND. •Kaiser Wilhelm's Land, the northern section of south-cast New Guinea, was declared' a German protectorate in' 188*. Including Long Island, Dampier Island, and some other small islands; it has an estimated area of 70.000 square miles, and a population of 531,000 natives; white population (1913) 283 (Germans, 264). There is a chief judicial cenrrt in Rabaul and district courts there and in Friedricihj Wilhelmdhafeu. The development of the protectorate has been entrusted to the German New Guinea •Company, but the administration was transferred to the Imperial Government on April 1, 1899. Areca and sago palms, bamboos, ebony and other woods abound. Cultivated area 30,520 hectacres, chiefly under coco-palms, and caoutehous. The natives barter copra, mother-of-pearl, and trepang. Horses, cattle, and goats flourish' on the islands. Gold l has re- , cently been found in the Bismarck Mountains. In 1912 980 merchant vessels of 848.182 tons visited the port of Kaiser Wilhelm's Land and the islands. The chief harbors are Friedriehi Wilhelmahafpn, Herbertshohe, SinVpsonhafen, Nusa, Matupi, Kawieng, Natna■tanai, and Kieta. The seat of government is Rabaul.

.BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO. JUiXoTeßiber, 1884, a German protectorate was declared over tho New Britain Archipelago and several adjacent groups of islands, then renamed the Bismarck Archipelago. The chief islands are Neu Pommem (formerly New Britain), New Mecklenburg: (New Ireland). Neu Lauenburg (Duke of York Islands), and Neu Hanover, Admiralty, 'Anchorite, Commerson, Hermit and other islands. Native population (1913), about 188,000; colored nonnative population was 396 (mostlv Chinese). White population (1913) 6&5 (482 •German). Wesfeyan and Catholic missions are at work. The chief products are copra, cotton, coffee, and nibber. SOLOMON ISLANDS.

Germany owns part of this group ,n----cludine the islands of Bougainville and Buka, but Ohoiseul, Isabel or Mahanga, and various n-raaller islands to the east of Bougainville were transferred to Great Britain November 14. 1899. Missionary societies are at work; their schools have about 120 pupils. Sandal wood and tortoiseshell are the cliief commercial products. The German islands are olaced under the officials of Kaiser Withelm's Land.

CAROLINE, PELEW (Oil PALAU), AND MARIANNE -,' OR. LADRONE) ISLANDS.

By treaty of February I*2, 1899, these islands with the excention of Guam (the largest of the Marianne Islands), ceded to the United States in 1898, passed on October 1, 1899 from Spanish an TJ H>sse ? sic>n for P«y»»ent of £840,000. For administrative purposes the islands are divided into two groups: the Eastern Carolines, with Ponape as the seat of Government: the Western Caroline Islands, the Pelew Islands, and th© Marianne Islands, with Yap as administrative centre. They all form part of the German New Guinea Protectorate. White population (1913), 264 (Germans 154). The native population (1913) was 00,000. The Carolines consist of alwit 500 coral islets, Ponape having aibout 2000 inhabitants. Yap 7155, and Kusai 400. The population is mainly of Malay origin, with .«ome Chinese and Japanese. The chief export is coma. The Pelew (Palau) Islands, to the west of the Carolines, have 3101 inhabitants; they are about 26 in number, mostlv

coral, many of them uninhabited; the largest is Babeltlman, which contains the bulk of the population. The Gorman Marianne Islands, to the north of Pelew, have 2040 inhabitants ;_ their northern group is actively volcanic and uninhabited.

MARSHALL ISLANDS, The Marshall Islands, consist in y; of .two chains or rows of lagoon islands (several uninhabited), know.ii rcspcetively as Ratack (with 16 islands) and Raiick (with 11 islands), have belonged to Germany since 1885. Euro-ean oopuiation in'l9l3, 179 (91 German). Other! population, estimated 15,CC9. The administration was taken over from the Jaluit Company by the German Colonial authorities on April .1, 1906. Since then the Marshall islands have formed a district (Bezirk) under the New Guinea Government. The chief island and seat of the .German. Imperial Commissioner is Jaluit; most populous island Majeru, 2600 inhabitants. Protestant (American) and Catholic missions are at work. There a;re plantations of coco-palm. The chief export is phosphate.

SAMOAN ISLANDS. Among German dependencies are included Savaii and ITpoln, the largest of the Samoan or Navigator Islands. By the Anglo-German Agreement of November 14, 1899, ratified by the United States in January. 1900, Great Britain renounced all rights over the islands in favor of Germany as regards Savaii and Upolu, and in favor of the United (States are regards Tutuila find other islands. Under the German Imperial Governor there is a native High Chief with a native council, the several districts- being administered! by -chiefs. Justice is administered by native as well as European judges and magistrates. Savaii has an area of about 660 square miles, Upolu 310 square miles. Both islands are mountainous, fertile, and well watered. Several adjacent islets, exceedingly fertile and populous, are included' in the German dependency. The port of Apia is in Upolu. There is a Government Council containing eight unofficial members (three or whom are British) chosen by the Governor from anion" the settlers. The inhabitants of the islands /are Polynesians, nominally Christian (Protestant, Catholic, and Mormon), but native superstitions are nrevalent. Population 1912, 35.000, distributed as follows:—Upolu, Manono, r.n<] Apolinia, 20,662; Savaii, 12,816. There were in 1913 534 white inhabitants (329 German, 132 British); also 1354" Chineso and 1003 non-native inhabitants ot mixed race. There are 60 miles of good roads. Trade is in the hands of German, British, and American firms. The-staple product is copra. Rubber trees are being nlanted. Imports (1912) £2,51,265; exports, £252,224. The imports are chiefly haberdashery, kerosene, provisions, etc., mainly from Australia and New Zealand. The chief exports are copra and cocoa beans.