GERMAN EARTH-HUNGER

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14912, 10 February 1912, Page 7

GERMAN EARTH-HUNGER

HALDANE'S BERLIN MISSION. CESSION OF WALFISH BAY. By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright Berlin, February "8. The visit to Germany of the British Secretary, for War, Lord Haldane, is attracting much attention. Lord Haldane states that his visit is of a private nature. , Sensational reports in the newspapers represent that the Minister is on a direct mission to the Kaiser to discuss the growth of armaments and the question of its limitation. . Other reports state that the mission concerns the proposed cession by Britain of Walfish Bay, a coastal strip of about 430 square miles with a total population of 997. Walfish Bay is on the coast of German Damaraland (South-west Africa), and includes the only safe port on the coast line of the territory. The Berliner Zeitung says , that Lord Haldane will visit the Kaiser with Britain's consent to the cession.

SILENCE OF THE KAISER. Paris, February 8. French newspapers emphasise the fact that the Kaiser, in his speech at the opening of the new Reichstag, did not refer to Anglo-German relations, which are the pivot of the international situation. ' BRITAIN HOLDS COASTAL KEYS VALUE OF WALFISH BAY TO GERMANY. Tho Gcrmaji South-west Africa protectorate includes the region lying between Portuguese West Africa and" Cape Colony and extending eastward to the British sphere, exclusive of Walfish Bay, which belongs to Cape Colony. Already the German papers have loudly affirmed their opinion that Germany should seize some of the Portuguese colonies, and if in addition Britain would cede Walfish Bay (as many years ago she ceded Heligoland) the Germans might possibly accept the result as embodying that "positive evidence of goodwill" which the German ■;■ Chancellor says his Government expects of , Great Britain.' ■'.; ', :

In annexing Walfish. Bay Britain secured what is probably the key to the Germanowned hinterland. Sandwich ; Harbour, on tho German portion of the coastline, is silting up, and although tho Germans have constructed a new harbour at Swakopmund it is generally admitted that: they"would liko their South-west African territory far better if they owned its front door, which is Walfish Bay.

Various concessions in the way of a (juid pro quo have been talked about. For instance, it has been suggested that if Germany is allowed to help herself to the whole of Portuguese West Africa arid East Africa down to the Zambesi, /she would not object to Britain taking Dclagoa Bay, and eo on. Any agreement between Britain and Germany to despoil Portugal, or between Britain and Russia to despoil Persia, would have to run the gauntlet of: British public- opinion and; the higher criticism of the Radicals. It might bo possible, however, to find a quid pro quo for Walfish Bay that would s not' take advantage ■of a weaker nation.:

p. It is mot only at Walfish Bay that Britain has secured the front door to another Power's territory. The British colony of Gambia represents a coastal and riparian wedgo thruet into French West Africa— wedge that includes both banks of the ! River, Gambia for a considerable distance. A sea outlet on the Gambia is desired by Franco, and Britain has so far recognised tho reasonableness of this that, under the Anglo-French Convention of 1904, she ceded to Franco the Gambia River port of Yarhatenda, with all its landing places, and it was t understood that -if this port should provo inaccessible to sea-going merchantment access to the river would be granted by Britain to Franco at an accessible point lower down. It is clear that these African coastal possessions of Britain' provide on effective means of bargaining, either with France or with Germany. ? Some time ago it was reported that a series of Anglo-French exchanges of territory were contemplated, affecting not only Africa but the French coastal possessions in India. When - the French ex-Premier, M. Caillaux, announced the Franco-Ger-man territorial exchange under the Morocco-Congo agreement, he was reported as hinting that further international exchanges would eventuate. This remark attains a new. significance in view of recent allegations as to the secret negotiations between M. Caillaux (when Premier) and the German Government.