THE FUTURE OF THE PACIFIC.

Otago Witness, Issue 2674, 14 June 1905, Page 79

THE FUTURE OF THE PACIFIC.

ADDRESS BY MR JAMES ALLEN.

Under the auspices of the local branch of the Navy League Mr James Allen, M.H.R., addressed the boys of the Otago High School on the 6th inst, taking for his^ubject "The Future of the Pacific." The Rector (Mr A. Wilson), in introducing Mr Allen, spoke of the subject of his address as one of immense importance at the present time, and referred to Mr Allen's qualifications to tell them of what the future prospects of this part of the world were going to be. Mr Allen characterised the future of the Pacific as ona of the greatest questions of the day ; and that it should be of special interest tn New Zealand, he said, was natural, for this country held a special position, situated at the very entrance of and standing guard, as it were, over the southern entrance of the largest ocean in the- world— an ocean comprising half of the whole waterway and over a "third of the whole surface of the globe, and an ocean upon which there would be mighty happenings in this coming cemtury. With the map to illustrate his remarks, the- speaker dwelt on the configuration and conformation of the Vacmc, telling of a previous great Australian continent and how two natural agencies had been specially at work in the Pacific— one the volcanic agency and the other and more unique, the building-up power of the little coral polyp, which made the life visible on a coral reef as.toundine to Ihe close observer. Npw Zealinders could be said to have a double mitercst in the Pacific, for they had behind them not only tho traditions of the Britisher, but those of the Maori also. Itwas, be said, generally conceded that the future of thei we rid would lay in the hands of those races that lived in temperate climates, and after the areas of land in suoii conditions in the Pacific neighbourhood had been contrasted, the fp&aker said that while the larger area lay north of the equator, Australia raid New Zealand were practically the only lands south of the Tropic of Capricorn that could be expected to have to do with the world's future hi«(xry. The shifting of -(he centre of the world's civilisation and activity from the early ages to the present having been traced, Hie speaker said ho ventured to prophesy thafc the next Mich centra would have to do with the inlands in or bounding the ocean under discussion. New Zealand's double interest should inspire her people to lose no opportun'ty to maintain heir present position, or even to improve it if possible. Now a. new Power had arisen in Japan, whose interests were almost entirely in the Pacific, so now the- East and the West faced each other here From Drake's voyage the speaker passed quickly on to the Portuguese and Spanish, who had come to, and weire now practically gone from, the Pacific, and to the Dutch, who still held a good many islands, but who could not. he thought, be looked on as likely to hold a place in the future disposition of the Pacific, for thc->e Dutch possessions had aroused the jealoiuy of others, and it became one of the quest'ons of the future as to whom they would ultimately fall. Later the French had entered the Pacific, but were scarcely entitled to serious consideration respecting its future. Germany had. however, only entered the Pacific seme 20 years ago, and was. now holding a position where she was building fortifications and railways, opening eoai miuos, a-nd developing the country largely, and she had possessions in Samoa. Now the United States had also come into the Pacific, and right down to Samoa, where, in Pago Pago, they possessed ono of ihe finest and most easily fortified harbours in the Pacific. Looking at the boundaries of the Pacific generally. a.gain on the one side would bo found living 500 millions of peonle, a third of the population of the glob?, who included 4-00 million Chinese and Japanese. The question of Russia's influence in the Pacific had been practically seirled by Admiral Toa-o. On the opposite side America had 1500 miles of sea coast, with about two harbours in the whole of it. and further north she had Alaska, and further south was a big area from which, under the Munro doctrine, time alone would show what might be expected. As for Britain's position she had Canada (a land rich and with numerous harbours, but as yet almost unpopulated), New Zealand, Australia, Singapore (a most important strategic point, with a magnificent harbour, covering the Malay Peninsula, also under British influence). Hon-sj-Kong (aho with a magnificent fortified harbour, and a mainland territoi-y attached to it), and the part that came to Britain after the Chinese war. Wei-hai-wei. Of the numerous scattered islands he would only refer to the Tongan group, which were under British protectorate and possessed a very fine harbour. The King of Tonga bad been in Now Zealand quite recently, and he had no dcubt that Great Britain was now taking steps to make her position in legard to Tona;a even more secure. Tonsra might prove to be a very influential part in future consideration of the que-aions of food supply and transport across this sreat ocean. The New Hebrides were partly under control of Britain and paitiy under French control, and possessed three very fine harbours 'that lay almost in the track /rom Sydney to the Panama Canal, avel it was of paramount important to the Bufi.s.h people that thesp inlands should not ii 1 ! into the hands of p.nv hostile- nation. Great Britain had a say almost c\ ervwv lipi-o, anrl it might be asked why should ono trouble to tell them about the Pacific. In {he first place Great Brilpln was entirely dependent for food supply and raw material on outside eontribui'inj and her colonies all ovet the

world were in constant communication with her, so it was essential to her that these ocean pathways should be kept open. Germany also was dependent on food supplies from outside, and, like England, had to do something to maintain a hold over these ocpan pathways, and recognised it, and in the past 30 years had made great progress in building up her navy to protect herself and her food supplies. Such were, then the conflicting elements that might some day or other be at war with one another. The great work going on in. Panama must again not be forgotten, and this Panama Canal route would, in th course of time, be an accomplished fact, The value of this short route to the Old Country was apparent, and it became very important that those nations desirous ol maintaining their trade and keeping up their food supplies must be in a positior to say that this canal nrnst be kept open to ihem as well as all the ways of tha ocean. The speaker laid stress on the powei to colonise as an important factor in national predominance, Britain having a great advantage over other nations in this respect in experience and success. Tha United States was practically new to colonising, the colonising powers of the Japanese were practically limited to Formosa, and now Korea and Manchuria probably would demand their energies as well as the huge Chinese nation itself, and he ventured to say that of all these Japan would make a. success, and make her portion of the~ Pacific coast undoubtedly felt in the disposition of the Pacific. Germany's effortsat colonisation had not so far been attended with success, and so far the Germans had not developed the qualities essential to the successful colonist. Next a word as to the ambitions of those nations likely to have at say in the Pacific and in the world generally. To quote from German fleet literature, Germany feared a blockade of her North Sea ports, being dependent on outside sources for her food supply, and that was partly why Germany's great navy scheme had been entered on. Germany feared, also, that Russia might monopolise all thai Asiatic trade, America all that of South America, and also she feared what wag termed the British Zollverein entering into some Customs union giving special trade facilities to those in the union to the exclusion of others. Germany's ambitions were to become a leading nation as regards) navy as well as regards army : or, as one German writer said, he hoped " to see the collapse of British maritime supremacy." "Germany had another ambition, and nearly all the writers he had referred to maintained ifc was impossible for Germany to put up with the existenoe on her seaboard of a country like Holland, their aim being tii^ acquisition some day of Holland, and. " ' her, of the valuable Dutch possessions i pacific, and then Germany would ha\ larger say in the future of that ocean. x\ good many were of opinion thai Japan w: a going to make herself an activity in tbe Pacific, but Japan had a big work in hand, and one that would occupy her for years, and piobably she would not interfere with anyone else lcuoh in the immediato do^-p 1 " menfc of t're Pacific question. As to i) ambitions of the United States, a well-known writer said that the United States was to become before very long the dominant power in the Pacific. It might be so. but this was to be remembered : that the United Stateshad no need to go outside for her fo-rtcl supplj- or for many of her raw niatf-' But for Great Britain the question one embodying everything — it was a quesu<...< of Imperialism, and no part of the world could be more interested than this colony in who was to be the dominant Power in the Pacific or in any of the spas of the world. And who was to look to Britain's supremacy? As the secretary of the Navy League would: tell them, it was the Bri+;sh Navy upon, which everything depended to protect trcde routes, food supplies, and communication with her colonies. The speaker dwelt briefly on the factors that would decide the great question as to who was to be dominant on, the greatest of the world's waterways, and laid stiess on preparedness, and upon preparedness as the surest way of maintaining peace, or, at any rate, the surest way o£ maintaining supremacy. And the power ta work was a power that would lead to the dominance of one nation more than anothei". The great question as to how the many scattered portions of the great British En pi re were to be kept and -welded togethei and how that E-mpirs was a.H to be man j aged and controlled, was troubling many great minds to-day, and it was a question hf asked them, ail to give their consideration to and try and work otifc for themselves. No one j r et had solved the question, though they were getting on the road! to do so. and some day or other, perhaps, a scheme might be devised that would make the whole run smoothly and easily, so there should be no disintegration, and tho British nation might be kept together, and the control of the Pacific and all other seas that meant so much to them might _bs maintained in their hands. As to which of the great nations was going to have tha control of the Pacific he could not tell them, for he did not know: he had put the facts to some ex+enfc before them, and they could think it out for themselves. In concluding, the speaker spoke of the qualities neoessary to equip a race properly, and exhorted his hearers to have strength and energy, humanity, probity and integrity, and devotion to duty, reminding them, in the words of Robert Louis Stevenson, thafi youth waS the time to start "flashing 1 " over all the world. — (Applause.) Mr J. A. Johnstone. secretary of the local bianch of the Navy League, thanked Mr Allen for his stimulating lecture and the Rector for the permission to have it delivered. The question was one in which New Zealand might one day take a lead. He hoped to see an increased membership! now of the school branch Mr A. Wilson also thanked Mr Allen forhis address and a very hearty vote of thanks was accorded him by acclamation.

Mr John Smith, of Dalvey. handed tho Tapanui Councr an envelope 1 the other clay that was well covered with postmarks. The leitcr, pUunly .addressed to Pomahaka, was posted 011 Ami! 10, and reached Mr Smith on May 25, bavin ar journeyed to Rnmahapa. Pueriia, Balchuha, Popotnuoa, Clinton, and several times landing at Waiu.a.hi. T'lo peculiar circumstance is bow the* letter did not promptly reach its rightful! destination.

Eaie.rs of Poultry shou'd use Kiirato and hii.-^m's G\irn and Poultey lleil, which 'S composed of the best giound bones ai"d shells, specially prepared to meet the requirements o2 the fast-increasing poultiy industry. Ifc ia made up m 2i\b bag", at Is 9d each, Ask 50UP stoj.;ck«e£iei for }$»