THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 1906.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8125, 27 April 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 1906.

A London journal has recently pufclished a moat interesting artiole on "What the Unionist Government Added to the Empire," in which it is indirectly, but at the same time forcibly, emphasised how phenomenally successful even for a Conservative Government, was the foreign policy of the party which has recently suffered such a severe defeat. It has been frequently averred that Liberal Governments are the best home administrators, but that their foreign policies are disastrous. The question then naturally arises whether their good deeds at home' atone for their misdeeds abroad; in fact not only whether they are a sufficient compensation, bqt an ad-

vantage to the Empire. Why there should ever bo suoh a marked difference between the foreign polioy of a Conservative Government and that of a Liberal Government is a problem at present largely unsolved. * * * * The late Government, counting its career from the year 1895, may well claim to have heeu one of ihe most successful exponents of the art of Imperial expansion known to modern tiroes. The additions made to the British Empire since Lord Salisbury and Mr Chamberlain acceded to office ten years .ago, have been the most remarkable, both in quantity and quality, of whioh our history has any record. When the late Government came into offioo it found itself confronted by a very formidable campaign on the part of foreign countries to capture neutral markets, either by conquest or by treaties securing to them preferential treatment. At first it was hoped to secure British interests by declaring that, whatever the politioal changes that might take place in other countries, Great Britain would insist on "the open door,", and continued "equality of opportunity." This, however, was soon found to be impracticable. ■** * * The most remarkable additions to the Empire have been obtained in Africa, where a whole Empire has been brought under effective occupation in the West, where the Republics of the Transvaal and Orange have been finally conquered, and where Egypt and the Soudan have been practically made over-sea dependencies of Britain with the assent of all the Powers. This means that all the best and richest territory in Africa is now incontestably British. Among minor accessions of territory in Africa the protectorate proclaimed over Barotseland, in 1900, must not be forgotten. Besides all these actual acquisitions Great Britain negotiated an important treaty with Germany and Portugal, in 1898, by which the reversion of her Portuguese colonies in Afrioa was provided for. By this treaty it was arranged that in the event of Portugal wishing to dispose of her African possessions, Great Britain and Germany should have the first refusal of them. * * * * The annexations in Asia have not been on so important a scale as in Africa; but they have nevertheless been of considerable importance. In 1897, owing to a dispute with Prance, Lord Salisbury compelled China to cede to Britain the 3hap State of Ko-Kang, on the Upper Salwin, and to grant hei- a perpetual lease of a small territory to the west oil the Sheweli River. Shortly afterwards an agreement was come to with France in regard to Siam, and although ao additional territory was obtained, but on the contrary, the British position in the Upper Mekong was ceded to France, a reversionary right to certain territories in the west of Siana was seoured, and these may some day beoome valuable possessions. Indeed, the Imperial Colonial Office has lately obtained from the King of Siam permission jto administer two small States in this region in connection with the [ British adminstration of Malaysia. I** ' * * Among miscellaneous annexations which remain to be enumerated, the important are the Santa Cruz J Islands, over which the British flag was hoisted in 1898, and Tonga, which, with its excellent harbour, fell to Britain on the settlement of the Saraoan question in 1899. Brunei, over which a protectorate was proclaimed in 1888, was definitely placed under British dominion towards thß end of 1905. Although not strictly constituting t annexations to the Empire, mention should also be made of the Alaska, Venezuela, and Barotseland arbitrations. These all dealt with frontier questions, and their effect was at least to consolidate and define the areas of the oolonles to which they referred. In the case of Alaska and Bt»rotselaud no important advantage accrued to the Empire; but in the case of Venezuela the area finally awarded to Great Britain or rather to British Guiana, was of enormous extent. Venezuela claimed 60.000 square miles, or just two thirds of the whole colony. By the deoision of the Arbitral Tribunal, given in 1890, only two small points, covering 200 square miles, were awarded to Venezuela.