To-morrow in the Pacific.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 17, 26 October 1910, Page 51

To-morrow in the Pacific.

THE DANGER OF THE YELLOW MAN. LECTURE BY LIEUT. FEARNLEY. An interesting lecture, entitled “Tomorrow in the Pacific,” and dealing with the probable encroachment of the Asiatic nations upon Australia in the near future, and of our helplessness to prevent an invasion, was given 'by Lieut. Jno. C. Fearnley, of the Commonwealth naval forces, in the rooms of the United Service Institute of New South Wales, Castlereagh-street, Sydney. The subject, he said, was somewhat outside the general run of questions peculiar to the institute, but the position of Australia with regard to the danger threatening from outside nations served as a motive which led' the lecturer to Study the position. We were surrounded by hostile Powers, and their polities must of necessity be interesting. The Spaniards, Dutch, and English in turn followed the Portuguese of 1516, but there was little done save a trade of smuggling opium. Following this came several expeditions to China, commencing in earnest with the cession of Hongkong to Great Britain after the year 1840. Exploiting of China. China has been forced from her isolated' position, and compelled to open her doors. Nation after nation was given to exploiting China, which served as a fair object lesson to 'the world in the helpless manner in which she with her vast millions attempted to defend’ her shores. The Chinese were compelled to give way at all points, even to her neighibour Japan. That country was one which, I>y its strength, position, and active disposition, had of recent years come prominently before the world. The Chinese Government were watched by the Japanese, and the faults and shortcomings of these bodies carefully noted. Emissaries were sent to Europe and America to observe how those countries were governed, and the Jap was not slow to profit by the researches. ‘‘Japan for the Japanese” was a motto which had' been followed by another, “China for the Japanese,” as witness the result ■ of -the ChineseJapan war. Then came tbe 'trouble with Russia, wherein was shown how well she had profited by the" resea relic's made by her messengers and spies. By this Rus-

sia’e power in Eastern Asia was practically destroyed, and she was compelled to give way to her foe. This proved conclusively that the war with Russia vias but a move in the game, and not the game itself. . , Japan Outlives Her Isolation. The Japs were commercially inclined. They were not thrown'out “by a check or a drawback.' They merely held aloof for a while, only to begin again at a point where they left off, and their aim was absolute supremacy in the Pacific Oceani Should we.neglect 'to make the most of the present situation, our supremacy would be quickly shaken in the China Seas. The old Japanese pirates had been a byword for many years. Their policy of warfare was one prefaced by espionage, and followed up by sudden onslaughts and well-measured attacks in places where such were to be least expected. The word “Japan” had for many years been synonymous with treachery, and 'the way in which the Japs had scoured the seas along the coast of Northern China was a matter of history. They never waited for anyone else to ■begin, they were always characterised by aggressiveness and sudden rushes upon the enemy just where the enemy was least prepared to meet it. Future Policy of Japan. All along, the policy of Japan had been characterised by treachery and duplicity. The general trend of the national policy was on level lines with that of the individuality of her commercial merchants. The rivalry between Japan and America in the Pacific was well known, and Japan bargained for possession of strategic positions in the Pacific. America at present nominally held the points of vantage, but at the same time these were poorly manned, and could not be held against the Japanese population occupying them. Circulars had been sent out among the Philippines, who were warned that America would never give them their freedom, and their only chance of emancipation was in a treaty with Japan. These were apparently of German origin, and their aim was not to be mistaken by anyone. And Japan had long cast covetous eyes upon the Philippine Islands. Again, all along the Pacific Slopes of the United States a strong racial feeling existed, and this was becoming more intensified as ■.• time progressed. This, it was openljk stated, would eventually result in war between

those countries. Japan’s alliance with Britain would be of doubtful value if she made war upon America, for Britain eould not either actively or passively assist Japan against America, nor could she, in the event of Japan being victorious, permit that country to occupy the land of our oversea cousins. The Trade Dangers. The recent tariff imposed upon British goods by Japan would seem to indicate that Japan had no use for the treaty with Great Britain, and on the other hand a marked intimacy was becoming apparent with Germany. In fact, German influence was becoming paramount in Japan, and a Japanese-German alliance was looked to commercially in the nearfuture by the nations of the world who were keenly alive to the way the trade and commerce of Germany was trending. The trouble was daily increasing. The Japanese were busy every day increasing their strength, and there was no doubt that absolute control of the Pacific was desired. There would Is 1 an offensive ami defensive alliance with Germany and an open war against America. To Australians the situation was grave. Japan could land 300,000 lighting men in three weeks On the coast of Australia. England, no matter how ready she was, could not land a large force on these shores to help us, and in the meantime we would be subject to all the horrors of an Oriental occupation, by a race of people whose mastery could be better imagined than described. England Cannot Help. The Motherland was far away. With Germany waiting her opportunity, England dare not, the lecturer concluded, denude herself of a force sufficient to protect us, for, as many writers had irrefutably shown, Japan could la ml her forces all in good fighting trim, with so much ease that there would be literally no course open to us in our present defenceless state but to capitulate. Further, Great Britain bad not a force in existence sufficient to expel such an army from this country. Tile horrors, of hostile occupation by Asiatics would have to be left to the imagination, but those desirous of forming an idea of what .it eould be. might obtain it by reading the. accounts of Japan’s reformation of Korea. To expose this' country ami its people to the risk of such ah awful calamity through giviitg first, second, and third place to administration of cdhimerciirl matters, and placing our defences a be-

lated fourth in importance, was our national crime, and we should be fortunate indeed, if we escaped national punishment. Were we in possession of the necessary guns and munitions of war for the equipment of our people, we might hope to at least retain oiir independence, but, lacking those, we were helpless. If the outbreak of hostilities between America and Japan found the German menace still existing, it was more than probable that this country, as the home of an independent white race, would lx lost for ever.