640 



PAPUA. 



PARAGUAY. 



for the western Pacific, was appointed to go 

 to New Guinea and take measures for the 

 exercise of the political and legal jurisdiction 

 pending the nomination of a commissioner for 

 that island. Acting under a mistaken im- 

 pression of his functions, he issued a proclama- 

 tion on October 23, taking under British pro- 

 tection all of New Guinea except the part 

 claimed by the Netherlands. 



Admiral Erskine, after receiving the official 

 instructions, set sail in the Nelson, and on the 

 6th of November, from Jackson's Harbor, at 

 Port Moresby, proclaimed the protectorate, as 

 intended by the Imperial Government. There 

 were fifty native chiefs present at the cere- 

 mony of raising the flag, and five British ves- 

 sels of war lay off the shore. The chief of the 

 greatest consequence was selected as the chief- 

 paramount, although, in reality, the tribes are 

 independent of each other. He was invested 

 as the Queen's deputy-lieutenant by the be- 

 stowal of a white wand bearing the Queen's 

 likeness in the shape of a silver florin set in at 

 the top. The Nelson, accompanied by three 

 other vessels, then cruised along the shore, an- 

 choring in four other commodious harbors, all 

 difficult to enter, however, like Port Moresby, 

 on account of coral-reefs. The protectorate 

 was proclaimed with similar ceremonies at nine 

 different places, the last being Testi Island. In 

 each place a chief-paramount was selected and 

 constituted the repository of imperial author- 

 ity with a symbol of investiture. The admiral 

 announced to the natives that the object of the 

 protectorate was to render their lives and lib- 

 erty more secure. 



The protectorate established by Great Brit- 

 ain over the south coast of New Guinea ex- 

 tends from the 141st meridian, the boundary of 

 the Dutch possessions, eastward to East Cape, 

 in Goschen's Straits, including the islands ad- 

 jacent to the mainland in the straits as far 

 south and east as Kosman Island. The extent 

 of the protectorate inland is not defined further 

 than in its limitation to the country adjacent 

 to the shore. No persons will be permitted to 

 settle or to acquire land within the protectorate 

 unless expressly authorized by the commission- 

 er. This restriction is only provisional, pend- 

 ing the adoption of regulations for the occupa- 

 tion of land after the appointment of the high 

 commissioner. As the country is thickly peo- 

 pled, and the soil admirably tilled, there is little 

 opportunity for agricultural settlement. 



German Annexation. It was reported in the 

 early summer that the English Government 

 had altered its intentions regarding annexa- 

 tions in the Papuan Archipelago on account of 

 the attitude of Prince Bismarck. In the diplo- 

 matic controversy on the subject of the colo- 

 nial policy of Germany, and in the negotiations 

 into which the British Cabinet was drawn, the 

 Papuan islands were undoubtedly mentioned. 

 In October the " North German Gazette " 

 made the semi-official communication that, as 

 the result of an exchange of views, the English 



Government had resolved to place under its 

 protection only the south coasf of New Guinea 

 and the islands immediately adjacent. In refer- 

 ence to this statement, Mr. Ashley denied that 

 there was an arrangement with Germany as 

 to her occupation of the northern part of the 

 island. The occupation followed, however, to 

 the dismay and indignation of the Australians. 

 The colonial politicians openly discussed the 

 question of separation from the mother-coun- 

 try, and compared the situation to that which 

 led to the revolt of the American colonies. 

 Mr. Service, in a memorandum dated Decem- 

 ber 20, hinted at such a result. "Australia 

 was not allowed," he complains, "to act for 

 herself, and the Imperial Government will not 

 act on her behalf. Meanwhile, Australia has 

 to stand by and see territories, the possession 

 of which she regards as essential to her safety 

 and well-being, pass to another power." He 

 invited the colonies to join in a collective pro- 

 test against the German annexation of a por- 

 tion of New Guinea. The Colonial Secretary of 

 New South Wales declined to unite in such a 

 protest until information was received whether 

 the annexation was the result of an agreement, 

 and whether steps would be taken to extend 

 the British protectorate to the German line 

 and over all the islands of strategical impor- 

 tance in that part of the Pacific. 



A few days after the formal occupation of 

 the southern shore by England, German naval 

 officers-, who sailed from Australia about the 

 same time that the English admiral left for 

 New Guinea, hoisted the German flag at'twelve 

 places on the northern shore of New Guinea 

 and on the adjacent islands of New Britain and 

 New Ireland, besides the Admiralty Islands, 

 and several other productive islands in this 

 part of the ocean. The territory annexed on 

 the Papuan coast is Cape King William and 

 the neighboring districts on the northeast side. 

 It is described as the most healthful part 

 and admirably adapted for colonization. TI 

 land rises in terraces to the Finisterre Mount 

 ains. There is plenty of good pasture for graz- 

 ing purposes. The country is well watered by 

 streams flowing out of the mountains. The 

 natives are friendly. The natural products of 

 the northeast coast are manifold and abundant, 

 and of sufficient commercial value to start a 

 busy trade. This is the very district in which 

 a party of English colonists intended to settle 

 in 1883, if their organization had not been dis- 

 countenanced by the Government. 



PARAGUAY, a republic in South America; 

 area, 91,650 square miles. 



Population. The last census (1879) fixes the 

 population at 346,048, exclusive of 60,000 semi- 

 civilized Indians and 70,000 wild Indians. 

 Since the war of 1865-'70, the number of fe- 

 males has greatly predominated. The number 

 of foreigners is estimated at 7,000, more than 

 one third of whom are Italians. Next to them, 

 the most numerous are Brazilians, Argentines, 

 Spaniards, and Portuguese. Since 1883 the 



