AUSTRALASIA. 



59 



Government by telegraph, and action could be 

 taken within a few hours. As late as Oct. 24, 

 1884, just before the German occupation of 

 King William's Land, the under-secretary for 

 the colonies denied that there was an under- 

 standing with Germany as to the occupation of 

 the northern portion of New Guinea. The 

 understanding, if it existed, must have been 

 reached suddenly; though, according to the 

 statement of Count Herbert Bismarck, when 

 the grievances of Germany against England 

 with regard to delays and hindrances to her 

 colonial policy were confidentially recited to 

 Earl Granville some months before, the English 

 minister asked him whether Germany wanted 

 New Guinea. The question was involved with 

 matters pertaining to Angra Pequefia, Egypt, 

 and other parts of the imperial policy, in such 

 a way that when Germany finally took posses- 

 sion of the fairest portion of New Guinea, the 

 indictment of unfriendliness was shifted to the 

 charge of Great Britain. After the German 

 annexation was effected, a telegram came from 

 London saying that Lord Derby had known of 

 the intention of the German Government for 

 months. The colonial authorities on their part 

 complained in direct and vigorous official lan- 

 guage of the neglect of the Imperial Govern- 

 ment to fulfill its promises to them. The pro- 

 clamation of British suzerainty over the fever- 

 scourged coast opposite Queensland hardly 

 softened the angry irritation of the colonists. 

 Mr. Service, the Premier of Victoria, ended a 

 memorandum addressed to the Governor of the 

 colony, wherein he expressed his indignation 

 at the want of response of the Imperial Govern- 

 ment to the aspirations of the colonies, and its 

 extreme unwisdom in slighting the perpetual 

 and strong representations addressed to it un- 

 ceasingly for eighteen months on the subject of 

 New Guinea, with a request that steps be au- 

 thorized by telegraph to save to Australia such 

 of the neighboring islands as are yet available. 

 In addition to the protectorate over the south- 

 ern shore of New Guinea the colonists obtained 

 the annexation, proclaimed by the commodore 

 of the Australian squadron, of the Luisiade 

 group and Huon Bay, important strategical 

 positions commanding the new German pos- 

 sessions and the approaches to the Australian 

 shore. The assumed fact that the home Gov- 

 ernment had acceeded to the German occupa- 

 tion of Cape King William without consulting 

 the colonial authorities, and in despite of their 

 earnest objections, exasperated the colonists 

 more than any difference that has occurred be- 

 tween them and the mother-country since the 

 attempt to re -introduce transportation. The 

 feeling that questions affecting their interests, 

 and even their security, should be decided with 

 reference to the continental policy of Great 

 Britain, called forth serious thoughts of sepa- 

 ration from the mother-country. Under the 

 excitement of the hour, the only alternative 

 seemed to them to be an Imperial Federation 

 in which they should have a voice in the for- 



eign policy of England. The Prime Minister 

 of Victoria put forth a manifesto on Jan. 12, 

 1885, in which he complained that the colonies 

 were subject to an u unqualified " and an "an- 

 tiquated autocracy " in imperial matters, a hu- 

 miliating position, and declared that, whatever 

 scheme of federation should be decided upon, 

 it must be one that, " while it can not take 

 away from us anything that we at present pos- 

 sess, must give to the colonies more tangible 

 influence and more legal and formal authority 

 than they have now." 



Commodore Erskine, in November and De- 

 cember, 1884, raised the British flag on the 

 south coast, and with curious ceremonial took 

 the native tribes under imperial protection 

 and made the persons who seemed to be the 

 paramount chiefs in the different districts dele- 

 gates of the Queen. The new protectorate of 

 British New Guinea extended at first from the 

 East Cape to the Dutch boundary, and was 

 then enlarged, at the request of the colonists, 

 so as to take in the north shore of East Cape 

 and Huon Cape as well as the adjacent islands. 

 The British flag was raised in the beginning of 

 January over the various islands of the Luisi- 

 ade Archipelago, east of New Guinea, over 

 Woodlark Island to the north of these, and over 

 the smaller Long and Rook Islands off the coast 

 of the German colony. 



The friction between the English and Colo- 

 lonial governments prevented the administra- 

 tion provided for British New Guinea from 

 going into operation for a long time after the 

 protectorate was established. The Colonial 

 governments promised to contribute 15,000 

 toward the expenses of annexing New Guinea. 

 They were disposed to withdraw that offer 

 when the home Government disappointed them 

 by establishing a mere protectorate over a part 

 of the island and then expected them to in- 

 crease their contribution and to bear the whole 

 cost of administration. Gen. Scratchley was 

 appointed special commissioner for the pro- 

 tectorate of New Guinea and deputy commis- 

 sioner for the western Pacific. For six months 

 or more that popular and energetic officer went 

 from capital to capital trying to get this ques- 

 tion of revenue settled. The Colonial Govern- 

 ments refused to increase their promised ap- 

 propriations, and demanded that the Imperial 

 Government should participate in the expendi- 

 ture on New Guinea. The authorities in Down- 

 ing Street were at length induced to alter their 

 purposes in important particulars so as to meet 

 the views of the Australians. In May, 1885, 

 it was announced that the British Government 

 taking into consideration the German occu- 

 pation of a part of New Guinea contrary to 

 the wishes of the colonies, which might increase 

 the obligations and difficulties of the position, 

 and the duty of protecting native interests, 

 which might reduce the local revenue would 

 entertain the question of an imperial contribu- 

 tion. The message gave as another reason the 

 decision of the Imperial Government to change 



