366 ITS POLITICAL VALUE. 



an agricultural or commercial possession, and con- 

 ceive the only argument for our continuing to hold 

 it must be a political one. It forms the northern 

 link between our colonies on the eastern and western 

 coasts of Australia, assures us the possession of the 

 north and north-west coasts, and as it were, closes 

 the ring-fence with which we have now girt the 

 fifth quarter of the globe. 



