Australia's Heritage; The New 
Hebrides Group . 
E VERY now and again the Australian 
colonies are disturbed by a rumour that 
the present Anglo-French convention for the 
“ control ” (whatever that may mean) of the 
New Hebrides is about to terminate, and that 
one of the best and most fertile of the island 
groups in the South Pacific will be annexed by 
France, which is hot to possess them. Perhaps 
the inception of this rumour may be due but to 
the nearing prospect of Australian Federation, 
which would necessarily revive in the public 
mind the fact that a few years ago two French 
men-of-war landed some hundreds of soldiers, 
virtually took possession of the whole group, 
and were only withdrawn on the united protest 
of the Australian colonies to the Imperial 
Government. From that time began the present 
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