Page:Scented isles and coral gardens- Torres Straits, German New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies, by C.D. Mackellar, 1912.pdf/236

190 nothing of many of their rich possessions; unless they wake up and do so, all may pass from them. Yet a treaty with us by which the Netherlands agreed never to part with an inch of territory here save to us, on condition that we guaranteed her safe possession of her over-seas' lands and the absolute integrity of the Netherlands, would for ever crush all these German and other aspirations, and render New Guinea valueless to Germany; to attain that we must also attain a really great and powerful navy guarding our interests in every part of the world. So rapidly is German trade increasing and the augmentation of her navy and mercantile marine going on, that harbours and coaling stations are an absolute necessity to her. She must have them, she will have them. Much of the trade of the Dutch East Indies is practically hers, and she is endeavouring to push the German language everywhere, and the German flag is displayed wherever she can to teach all the native races what it is. From the German point of view this is admirable and perfectly legitimate; I admire her splendid progress and her ambition, and only wish we were as far-seeing. But, unluckily, it does not suit our interests, and so each one of us is bound to oppose these aims by every or any means in his power.

[The latest German idea is to establish a fortified harbour and coaling station at or near New Britain. Look at the map, think over what it means, and do not forget that the project has been mooted. The idea of to-day is sometimes the fact of to-morrow. Germany has come late into the field of colonisation; all the desirable parts, or most of them, are in other hands, therefore to attain her growing, rapidly growing ambition of being a great World Power, she is undoubtedly compelled to "hustle round" and achieve her