THE WAY OF THE GERMAN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2022, 6 March 1907, Page 3

THE WAY OF THE GERMAN.

The story told by a correspondent of tho Daily Chronicle of German intrigue in Madeira, of which we had information by cablo recently, should ho widely rend. Tho method adopted has boon tho familiar one of establishing syndicates to extract concessions. The Germans began by obtaining permission to build a sanatorium for tlio poor, and were granted relief from tlio duties on materials —to tho extent of £40,000. If tlio institution woro a charitable one small objection could be taken to this, hut it is proposed to charge oaeh person 12s Gd a day, about the usual hotel tariff. The existing hotel proprietors naturally asked for relief from duties to a similar extent, hut asked in vain. Tho Gormans then made an astounding demand —no less than the right to expropriate about one-third of the front of 1 nuchal, and 1500 feet landwards troin high water mark, together with tlio sole rights to conduct hotels and engage in gambling. The land sought is the best in the town, and on it is a large hotel with extensive grounds, owned hv Englishmen. The Gormans seem to have been cocksure of success, for their agent in Lisbon wrote to his colleague in Madeira: “Madeira is quite in -your hands, and if the company will understand the importance of such concession it will he some ‘grande’ business. They must understand that in this country you require to put one foot, inside, and, once such a thing is done, everything is in your way. Now, all this was in 1903, and Lord Lansdowne. by prompt action at Lisbon, defeated the scheme. Tlio sanatorium remained —a huge, ugly building which did not pay—and the Germans recently opened negotiations for a thirty year?’ concession of hotelbuilding, with materials admitted free, and tho right to conduct gamb-

ling saloons. It was evidently this scliomo that was defeated the other day. But they have already started a coal business, receiving better terms than are given to local residents or to Englishmen. The correspondent points out that prol>abl> 90 per cent, of the visitors to Madeira are British, and British vessels calling there are much move numerous than the vessels of all other nations put together.