THE CESSION OF FIJI.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 158, 7 December 1874, Page 3

THE CESSION OF FIJI.

The Hawaiian Gazette has the following remarks upon the Fijian cession:—“While this is no doubt of the greatest advantage to the semi-savages who people the South Sea Islands, it is a master-stroke of policy for England and her present Ministry, inasmuch as it is a continuation of a cordon of fortresses, which she may at some future day possess from the extreme strategic point for future naval operations in the Pacific. Eo acouisition that she has lately made can surpass it in importance. Fiji is the key of the South Pacific as Hawaii is the key of the North Pacific. No American or European, however, can look with jealous eye on the extension of her sovereignty and flag over so important a naval stronghold, for wherever her llag has gone it has carried and established civilisation and Christianity with it, albeit the native races have generally melted away when brought in contact with white. The annexation of Fiji will be followed by the acquisition of other neighboring groups, (ill at some future day, Mr Vogel’s Polynesian scheme may be an accomplished fact, and the British llag float over every island in the fJouth Pacific.”