GERMANY IN THE PACIFIC.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 4, 22 August 1914, Page 6

GERMANY IN THE PACIFIC.

POLICY OF EXPANSION.

SIMPSON-HAFEN NAVAL BASE.

For many years Germany has been steadily pursuing a policy of expansion in the Pacific. This is one phase of her ambitious dreams of a colonial Empire. To establish this Empire Germany for many years has spent over two millions annually. And) as the revenue from her colonies in Afrjca and the Pacific only amounts to about half a million, the annual loss is roughly £1,500,000. German colonisation in the Pacific is a thing of recent growth. Prior to 1870 German interests were practically confined to the Fatherland. In 1870 a big firm of German merchants failed, and their interests in the Pacific were about to be taken over by Baring Bros., of London. But Bismark saw that this would inevitably mean that England would secure the German interests in Samoa and other islands. So the German Commercial and Plantation Association of the Southern Seas was formed, and the Iron Chancellor became the champion of colonial expansion. Huge slices of territory were acquired in Africa, and many islands in the Pacific. Millions were spent by the German people, but so far they have not reaped a pecuniary reward commensurate with the outlay. . A glance at the map of the Pacific, excluding the East Indies, shows that Great Britain—in spite of her apathy in recent years—still has a big share of the islands. But there is no gainsaying the advances which Germany has made. Starting from the Ladrones, or Marianne Islands, with the exception of Guam, which is American, Germany controls, a tremendous aveal of Melanesia and Polynesia. The wholq of the colonies are under the flag of the Fatherland; then further south are Net* Britain, New Ireland, and hundreds of smaller islands round these two groups, and known as the Bismarck (Archipelago. Then there is the north-east portion of New Guinea; farther east are the Solopion Islands, the southern portion of which belongs to Great Britain, but tile two northern islands, Bougainville and Buka, with' ! some of the adjacent ifdets, belong'to . Germany. ' North-east again are the Marshall Islands, which belong entire*-, by, to; Germany, and a fefy isolated ’ is^lands like Nauru (PleaJant Island).! South-east again is Samoa, which is, 1 mainly German, though America, owns Tutula (Pago ;Pag6). ,>

I, To Australians the chief peint of; interest .in the Gentian possessions,‘is New Britain, for here the great nav,ah base of Simpson-hafen was recently established at a cost of thousands of pounds. Quietly, under the guise of mercantile expansion, Germany expeditiously and successfully a few years - ago built up this naval base, right within striking distance of Torres Straits, where all lines { between> Australia and the East converge.-Sim-., pson-hafen is on a peninsula olßUniehe Bay, i at Malupi; ' If is commanded ‘by highlands of volcanic origin, aiid is an ideal site for a naval base, wharf is ,1000 f- long, w fvitfl spacious - warei j houses cpsting-£40,000.' The'wharf is larger than ‘any in Australia/ -and is equal to'the needs of a of 100,000 people. But there is no few people at Simpson-hafen. The port ofHerbertshohe is only 10 miles away. . When operations first colhmenced the island traders were puzzled at the scheme. They wondered where the huge shipments of timber and stores were going.