WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 32, 24 September 1914, Page 4

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

It is considered that German Southwest Africa is the only one of Geri cuy’s foreign possessions that she irght conceivably have some day made into a real colony. But now it is fairly safe to say that this, too, is destined to belong to Britain. The total white population of the colony is under 15,000, and a couple of thousand of this number are not Germans. It has been ironically said 'that of Germany’s colonies tne fertile 'ones arc not habitable (by white men), f»u J . the habitable ones are not fer'til • German South-west Africa is certainly an exception to this rule, in* ugh the estimates of its value are very contradictory, and ther- is little chance of its ever realising the ex- • rotations of the great German Colonial Minister, Herr Dernlmrg, who !o- ked upon it as a future rival of Canada and the Argentine. The colony has an area of over 300,000 j soi are miles, a great deal of which is cultivable, and it runs north from the border of the South African Union. ,Tue Germans there may attack WalBay, which belongs to Britain, jand which it surround-, except upon tin sea side. But Walfisli Bay is said to be well garrisoned and in n’\v lease the ultimate end would be the same. The fate of Togoland must overtake this German colony also—the South African Union can bo trusted to make sure of that. Remembering that Germany has spent nearly £100,000.00° j!:. the last twenty-five years on her colonial empire, and that the war wiGi flu Herreros in this particular colony cost her £32.000.000, one might, the \ ckland Star says, almost sympathise with her on her approaching 00. s. But the thought .of broken (treaties, peaceful Belgium made a [battleground, harmless fishermen and

•M.rrant« mvmdeved by mine-oxplo-c ons, and cities bold ransom, preterit any possibility of that