THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, MAY 3, 1879.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 78, 3 May 1879, Page 2

THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, MAY 3, 1879.

After a period of upwards of three hundred years since its discovery, New Guinea is beginning to attract considerable attention from various parts of the world. This island, with the exception, perhaps, of Australia, is the largest on our globe. It is 1400 miles in extreme length, 300 miles in breadth in its widest part, and about twenty miles in its narrowest. It was discovered by the Portuguese commanders De Abreu and Serratn in 1511, and although over three hundred years has passed since then, comparatively speaking, nothing is yet known of this vast country. This is the more astonishing considering that it is not one hundred miles distant from the nearest point of Australia, and is almost directly on the route the mail steamers take from China to Australia. • Many and fabulous have been the reports of the gold-bearing qualities of this island. For some object or other it has been reported by numerous parties who have lauded on various parts of the coast, in years gone by, that the natives adorned themselves with nuggets of gold, and that their spears, and every article they used were more or less embellished with the precious metal. About eleven years ago an expedition was fitted out in Sydney for the purpose of testing the truth of these reports, but this expedition came to an untimely end by the vessel in which it started being

lost on the coast of Queensland, through the inability of the captain to navigate the ship. Many of the members of the expedition were killed by the Queensland natives, after having escaped a watery grave. Very little attention was paid to New Guinea by the general public from that time till about twelve months ago, when Mr. Uoldie, sent specimens of gold-bearing quartz to the Australian colonies to be tested. This had the effect of creating quite an excitement in all the colonies; expeditions were formed and sent out from New South Wales, Victoria, Queenlaud, aud New Zealand, ,all of which have now returned disappointed ; and, after searching the river upon which Mr. Qoldie is said to have found his specimens, they have come to the conclusion that although the colour can be got, gold cannot be obtained in sufficiently payable quantities. The telegraphic information published in our issue of last week informs us that three thousand Italians intend loaving in autumn to form a colony in New Guinea. They have been led to this decision by the glowing accounts given by Signor D'Albortis, who has explored a considerable portion of the country for scientific purposes. It will be noticed, however, that the assent of the British Government is asked to this scheme of colonising New Guinea, and there we believe it will end. Lieutenant Arueil projected a similar scheme in England, and the Victorian people formed an association in Melbourne, called the New Guinea Association, for the purpose of colonising this extensive country, but they both fell through in consequence of the fact that they oould not obtain the assent of the Imperial Government. When the British Government would not countonanco colonisation schemes projected by their own countrymen, we think it not at all likely that they will assent to the Italian scheme. The signs of the times are that Nev* Guinea will not long be the terra incognita that it bos so long been. Missionaries, usually the forerunner of civilisation, commenced operation* there some eight years ago. and have been tolerably successful in preparing the aboriginals for civilisation, and thereby made the country comparatively safe to travel in, as will be seen by the accounts given by the recent prospecting parties, though there is no doubt but that many a pioneer in that country will lose his life at the hands of the natives before they are thoroughly civilised. Messrs. Godeffroy and Son and others have trading stations on and about the main land, and there is very little doubt but that the British Government will before very long annex the island, considering that it is so close to one of her colonies. As this step is at present under consederation, it is highly improbable that the British Government will consent to any colonisation schemes being carried out until they have settlod the matter and are prepared to govern such colonisers.