1136 ADMINISTRATION AND LEGISLATION [pArTV
the Imperial Government. This step was repudiated, the
Imperial Government then being assured that there was no
intention on the part of Germany to claim any portion of
the island. Unfortunately circumstances shortly arose which
showed that Germany had other intentions. Lord Fitz-Maurice
in his Life of Earl Granville shows how the Egyptian
policy of the Government resulted in its requiring to consider
most carefully the wishes of Germany, and ultimately Germany
annexed a large portion of New Guinea. British
annexation of the remaining part followed, and there was
a somewhat heated exchange of recriminations between
Germany and Great Britain, while on the other hand, the
Australian Colonies were indignant at the supineness of
the Home Government. But it must again be noted that the
Australian Colonies had displayed at the outset reluctance to
assume full pecuniary responsibility, and that the annexation
of New Guinea was purely and solely a matter of Australian
interest! Similar reluctance to assume pecuniary responsibility
had practically at the same time resulted in the
acquisition by Germany of German South-West Africa. The
Imperial Government were prepared to annex if the Cape
Government would accept the responsibility of administration,
nor were the Cape Government indisposed to do so,
but the Government retired from office, and the new Government
dealt with the matter so slowly that Germany succeeded
in annexing the territory before effective steps could be taken
for annexation.”
Difficulties arose also in connexion with Samoa and the
New Hebrides. It was claimed by the Dominion Governments
that the Imperial Government might have secured
more effectively British interests in respect both of Samoa
and the New Hebrides, while on the other hand, the position
of the Tmoerial Government was laid down in a dispatch of
1 See Parl. Pap., C. 3617, 3691, 3814 (1883) ; 3839, 3863 (1884) ; 4217,
1273, 4200, 4441, 4584 (1884-5) ; 4656 (1886) ; 5564 (1888). Cf. also Dilke,
Problems of Greater Britain, i. 437 seq. ; Turner, Victoria, ii. 246, 333.
* See Parl. Pap., C. 4190 (1884) ; 4262, 4265, 4290 (1884-5); 5180 (1887):
Molteno, A Federal South Africa, pp. 82-6.
