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 Ger- 
many 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 responsi- 
bility 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 administra- 
tion, nor were the Cape Government indisposed to do so, 
but the Government retired from office, and the new Govern- 
ment 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 Govern- 
ments 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.