considering how much had already been. done, he trusted that the hon. Member would withdraw his Motion.

VISCOUNT SANDON said, it seemed

His

stances acquire additional territory, they would not only do an unwise and wrong thing, but they would sound the first note of their country's retrogression in the scale of nations. Every case, how-to him that the hon. Gentleman who ever, must be dealt with on its own particular merits, and it was not right to adhere to any hard and inflexible rule; and he was quite content that the conduct of the Government should be judged by the future result. And what were the Government now doing? With respect to the slave trade they had passed a measure which they hoped would put a stop to that traffic, and the Admiralty were about to strengthen the squadron in those seas where it was complained that the slave trade was carried on. With regard to the Fiji Government, which had been so much abused, he did not stand up to defend them; but it must be recollected that the gentleman who had been so much reflected on in the public press had recently left that Government, and that a person of the greatest respectability now occupied his place-namely, Mr. Thurston, who had recently been British Consul in Fiji. Moreover, the individual who had accepted the office of Chief Justice bore the highest character. While there was hope that good government might prevail in the Fiji Islands, it was not for this country to interpose by force, and accordingly instructions had been sent out to the English Representative there to recognize the actual Government as a de facto Government, but the extent of our recognition would depend on the ability of the Government in the Islands to maintain good order, and on the sincerity of their efforts to suppress the slave traffic. He did not see what other course Her Majesty's Government could take, and if hereafter the White population and the natives should desire the territory to be annexed, the British nation would never hesitate when the interests of civilization and Christianity were concerned to take whatever steps would best promote those ends. But it was better to be too cautious than too precipitate, and while progress was being made in the Fiji Islands, the British Government exercised a wise discretion in not forcing a protectorate on them. Whenever any information arrived in this country relative to the condition of the Islands he would take care that it should be laid before Parliament, and Mr. Knatchbull-Hugessen

had just spoken had to a very great ex-
tent conceded the point at issue. The
hon. Gentleman had referred to the way
in which the Government had acted in
reference to the Cape and in reference
to the West Coast of Africa, pointing
out that the Government had been in-
duced to pursue a policy of annexation
in those cases, because it was necessary
to have the frontiers of those colonies
well protected, for commercial and other
reasons, and to draw into their net those
neighbours who were around them.
But the argument applied to those dis-
tant colonies of the Empire applied still
more strongly to the Empire itself, for
it was a matter of Imperial interest that
the great Empire of England should
not suffer from not attending to the an-
nexation of points necessary to strengthen
her dominions all over the world.
hon. Friend went on to depreciate the
importance of Polynesia. Was it pos-
sible to suppose that the islands of Poly-
nesia would be allowed to remain inde-
pendent principalities? If those islands
were to fall to one of the great States of
the world, were we not in duty bound to
see that these important ports and cen-
tres of civilization and religious influence
should not fall into the hands of other
Powers than our own? We were bound,
watching over the security and welfare
of our great colonies, Australia and
New Zealand, to take some action in the
case of the Fiji Islands. The cost of
maintaining colonial establishments there
would be comparatively small.
agreed with his hon. Friend as to the
question of protectorate. He thought
his hon. Friend was almost committed
to annexation. He evidently looked to
future action in the matter, and certainly
annexation was a hundred times safer.
He deeply lamented that the legitimate
offer made a few years ago had not been
accepted. It was a shirking of respon-
sibility which naturally fell upon us,
and which if it had been then accepted
would have saved us from very serious
difficulties that might await us in the
future. His hon. Friend said that the
Government felt so well disposed in this
matter that if Australia should think fit
to do the work for us there would be no

He

objection. That, again, was a shirking | [Laughter.] Surely, this was one of the of responsibility. It was also a new wisest of Governments, for when they got doctrine, as to which he should like to into trouble they laughed. The Mohave the opinion of the Law Officers of tion, however, threw on the Government the Crown, whether a colony had power the responsibility of resisting the appeal to attach responsility to the mother for annexation, and if they refused, some country for annexing any stray islands other country would take the step. It in the seas adjacent to it. The straight- was a question between a bold and a forward course would be to announce at cowardly policy. If we accepted the offer once that if the people of these Islands of these Islands we might save an enorwere willing to submit themselves to mous amount of crime, the responsibility our rule, we would be willing to accept for which, if we refused the offer, would them, with all the responsibilities that to that extent rest on our shoulders. followed upon such a course; and by so These offers did not come often. If his doing we should secure not only the hon. Friend went to a division he should hearty concurrence of Australia, but the support him. When the expense of approbation of our own countrymen and the applause of the civilized world.

MR. KINNAIRD said, he had listened to the speech of his noble Friend with great attention and warm sympathy. This was not a new question. Some 16 or 18 years ago he had accompanied a deputation to Lord Palmerston on the subject. They waited upon other Ministers; and they asked-" Where is Fiji? We never heard of it." But with Lord Palmerston it was very different. He knew that Fiji possessed some of the most remarkable harbours in the world, and unrolling a map told them the exact number of fathoms in depth, and stated that there was not a ship then afloat that could not sail into those harbours. Most cordially did he receive the deputation. His hon. Friend now said it was to Lord Palmerston's Government that the offer of annexation was made. The state of things then was very different from what it is now. And what did Lord Kimberley say in reply to Lord Belmore? He feebly answered-"The next point is one already under the consideration of the Foreign Office." "Consideration was a great word with the Government. Lord Belmore had said"The practical importance of the subject is my excuse for drawing your Lordships' attention to it it is that of giving certain magisterial powers to the British Consul at Fiji over British subjects."

There were 2,000 British subjects, which formed an important population. They applied to us to annex the Islands, and the Government took on themselves the responsibility of refusing. He hoped the Government would not fall back on Lord Palmerston's opinion. They must rest on their own responsibility. [Laughter.] His hon. Friend laughed.

New Zealand and of Australia was spoken of, his answer was that the Governments of Australia were repaying us all expense incurred, and would repay us 100 per cent for the money that England laid out. Our colonies were an accession of strength to the mother country, and woe be to those who refused to accept the offer now made to England. It was all very well for Members of the Government to make pretty speeches about our colonies, but we wanted something else—we wanted action.

MR. M'ARTHUR said, he found that the general feeling of the House was that his Motion did not go far enough, but that the Government ought to annex the Fiji Islands. He would, therefore, alter the terms of his Motion, which would be to ask Her Majesty to establish a British protectorate at Fiji, or to annex the Islands, as the Government might think desirable. It had been said that no such wish had been expressed and no such offer made; but he believed that the White population would be delighted with the annexation of the Islands, and the rest of the inhabitants had again and again expressed themselves favourable to the proposition that they should be annexed to the British

Crown.

Delay

A few years ago the population of Fiji was 200,000; now it was reduced to 120,000, and it was daily decreasing. England's true policy was, therefore, not to be too late. was against England. Our true policy was to place ourselves in communication with the Islands; and if this were done, he believed that the Islands would receive with acclamation the announcement that they were to be annexed to the British Crown. Let law and authority be once established there, and emigra

which he, on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, could accept any responsibility with reference to the question.

MR. SPEAKER asked the hon. Member for Lambeth if he withdrew his Motion?

MR. M'ARTHUR, in reply, said, he was going to move his amended Motion. MR. SPEAKER said, the hon. Member could not move an Amendment to his own Motion.

MR. COLLINS said, the hon. Member might withdraw his original Motion by the leave of the House, and then move it in an amended form.

SIR HARRY VERNEY observed that after the statement of the Under Secretary of State it would be impossible for the Government to refuse the annexation of those Islands, if they obtained from them a responsible expression of a desire for such annexation.

MR. M'ARTHUR said, that as the general feeling of the House appeared to be in favour of leaving the Government the option of either establishing a protectorate over the Fiji Islands, or of annexing them, he wished to alter his Motion accordingly. He presumed, therefore, that the better plan would be for him to withdraw his original Motion and substitute another to that effect.

people to rely upon their own resources, and therefore he asked whether, in the name of prudence and policy, any sufficient reason had been shown why the British Government should at the present time undertake the task of making a provision for the civil welfare of the people of the Fiji Islands which they were endeavouring to make for themselves? So far as it was possible to lay down an abstract and general rule with regard to annexation, he was prepared to say that Her Majesty's Government would not annex any territory, great or small, without the well-understood and expressed wish of the people to be annexed, freely and generously expressed, and authenticated by the best means the case would afford. Let them guide their conduct in that respect by the light of experience. In New Zealand a treaty was entered into by and with the consent of the native authorities with this country; but when it came to be acted upon, it was ascertained that the New Zealanders put a different interpretation themselves upon the meaning of that treaty, and which had led to a series of bloody wars that were not honourable to the history of this country, and which had cost between £11,000,000 and £12,000,000. This, however, was the case of 200 islands, inhabited by about 150,000 or 160,000 persons; and of those 200 islands about 60 were uninhabited; and those that were inhabited were not under the rule of one chief; but 12 principal tribes, with many sub-divisions, with relations from the heads of the tribes to the kings of a most uncertain character. Under these circumstances he appealed to the House and the supporters of the Motion not to attempt to force on Her Majesty's Government the duty of forcing the Fiji Islanders to annex themselves to this country, for there really was no evidence that they desired it. If the House wanted to force Her Majesty's Government, they ought not to force the people of these Islands, who were endeavouring to organize a Government amongst themselves, and which this country, by means of friendly negotiations, were encouraging; but if Her Majesty's Government was to be forced into doing anything, let it be to ascer-terest and ability on the question of a tain the real feeling of the islanders, and not to force on the islanders that which they had shown no desire should take place. This was the only form in

MR. ASSHETON CROSS asked, as a point of Order, whether it was competent for the hon. Member, if he withdrew his Motion, to move his amended Motion that night, or on another opportunity?

MR. SPEAKER said, it would depend
on the pleasure of the House, if the
Motion was withdrawn, whether another
Motion should be put at once or not.
Motion, by leave, withdrawn.
MR. M'ARTHUR moved-

"That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that She will be graciously pleased to take into consideration the propriety of establishing a Protectorate at Fiji, or of annexing those Islands, provided that this may be effected

with the consent of the inhabitants.”

MR. SPENCER WALPOLE said, he rose to Order. If the Motion was to be put, the whole of the Rules of the House would at once be put an end to. That subject had been argued with great in

protectorate; and it was not until the hon. Mover replied that he intimated that, in consequence of the debate, he was about to amend his Motion by in

SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH said, that believing it was hopeless to expect that the Bill could be proceeded with in the present Session, and considering that the Notice Paper should not be encumbered with measures that were virtually defunct, he should move that The House divided:-Ayes 84; Noes the Committee be resumed on Tuesday, 135 Majority 51.