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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

། ༄། ཟ། ། ། mwwimmin C.O.88

18 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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consideration. The reason assigned was that the cost of administration was very high, and the islands were not paying their The natives of Tahiti would, he thought, welcome the British as their rulers more than any other

nation.

way.

On the 28th September the Governor-General of Australia telegraphed to the Secretary of State for the Colonies that the complete removal of the French troops from, and the reduction of the Administration in, Tahiti were causing the Australian public much apprehension of the possible cession of the group, and the Commonwealth Ministers requested to be furnished with either public or confidential information on the subject. His Majesty's Ambassador in Paris addressed inquiries to the French Government there- upon, but was assured that the withdrawal of troops and the administrative reductions were solely due to motives of economy, and that there was no question whatever of any cession of the islands. Lord Northcote was accordingly informed of these assurances.

In the meanwhile the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, in for- warding Captain Gaunt's Report on Tahiti to the Foreign Office, stated that the Society Islands, though possessing some excellent harbours, were not on the direct route between any two very important places. Tahiti, it was pointed out, might form a useful base to an enemy to disturb the trade between Panamá, Australia, and New Zealand, being only 500 to 600 miles off that trade route, but would not be likely to be of any other use strategically, while any possible enemy would require great power at sea to make it really useful. There appeared, moreover, to be no reason to suppose that France intended to give up Tahiti, as the French squadron there was, it was understood, to be kept up to its usual strength during 1907.

lu expressing the satisfaction of the Commonwealth Government at the information that the French had no intention of ceding Tahiti, the Governor- General of Australia called the attention of His Majesty's Government to disquieting rumours which were being continually received in Australia to the effect that Germany was gradually increasing her influence in the group. The Australian Government understood that the German Banking Company. which had a branch at Papeete were endeavouring to secure possession of a large number of estates in the islands by advancing money on mortgage. The feeling in the group that France intended at an early date to relieve herself of the cost of administration by cession to another Power was strong and widespread, and should the French Government ever show an inclination to reconsider their determination to retain possession, it would, the Australian Government felt, be greatly to the disadvantage of British interests in that hemisphere to permit the islands to become the property of any other Power. It was pointed out that, on the opening of the additional highway between Europe and Australasia of the Panamá Canal, a large part of the trade between New Zealand, Fiji, and the eastern parts of Australia on the one side, and Great Britain on the other, would be diverted to the new route. Owing to the distance to be covered, it would be necessary for steamers to have coaling stations, and as the Society Islands, which are about half-way between Sydney and Panamá, are the last group of islands possessed of good harbours before the wide stretch of ocean between the South Sea Islands and the American continent is reached, it would be desirable that the chief of such coaling stations should be located at Papeete or Port Phaeton. An assurance had already been sent to Lord Northcote by His Majesty's Government before the receipt of his Lordship's despatch, that the matter was receiving the earnest consideration of the Imperial Government.

Rumours of the intention of the French to cede Tahiti were current at the end of 1906 in New Zealand as well as in Australia. On the 12th September the "Auckland Star" published an article to the effect that negotiations were in progress for the sale of the islands to Great Britain. In December the Prime Minister presented a Memorandum to the tiovernor advocating the acquisition by the British Government of Raiatea and the other islands of the group known as the Leeward Islands, by arrangement with the French Government by purchase or otherwise. These islands have been occupied by France since 1888, when the French military posts in the New Hebrides were withdrawn, on which occasion, as agreed in the Convention with France of the 16th November 1887, the Anglo-French Declaration of 1817, recognizing

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the independence of the Leeward Islands, was abrogated. Raiatea, with its twin island Tahaa, is inclosed by an extensive barrier reef in which there is a fine deep harbour, which, the Government of New Zealand pointed out in their Memorandum, would he of great value to Great Britain and New Zealand as a naval and trading station, particularly in view of the completion of the Panamá Canal. The New Zealand Government at the sume time stated their readiness, should any negotiations with France be successful, to accept the responsibility of administering not only these islands but also Tahiti in the same manner as they now administer the Cook and other islands.

His Majesty's Government, in their reply of the 5th March 1907, thanked the New Zealand Government for their offer to accept the responsibility of administering the islands should they be acquired, but stated that it was not anticipated that there would be any opportunity of considering the matter further. The reply of the French Government to the inquiry made of them in the previous October had made it clear that there was no question whatever of their intention to cede the group to any Power, and, so far as His Majesty's Government were aware, this assurance applied equally to Raiatea and the adjacent islands which were formally annexed by France on the 16th March 1888. The wishes of the New Zealand Government would, however, it was added, be borne in mind.

In January 1907 the Secretary of State for the Colonies called Sir E. Grey's attention to the fact that one of the resolutions to be submitted to the forthcoming Colonial Conference by the Commonwealth (iovernment referred to the rumoured intention of the French Government to cede Tahiti, and reminded him, in view of the improbability of any such cession at present, of an opinion expressed by the Admiralty that the acquisition of the Gambier Islands would be of more importance to British interests in connection with the change in the Pacific situation resulting from the completion of the Panamá Canal than that of Tahiti. This opinion had been brought to the attention of the Marquess of Lansdowne in July 1905, when the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty stated that, having had under consideration the question of acquiring a coaling station between New Zealand and Panama, their attention had been drawn to the advantages presented in this connection by the Manga Reva or Gambier Islands. These islands, belonging to France, lie almost midway between Panama and Auckland, practically on the direct route, and the completion of the Panamá Canal would render the possession of a coaling station thereabouts of the highest importance. Commissioners therefore suggested that the existing amicable relations with The Lords France might make it a favourable moment for approaching the French Government on the matter. Lord Lansdowne, however, replied to this proposal on the 9th August 1905, that, though the opinion of the Lords Commissioners as to the value of the islands to Great Britain would be borne in mind, in case proposals from the French Government on other subjects should offer an opportunity for bringing the matter forward, it was not then at all an opportune moment for proposing a transfer to the French Government, who, even if they were willing to entertain it, might not improbably bring forward counter proposals of a very embarrassing character. The inhabitants of the Gambier Islands, at whose request the islands had in 1844 been placed under the protection of France, being subsequently annexed by her in 1881, would, moreover, probably be opposed to a transfer of allegiance.

In October 1906 the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty again called attention to the importance of the Gambier Islands, as being on the direct route from Panamá to New Zealand or Australia, and therefore very valuable to Great Britain.

His Majesty's Consul at Tahiti has, however, recently reported that, though admirably adapted geographically as a half-way station between Panama and Australia, Manga Reva (Gambier Islands) is subject to cyclonic disturbances in January and March, and to hurricanes or gales in September. Its population numbers only about 100 persons, and provisions, fruits, and vegetables are scarce. On the east side of the island water is unobtainable, but on the north-west side there is a small river. At Rikitea, the seat of government, there is a small harbour, difficult of access and available only for small vessels, while opposite it is an expanse of water suitable for the anchorage of large vessels, but unfurnished with any adequate entrance.

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Other anchorages on the north-west side of the island are badly interspersed with rocks and shoals, and their approaches are practically prohibitive.

Papeete Harbour, in Tahiti, he adds, need not be approached by way of any of the dangerous islands of the Paumotu Archipelago. If vessels going from Panamá to New Zealand or Australia make Fatu-Hiva Island, in the Marquesas group, and thence proceed direct to Papeete, the distance of the Tahiti route is approximately the same as that of the Manga Reva route (7,700 miles). From a commercial point of view also, the advantages of Papeete as a coaling station are many. Its geographical situation entitles it to consideration as a possible store-house for coal from New Zealand and Australia, and for oil-fuel from the Californian oil-fields and elsewhere. Its harbour is large and commodious, accessible either by day or night. Its beach is adapted by nature for the erection of wharves capable of providing accommodation for several large ships at a time, while the water supply is good and plentiful, and provisions of all sorts are abundant. A well-protected coral shore in its immediate vicinity, which is approachable in deep water, is suitable for the construction of a dry dock adapted to the requirements of present-day shipping, and in this respect Tahiti appears to be the only island in the South-East Pacific where such accommodation could be made available.

The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, however, do not indorse the views of His Majesty's Consul.

They point out that Tahiti is just as much subject to cyclonic disturbances as Manga Reva, and that its harbour, which is only 300 feet wide, cannot be regarded-according to the naval idea of such a harbour-as a commodious harbour, accessible either by day or night.'

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As regards Manga Reva, the Lords Commissioners point out that it was never contemplated to make Port Rikitea the coaling place.

Further examination will be necessary before the exact spot can be determined, but there appears to be, the Lords Commissioners point out, a large area close to the Islands of Aukena and Aka Maru, the best water being at Aukena.

If Manga Reva should prove unsuitable, they add, a far better harbour than Papeete exists in the Island of Bora Bora, west of Tahiti.

When recently the Commonwealth of Australia proposed, among various Resolutions for submission to the Colonial Conference, one to the effect, "That, in view of the probable completion of the Panama Canal, it is desirable that all possible means of strengthening British interests in the Pacific should be adopted," some doubt was felt as to the intended scope of this Resolution.

An inquiry addressed to Lord Northcote, however, elicited the information that the terms of the Resolution had special reference to the question of Great Britain's acquiring a coaling station on the new Panamá route, as suggested in his despatch already referred to. It was intended to urge that the whole route from the Panama Canal to Australia should be the subject of constant solicitude and of any action possible in the interests of British ships, In answer to this appeal, His Majesty's Government desire to take this opportunity to place on record the deep interest they feel in this question, their determination to watch closely the effects of the opening of the Canal on the interests of the Empire, and their desire to meet, as far as may be practicable, the wishes of the Commonwealth Government and those of the Government of New Zealand in this important matter.

Foreign Office,

March 21, 1907.