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The Age.
27th January, 1909.
GERMANY IN THE PACIFIC
NAVAL BASE IN NEW BRITAIN
HINT BY AMERICAN VISITOR.
LONDON, 20th January.
Major Daniels, an American scientist, in the course of a press interview at Vancouver on his arrival after a visit to New Guinea, urged the British people to watch Germany's growing power in the Pacific. He stated that a strong naval base had been established at Simpson's Hafen, in New Britain, and that the defences of the fort there was quite formidable.
GERMANY IN NEW GUINEA.
DEVELOPMENT OF HER PORTS.
The Australian and British authorities have been observing with much interest the development by Germany of her port of Simpson's Hafen, situated on the island of New Britain, which is close to German New Guinea. There appears to be little secrecy about the building of large stores and warehouses, the extensions of the wharfs and the harbour improvements which have been effected during the past few years. The intention of the German authorities is to make Simpson's Hafen the principal commercial centre and port of call for New Guinea, and to so equip the harbour that it could be used as a naval base for a big fleet of cruisers or battleships. It was intended last year to transfer the seat of the German Government in New Guinea from Herbertshohe, the present capital, to Simpson's Hafen, and it is considered likely that some of the preparations noticed by Major Daniels were connected with this transfer. Simpson's Hafen has an infinitely better harbor than Herbertshohe. The Secretary of the Department for External Affairs, Mr. Atlee Hunt, is not inclined to take an alarmist view of the statements made by Major Daniels. He thinks that the activity of the Germans is largely due to the magnitude of their interests in the Pacific. Major Daniels was in Melbourne and Sydney about four years ago in connection with a scientific expedition, which he subsequently led through New Guinea.
SENATOR PEARCE'S COMMENT.
When the above cable message was shown to the Minister of Defence yesterday, he said:-"if it be true that a foreign power has established a formidable naval depot in New Guinea, I can only say that it is an additional incentive to the Government to deal thoroughly with the whole question of defence - especially naval defence. The development of events in the Pacific makes this question more and more pressing as each year goes by."