§ VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH, in rising to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, What national flag was now flying at Angra Pequena and Wallfisch Bay; whether sufficient measures were being taken for the protection of British interests on those coasts pending the negotiations with Germany; and, whether the Government would inform itself before making a final settlement of the question what views were entertained on the subject by the newly-formed Government at Cape Town? said, that he hoped that the noble Earl would not state that these were purely Colonial questions, but that they would be looked at from an Imperial point of view. With respect to Angra Pequena, it was for us to assert and establish our claim to its possession if we thought it worth our while. At this moment there was an English magistrate exercising jurisdiction on that coast at Wall-fisch Bay. The harbour was as fine a one as there was on the whole Coast of Africa. With regard to Delagoa Bay, he was informed that, though the arbitration went in favour of the Portuguese Government, that Government was not very anxious to retain it, but was in treaty for its cession to the Dutch Government; and if that were done the whole of the trade in that part of South Africa—which would prove most valuable in the course of a few years—would go into the hands of the Dutch and Germans, who would be in possession of Delagoa Harbour on the East and Angra Pequena on the West Coast.
§ THE EARL OF DERBYMy Lords, in answer to the various Questions which have been put by the noble Lord opposite, I wish, in the first place, to say that, as far as I am aware, no controversies have arisen, and no controversies are likely to arise, with regard to Wallfisch Bay. It has been claimed and taken possession of as British territory, and it has been administered by officers appointed under the authority of the Cape Government, and I am not aware that our claim has ever been disputed. We have been in possession of Wallfisch Bay for some years past, and no objection has been taken to our possession. With regard to Angra Pe- 646 quena, there are, as the noble Lord is aware, two separate questions involved —the question of the islands outside the harbour, and the question of the harbour itself. The islands are, I believe, unoccupied.
§ VISCOUNT SIDMOUTHI think they are occupied by English merchants at the present time.
§ THE EARL OF DERBYThey may be occupied for temporary purposes; but what I meant to say was that there is no Settlement there and no representative of any Colonial or Imperial authority. They have been claimed as British possessions, but I do not know whether any flag is flying there. If there is, it is undoubtedly ours. As to the harbour and mainland, the question is one of greater complexity. We have never formally claimed it as far as I am aware. We have never established any Government there. I am not forgetful of the fact that nearly 90 years ago a British vessel, under Captain Alexander, touched there and took possession of the place in the name of the British Crown. But, as that transaction took place 90 years ago, and was not followed by any notification to Foreign Powers, the question might fairly be raised how far a nominal claim of that kind would be held to be valid now. The language we have held with regard to that territory is that, although we have not formally claimed the Bay, we have claimed the right to exclude Foreign Powers on the general ground of its nearness to our Settlements, and the absence of any other claims; but we have never set up any Government there, and never attempted to make it a Settlement or a Colony. There is, as the House is aware, a German Agent lately established there. But the establishment of trading stations does not in itself constitute any claim to the territory, and has nothing to do with the question of Sovereignty. With regard to the second Question of the noble Lord, I have to say that we are in correspondence with the German Government. During the progress of negotiations, I am not aware that any special protection has been shown to be necessary for British interests. As to the third Question, I have, by anticipation, acted on the suggestion embodied therein. I sent a telegram on the 3rd instant, asking whether there was any probability of the Cape Government being prepared to take possession of 647 Angra Pequena, in the event of its being declared British territory. I received a reply requesting that the matter should be kept open, as the general elections were then in progress, and the Ministers were absent from Cape Town. In addition to that, it was well known that the fate of the then existing Ministry was very doubtful. On the 7th of May, having received no answer, I telegraphed again in the same sense. In the meantime, as the noble Lord is aware, a change of Government took place at the Cape; and on the 15th, four days ago, I received a telegram stating that the new Government were considering the subject, and promising an answer within the next 10 days. I shall, therefore, receive the answer within about a week from now. Having taken these stops, and having consulted the Colonial authorities on the subject, we shall do nothing at present that can bind our future action.