the questions of policy into which you are commissioned to inquire; these must be treated as wholly distinct. Her Majesty's Government must continue to entrust the propagation of the Gospel in the distant parts of the earth, as their predecessors have entrusted it, to the piety and zeal of individuals. The hope of the conversion of a people to Christianity, however specious, must not be made a reason for increasing the British dominions. The question, therefore, whether or not the Fijis ought not to be added to the numerous colonial possessions of this country must be determined by the same motives of ordinary expediency which direct the general national policy.

The principal reasons of this class which have been urged for accepting the sovereignty of the Fiji Islands are these: 1st, that they may prove a useful station for any mail steamers running between Panama and Sydney; 2nd, that they may afford a supply of cotton; and 3rd, and in close connection with the first reason, that their possession is important to the national power, and security in the Pacific Ocean. On these heads I shall make a few remarks, not with the view of forestalling your judgment, but in order to guide your mind to some of the topics which have to be weighed in arriving at a conclusion.

The Fijis are said by some to be situated too far to the eastward to form a central position in crossing the Pacific; how far this may practically be the case those who navigate that ocean can best inform you. If they were to be used for this purpose it would be requisite to consider both whether the anchorages are good, and whether they are sufficiently accessible.

It would be necessary, also, to ascertain whether the intricacies of navigation among these islands (which would appear from the works of Admiral Erskine, of the British Navy, and of Commodore Wilkes of The United States' Navy, to be considerable) are such as to present serious obstacles to their use by the rapid mail steamers now required, whose transit must be subject to as little delay as possible by day or night. You will also have to inquire whether, if a line of steamers should ever be established from Panama to Australia, the Fiji Islands or Auckland would be the more natural and convenient point to be touched at on the way. Secondly, with regard to the supply of cotton. question of the present day affecting the use to be foreign possessions for encouraging and supporting the industry of our country, in which the community in general feel so great an interest as this. To add to the fields from whence that supply is now derived is one of the highest economical objects to which Her Majesty's Government can apply themselves. Any indication of such a field is to be carefully followed up. To this branch of the subject, therefore, you will devote your especial and most solicitous

There is no made of our

attention. There seems to be no doubt that the Fiji Islands produce a good specimen of the cotton plant; there is every reason to suppose that their climate is highly favourable to its development. But these are by no means the only considerations which the subject embraces. The West African coast, the new colony of Queensland in Australia, Natal, and other dependencies of the Crown, have been at various times pointed out, as regions in which the cultivation of cotton ought to be sedulously encouraged. But hitherto no results of importance have been obtained, partly from the novelty of the undertaking, partly from the want of continuous labour, partly from other reasons into which it is not now necessary to enter.

You will therefore examine, not merely the capacities of the soil and climate of the islands, but the condition of labour and social economy under which the cotton can now be raised, or may in future be raised. The number of the labouring class; their probable fitness and willingness for continuous labour; their circumstances, how far independent and open to the European hirer, and how far dependent on their Chiefs; the mode in which adherence to agreement may best be procured from them, without that servile restraint which is as contrary to British policy as to expediency; their fitness for those parts of the process which require some amount of skill and attention; the amount of probability that regularity of production, which is so essential to commerce, may be counted on; all these are among the elements of the problem which your assistance is required in solving.

These inquiries will be the more necessary since the acquisition of the Fijis will be something different from the occupation of new territories vacant for the use of European settlers. Although we have not full information regarding the native usage of property, yet it would appear from Mr. Pritchard's evidence that a kind of private ownership is recognized over almost all the soil, insomuch that the presumed Sovereign has little land at his disposal. The utmost, it is said, which the King of the group can offer to convey to the Crown of England, if the sovereignty over the islands be accepted, is a tract of 200,000 acres, which would, of course, be very inadequate for the purposes of European settlement. But it remains to be ascertained how much of the soil, said to be owned by individual natives or native families, is in reality unoccupied, what right and what disposition the so-called owners of unoccupied land might have to part with it, to European settlers or to the Crown, in trust for purposes of colonization; how far the settlement of Europeans, especially on scattered districts, among a people such as the natives of Fiji, might be advisable.

Information on all these subjects is essential towards determining (if the acquisition is resolved on) whether the islands will

afford attraction to European settlers, or whether they will continue to be occupied by natives, and will merely require the development of native industry.

There is another point which it is necessary that you should not overlook. Public opinion in England will never consent to the toleration in any British territory of any of those inhuman practices among the natives to which I have already referred. It will therefore be necessary to consider, with the care which so important a question demands, whether the local Government, if constituted, can at once interpose its authority, in aid of the efforts of the missionaries to suppress these practices.

You will also have to consider what the first expenses of the Government are likely to be, especially if some display of force is requisite for the above purpose, and also for keeping order between Europeans and natives, and how soon, and in what manner, the local resources may be expected to afford a revenue for these and other purposes.

The arguments in favour of occupying new sites as necessary to the national honour and security hardly come within the province of your inquiry, but you will be at liberty to make any remarks on this subject that may occur to you, or may be urged upon you by others. With these remarks I intrust to you the duties of your mission, confident, as I said at the outset, that you will fulfil them with the intelligence, fidelity, and firmness which it demands.

Colonel Smythe.

SIR,

I have, &c.

NEWCASTLE.

No. 8.-Lord Wodehouse to Sir F. Rogers.

Foreign Office, July 2, 1860. WITH reference to my letter of the 29th of November last, and to previous correspondence respecting the cession of the Fiji Islands to Great Britain, I am directed by Lord John Russell to transmit to you, to be laid before the Duke of Newcastle, four despatches and their enclosures from Mr. Consul Pritchard, by which his Grace will perceive that the Chiefs of those islands continue to press very urgently for the acceptance of the cession by Her Majesty.

I am to request that you will call the Duke of Newcastle's attention to this matter, upon which the Colonial Office do not appear to have yet decided.

Sir F. Rogers, Bart.

I am, &c.

WODEHOUSE.

(Inclosure 1.)-Consul Pritchard to the Secretary of State. MY LORD, Fiji, December 31, 1859. WITH reference to the cession of these Islands to Great Britain, I have the honour to report for your Lordship's information that on

the 14th instant, in a council representing all the districts of Fiji, the chiefs unanimously ratified and renewed the act of cession of Thakombau of 14th October, 1858, and they have begged me again to bring the question under the consideration of Her Majesty's Government.

I now therefore have the honour to enclose a copy of the document delivered to me by these assembled chiefs. The original, which was signed in presence of Commander Campion and myself, I have retained for the present, at the request of the chiefs, as there are one or two more (prevented from attending on the 14th instant) to add their names.

Candidly, my Lord, as far as I can ascertain, it seems a settled question in the minds of the Fijians, that they cannot resist the encroachments of the white race; and their act of cession to Great Britain they view as a choice of the least of many evils. They believe that Britain will prove a better master than any other nation; and hence I conceive they are sincere in offering the sovereignty of their islands to Her Majesty.

Lord J. Russell.

I have, &c.

WM, T. PRITCHARD.

(Inclosure 2.)—Act of Cession of Fiji to Great Britain Renewed. December 14, 1859.

WE hereby acknowledge, ratify, and renew the cession of Fiji to Great Britain made on the 12th day of October, 1858,* by Thakombau. In witness whereof we have hereto affixed our names, this 14th day of December, 1859.

RAMBITHI ROKO TUI DREKETI, of Rewa
GIOGI NANOVO, of Nadroga

NA WAQUALEVU, of Rakiraki

YUI LEVUKA, of Ovalau

KOROI THOKANAUTO, of Bau

KOROI TUMBUNA, of Tavua

NAIMBUKA KOROIKASA, of Nakelo Ratu
Isikeli, of Veiva

TUKANA, of Notho

TUMBAVIVI of Rakiraki

THURUITHA, of Korotumu Ra

SESEMBUALALA, of Korolumbu
TUNDRAW, of Dravo Samisoni of Vewa
NA GALU, of Namena

KOROI KAIY-ANUYANU, of Lasakau
DABEA of Kuku (Viti Levu)

* Page 77.

their

X X X X X X

X X X X X X X X

marks.

their

KOMIA VUNIVESI, of Nakelo

PITA PAULA, of Vewa

TUI BUA, of Bua

THAKOMBAU, of Fiji

RETOVA of Mathuata

TUI THAKAU, of Taviruni

X X X X X

marks.

We hereby certify that the foregoing Chiefs signed this document with a full understanding of its meaning in our presence, this 14th day of December 1859.

H. CAMPION, Commander R.N., HM.S. Elk.
WILL. T. PRITCHARD, H.B.M. Consul.

We hereby certify that we translated the foregoing document to the Chiefs who have signed, and that they thoroughly understand its meaning.

W. COLLIS, Wesleyan Mission Training Master.
E. P. MARTIN, Wesleyan Mission Printer.

WILL. T. PRITCHARD, Consul.

I hereby certify the foregoing to be a true copy.

(Inclosure 3.)-Consul Pritchard to the Secretary of State. MY LORD, Fiji, December 31, 1859. ENCLOSED I have the honour to transmit the copy of a general Treaty which has been signed by the Chiefs of Fiji and myself, subject to your Lordship's approval.

The original is retained for the signatures of Chiefs who were unable to attend on the present occasion, after which it will be duly forwarded.

By this Treaty I hope to define the intercourse of Her Majesty's subjects with this people. Hitherto there has been no rule by which to regulate their commercial transactions, and to adjust the differences more or less arising therefrom.

Each Article in the Treaty was fully discussed and explained, and then formally put to the vote by Thakombau, and a show of hands duly required; and I must add each Article was carried unanimously.

I trust to obtain your Lordship's approval of my proceedings on this occasion, and to be favoured with instructions for my future guidance.

Lord J. Russell.

I have, &c.

WILL. T. PRITCHARD.