In 1886, the
British Empire
and the
German Empire
made two declarations about their spheres of interest in the Western
Pacific Ocean
. Their complete names are:
- Declaration between the Governments of Great Britain and the German Empire relating to the Demarcation of the British and German Spheres of Influence in the Western Pacific
; April 6, 1886
- Declaration between the Governments of Great Britain and the German Empire relating to the Reciprocal Freedom of Trade and Commerce in the British and German Possessions and Protectorates in the Western Pacific
; April 10, 1886
Great Britain and Germany agreed in 1885 to negotiate a common declaration about their spheres of interest in the western Pacific. Previously, German plans of an annexation of
New Guinea
, outlined in a German newspaper,
[1]
and the rapid development of both German and French trade led to unrest among
Australian
politicians.
[2]
Both powers wanted to protect the interests of their particular citizens and enterprises, but the western Pacific was too less important for them to risk a conflict about it.
[2]
The negotiation about the declarations began in 1885, they were led between
Mr. Thurston
for Great Britain and Mr. Krauel for Germany. In April 1886, they were signed by
Herbert von Bismarck
, State Secretary in the German Foreign Office, and the British ambassador to Germany, Sir
Edward Malet
.
[3]
The declaration was valid in the whole area between the 15th parallel of north latitude and the 30th parallel of south latitude, and between the 165th meridian of longitude west and the 130th meridian of longitude east.
[4]
The border between the spheres of interest should be a line beginning near Mitre Rock in North East New Guinea, on the 8th parallel of south latitude, then it should follow the points:
- A. 8° south latitude, 154° longitude east
- B. 7°10' south latitude, 155°25' east longitude.
- C. 7°15' south latitude, 155°35' east longitude.
- D. 7°25' south latitude, 156°40' east longitude.
- E. 8°50' south latitude, 159°50' east longitude.
- F. 6° north latitude, 173°30' east longitude.
- G. 15° north latitude, 173°30' east longitude.
The area in the north and west of this line should be the German, the area in the south and east should be the British sphere of influence.
[4]
The islands of
Samoa
,
Tonga
and
Niue
were excluded. Also excluded were areas under control of other
Great Powers
.
The second declaration guaranteed free trade and enterprise and freedom of establishment and domicile to the citizens of both nations in the whole area. Disputed claims to land prior to the declaration of sovereignty or protectorate, should be settled by a mixed commission, unless the plaintiff did not request the settlement by the local authority alone. Great Britain and Germany should treat each other as
most-favoured nation
, equal law for citizens of each nation in the area of the other one should be applicated. Religious freedom should be granted. No convicts should be brought in the area and no
penal colonies
should be founded.
[5]
After the declaration, Great Britain colonised the
Gilbert and Ellice Islands
and the
British Solomon Islands
,
[6]
Germany took over the
Caroline Islands
,
Nauru
and
Bougainville
. The British rule lasted up to the 1970s, while the German colonial rule ended in 1920 and was followed by
League of Nations
mandates, after World War II
United Nations Trust Territories
, which ended in Nauru in 1968.
[7]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Sydney Morning Herald
, 7 February 1883, summary of an article in the
Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung
, 27 November 1882
- ^
a
b
Fabricius 1992 (see External links), p. 167
- ^
Fabricius 1992, p. 168
- ^
a
b
Fabricius 1992, p. 131-132
- ^
Fabricius 1992, p. 134-136
- ^
"Kiribati And Tuvalu Protectorates"
.
- ^
Nauru: Introduction
, CIA World Factbook, retrieved Jan 15, 2017
External Links and Literature
[
edit
]
- Fabricius, Wilhelm:
Nauru 1888-1900
. Edited and translated by Dymphna Clark und Stewart Firth, published by: Division of Pacific and Asian History, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University, Canberra 1992.
ISBN
0-7315-1367-3
: The Text of the declarations p. 130-138, in English and German