Mr. Sinclair Aytoun raised a debate on Tuesday on the
recent acquisition of territory in West Africa, but it added very little to the information we gave last week. The Colonial Office has acquired Dutch possessions on the West Coast for convenience' sake, and has given up our right of restricting Dutch advance in Sumatra, because it hurt Holland, and did not benefit England. The Coast pays for itself, the restriction is worth nothing, and there is no objection whatever to the arrangement—unless, indeed, the Government, as Mr. Knatchball-Hugessen seemed inclined to promise, does not intend to govern anybody, but let all manner of black persons do anything they like except make slaves. Under that view of our responsibilities we are merely thieves who steal the Africans' coast dues and render nothing in return. We fancy, however, this laissez-faire policy is only for Parliament, and that if anybody on the Coast begins killing his neighbours, we shall kill him in the cause of order.
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