A correspondent from Singapore sends us some interesting extracts from
the Dutch papers in the Netherlands Indies— the Batavia 17eirsidad and the Java Bode—expressing the hopes of the Colonial Dutch for the creation in South Africa of a new Dutch Empire, of which Holland itself is to be the Fatherland and centre. "What a future for our Fatherland, reader : " writes "Alpha," in the Batavia -Viewsblad. "What a prospect for our children, the possibility of becoming citizens of a State a hundred times greater than Holland, equally free, much healthier, more enterprising, more ener- getic, younger, smarter ! What a rejuvenation for the ancient
population of the Netherlands The Hollander would then be able to rely on his own powers, his good qualities would there meet their due reward. He would not be there as he is here, a leech on the State for twenty or twenty-five years, and then idle in Holland on a pension.
No South Africa would be a second Father- land for the young Hollander ; he would attach him- self lovingly to that country and remain there." The writer in the Java paper, while resenting the significant advice of Dr. Delbriick that Holland should seek the protec- tion of the German Eagle to escape the violence of England, predicts that if the war turns out in favour of the Boers, the Afrikander Bond, in which the Republics find moral support, will take the fate of South Africa in their hands and consti- tute a United States of South Africa. As our correspondent points out, these aspirations are per se perfectly legitimate and honourable, but their declaration emphasises the obvious truth that "there can be no coincident existence of two political incompatibles."
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