Borders Across Rivers: Problems with the Creation of Anglo-German Borders Across Gira, Eia, Wuwu, and Waria Rivers, 1884-1909
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Abstract
An international boundary across navigable rivers can naturally create a great potential for international conflict. In New Guinea, the officials of Anglo-German colonial authorities seemed to have overlooked this problem when they first decided to lay down their common boundary in 1885 across Gira, Eia, Wuwu and Waria Rivers at eight parallel on the south latitude. This paper attempts to discuss how the colonial officials of the two very powerful countries at the time (1885-1909) tried to make decisions in such a way to prevent or avoid an international conflict with the navigation of rivers across their common boundaries. It involved the parliamentarians of newly federated Commonwealth of Australia.
Wherever the colonial officials laid claims to protect land and people, they also created a lasting problem relating to definition of boundaries that crossed navigable rivers. A good example is the “Anglo-German boundary” which crosses the Gira, Eia, Wuwu, and Waria rivers. When the British colonial officials were pressured by their colonies in Australia, they never considered likely problems in the future if international boundary crossed navigable rivers.
Wherever the colonial officials laid claims to protect land and people, they also created a lasting problem relating to definition of boundaries that crossed navigable rivers. A good example is the “Anglo-German boundary” which crosses the Gira, Eia, Wuwu, and Waria rivers. When the British colonial officials were pressured by their colonies in Australia, they never considered likely problems in the future if international boundary crossed navigable rivers.
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Section
Reflections
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References
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British New Guinea Administration: 1895.
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Sharman, R.C. (1969) The Annexation of New Guinea by McIlwraith Government: 1883 and its aftermath. A Post-Graduate Diploma Thesis: University of Queensland.
Van der Veur, P.W. (1966) Search for New Guinea boundaries. Canberra: Australian National University Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-3620-2
Whittaker, J.L., Gash, N.G., Hookey, J.F. & Lacey, R.J. (eds.) Documents and Readings in New Guinea History: Prehistory to 1889, Queensland: Jacaranda Press.
British New Guinea Administration: 1895.
British New Guinea Annual Reports: 1886-1906.
British New Guinea Government Gazette: 1903-1906.
Brown, H.C. (1968) Queensland Annexation Ambition in New Guinea: 1859-1884. Documents and Correspondence on New Guinea Boundaries. Fryer's Library, University of Queensland.
Ganter, R. (1994) Pearl-Shellers of Torres Strait. Melbourne University Press.
Gash, N. & Whittaker, J. (1975) A Pictorial History of New Guinea, Brisbane: The Jacaranda Press.
German New Guinea: The Annual Report: 1886/1887-1913.
Hudson, W.J. (1974) Problems in Australian History: New Guinea Empire, Melbourne: Cassell Australia Ltd.
Kanasa, B. (1987) "Wori! Wori!" A Zia Response to the German Imperialism: 1884-1920, Bachelor of Arts with Honors Sub-Thesis, Port Moresby: UPNG
Kanasa, B. (1995) Reconstructing the Zia past to 1920 with special reference to the first contact with Europeans. Master of Arts Thesis, Port Moresby: UPNG
Langmore, D. 1989, "Missionary Lives in Papua" Pacific Islands Monograph Series No.6, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
"Lord Derby's Circular Dispatch" 9th May, 1884.
"Memorandum from Atlee Hunt", 14th of November 1906.
"Memorandum from Governor-General's Office to Prime Minister Deakin", 2nd November 1906.
"Minutes of Convention in Sydney Attended by the Representatives of Australasian Colonies" (1884) William Street, Brisbane: Government Printer.
Mullins, S. (1995) Torres Strait: A History of colonial Occupation and Culture Contact: 1864-1897. Queensland: Jacaranda Press.
O'Rourke, T.J. (1969) A Problem of Queensland's Defense: 1878-1901.Bachelor of Arts with Honors Sub-Thesis: University of Queensland.
Overlack, P. (1999) "Bless the queen and curse the colonial office:" Australasian reaction to German consolidation in the Pacific, 1879-1899, Journal of Pacific History, 3(2).
Papua Annexation and Administration: 1884-1914.
Press Release No.288 dated 12th of May 1978. Papua New Guinea Office of Information, Konedobu.
Press Release No.569 dated 10th of July 1978. Papua New Guinea Office of Information, Konedobu.
Sharman, R.C. (1969) The Annexation of New Guinea by McIlwraith Government: 1883 and its aftermath. A Post-Graduate Diploma Thesis: University of Queensland.
Van der Veur, P.W. (1966) Search for New Guinea boundaries. Canberra: Australian National University Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-3620-2
Whittaker, J.L., Gash, N.G., Hookey, J.F. & Lacey, R.J. (eds.) Documents and Readings in New Guinea History: Prehistory to 1889, Queensland: Jacaranda Press.