A new light is thrown upon the new German trading restrictions in the Marshall Islands referred to in a recent letter. Information from reliable re-sauces is to hand at Sydney to the effect that these islands are to be made a coaling base for the Baltic fleet. The Russian Naval Authorities invited tenders, and that put in by the Hamburg-American line has been accepted. It is reported that forty-two steamers are engaged in the contract. Quite recently some twenty vessels were in the vicinity of the group, with it is supposed, coal cargoes for the fleet. The Russian Government could hardly choose a better spot as a ing base, as the islands are somewhat track of commonly itant charges rozently imposed on British vessels trading in the group, are designed with the effect of Keeping them out of the way, whilst the Czar's cutisers are being attended to,—in a strictly neutral manner of course, The naval authorities are, of course, in receipt of similar information, but the islands are outside the pale of the Australian naval jurisdiction. "Probably, howe a cruiser will be detached to visit the islands and report.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.