New Caldonia

The National Broadcasting Company and its affiliated stations present the Pacific story. This is the story of the Pacific. The drama of the millions of people who live around this greatest sea, where the United States is now committed to a long-term policy of keeping the peace.

This is the background story of the events in the Pacific, and their meaning to us and to the generations to come. You, Caledonia, I stood at the rail alone. There were others on deck when I was hardly aware of them.

So much had happened. And last blast to the ship's whistles gave me a strange feeling. It was like the end of a chapter, or perhaps the start of a new one. The ship headed out of the harbor of Numea, out through the past, into the open sea.

I was leaving New Caledonia. People had been coming here for centuries. Explorers, adventurers, missionaries, soldiers, spies. Good people, bad people. Some had stayed. Some had gone away. Why hadn't those first Englishmen and those first Frenchmen understood the value of New Caledonia?

They ignored it. I wondered what might have happened to New Caledonia, you except for that incident down in Sydney or straight. Gazer of Val, what? Indeed it is for me a great pleasure. Right. Well, to the French Navy.

Merci, the French Navy. Excellent risk of this. And the place you can get it out here in Sydney. I'm unfortunate that you must come halfway around the world to Australia to get it. Oh, it's worth it.

I'm satisfied with just a taste of wine. You know, you come out here, I can see that. I'm afraid so. The first time you've been here in the Pacific? The first time. Well, it's an old story with us.