STC373325 The division of New Guinea between the British and the Germans, 1884 (litho) by Woodville, Richard Caton II (1856-1927) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Fearing that the Germans would take over the island of New Guinea, the Premier of Queensland took formal possession of the eastern portion in March 1883. In 1884, Germany formally took possession of the northeast quarter of the island and it became known as German New Guinea; n 1884, a British protectorate was proclaimed over Papua ??the southern coast of New Guinea.); The Stapleton Collection; English, out of copyright.