794 



SAMOAN (OR NAVIGATOR) ISLANDS. 





the United States, had all been concluded with 

 him. But now the intriguing of the Germans 

 awakened such ambitious hopes in the mind of 

 Chief Tamesese that he consented to set him- 

 self up as a claimant for the throne. The ac- 

 tion of the Germans in tearing down the Sa- 

 inoan flag was a part of this programme, the 

 excuse offered being the charge that King Ma- 

 lietoa had failed to keep the agreement made 

 with the German consul-general. This treaty 

 provided for a mixed court to try offenses com- 

 mitted by Germans against Sarnoans, or vice 

 versa, the court to be composed of two Sa- 

 moans and two Germans, and to be presided 

 over by the German consul-general. It was 

 further provided that all laws and statutes af- 

 fecting the people of the two nations should 

 be passed upon by this court. Although there 

 was an article stipulating that all laws should 

 have the approval of the King before they be- 

 came operative, and although the King signed 

 tlie treaty under a misunderstanding of its pur- 

 port, lie soon discovered that it would transfer 

 all power to the hands of the Germans, and it 

 was therefore never made effective. 



Such was the condition of affairs in May, 

 1886, when three large German vessels of war 

 entered the harbor of Apia. The admiral did 

 not offer to recognize King Malietoa in any 

 way, but, after a stay of a few days at Apia, 

 took his vessels to Fasetootia, another port, 

 where Tamesess had established himself, and 

 there landed with the band of the flag-ship, 

 and amid great ceremonial. 



There the admiral met Tamesese and his 

 principal followers, when addresses were made 

 on both sides. Of two of them the following 

 are exact translations, having been taken down 

 by a native missionary on the spot: 



Address of the Admiral: These gentlemen have 

 come here in order to have an interview with you, 

 the Tuemua and his faithful Mends. I gratefully 

 thank your Majesty, the King, this day. I have 

 been discouraged, but now I look upon you as my 

 friend, together with your government. I wish to 

 make known to your Majesty that this is, as it were, 

 the visit of a swift forerunner, but the purport of our 

 visit is, that we may see your Majesty and your gov- 

 ernment. Let your government conduct quietly its 

 affairs, for the time is near when a decision wil.1 be 

 reached. Great, indeed, is my joy to-day at our in- 

 terview. I exhort you to do all things quietly, for 

 your government ia truly established, and is indeed 

 very strong. 



Heply of Tamesese : What you say is very good. 

 I also rejoice ; but my opinion is, there should be one 

 government. Then wars will cease in Samoa, for 

 there are certain men who are a continual hindrance 

 to us, and wish to rebel against this government. 



While these proceedings were in progress, 

 United States Consul Greenebaum was ap- 

 pealed to by King Malietoa in the following 

 letter : 



GOVERNMENT HOUSE, APIA, May 13, 1886. 



To the Hon. Berthold Greenebaum, united States 

 . Consul : As the kingdom of Samoa nas applied to the 

 United States of America for assistance and protec- 

 tion, and, as it is said that some of the Samoan people, 

 now unhappily in rebellion against mv authority, are 

 fearful that the guns of American and" English men- 

 of-war will be turned against them, we desire you to 



issue a proclamation to allay such fears, and to bid all 

 people in Samoa to be quiet and orderly, and to go to 

 their own villages, and there live in "a peaceful and 

 orderly manner. MALIETOA, Xing of Samoa. 



SELU, Secretary of State. 



This was promptly responded to by the is- 

 suing of the following proclamation : 



In obedience to the request of his Majesty King 

 Malietoa, I, the undersigncdj Berthold Greenebaum" 

 United States consul in the kingdom of Samoa, in the 

 name of the United States of America, and by virtue 

 of the command of King Malietoa, above set out, do 

 hereby order all people within this kingdom to live 

 peaceably and quietly, and also order all persons who 

 may have assembled for the purpose of opposing the 

 government of King Malietoa, forthwith to disperse 

 to their several homes, and there dwell peaceably. 

 And I hereby state that no English or American war- 

 ship wiU be requested by me, acting as and for the 

 United States of America and his Majesty King Malie- 

 toa, to fire upon or otherwise molest any of the sub- 

 jects of this or any other country, unless for the 

 preservation of life and property, or the punishment 

 of crime. 



The United States of America desire that happi- 

 ness, peace, and prosperity may be enjoyed by Samoa, 

 and trust that the difficulties hitherto retarding the 

 progress of these islands will soon be overcome, and 

 that by reviving commerce, and with an established 

 government, the great natural resources of this king- 

 dom may be peaceably developed, so that the welfare, 

 both of individuals and the community, may be se- 

 cured. BERTHOLD GREENEBAUM, U. S. Consul. 



APIA, SAMOA, May 14, 1886. 



By order of the United States consul, the 

 Samoan flag was now hoisted with the United 

 States flag over it, upon the same halyards, thus 

 indicating and announcing the protectorate 

 over Samoa assumed by the United States. 

 As soon as this conclusion was promulgated, 

 the German fleet sailed away from the Samoan 

 islands. The act of the United States consul is 

 said to have aroused the greatest enthusiasm 

 among the Samoans, crowds of whom gathered 

 in front of the government building in Apia, 

 shouting and cheering. A few days later the 

 U. S. steamer " Mohican " arrived at Apia, and 

 it is alleged that the action of the United States 

 consul was approved by the captain of the 

 " Mohican," by the British consul, and by the 

 British residents ; but Dr. Steubel, the German 

 consul, entered his protest against the action 

 of Consul Greenebaum, and issued the follow- 

 ing proclamation : 



It is well known by all Samoa that negotiations 

 are at present being carried on between the three great 

 powers, with a view to bringing about that which 

 will conduce to the prosperity of Samoa. These ne- 

 gotiations are not yet complete. For this cause Ger- 

 man ships of war have left Samoa without inquiring 

 into the transgressions of treaties and other violations 

 of law recently committed by Malietoa. But these 

 have been made known to the Government of Ger- 

 many, in consequence of which the German flag has 

 been kept flying at Moule-Nouhon Point. On this 

 account nothing done by Malietoa during recent days 

 is of any value whatever. It is quite impossible that 

 protection can be extended over the Government of 

 Samoa by the American consul before such instruc- 

 tions have been received from his own Government. 

 Hence the hoisting of the American flag over the flag 

 of the Government in Apia is of no value whatever. 

 I emphatically protest against that act, and I exhort 

 all Samoa to place no reliance upon it. It is of no 

 value whatever, for they are committing acts which 



