SAMOAN (OR NAVIGATORS') ISLANDS. 



731 



PROCLAMATION. 



To all who are under the Protection of the Govern- 

 ment of the United States of America. 

 Whereas, The commander of the German squadron 

 has proclaimed u Martial Law " : 



Now, therefore, take notice that the sentries are 

 commanded to shoot until dead men who do not stop 

 when challenged, but attempt to run away. 



(Signed) HABOLU MARSH SEWALL, 



Consul- General of the United States. 

 APIA, SAMOA, August 27, 1887. 



A joint proclamation was now issued by the 

 American and English consuls, as follows: 



PROCLAMATION. 



(Translation.) 



Whereas, The Government of Germany has this day 

 proclaimed Tamesese King of Samoa: 



Now, therefore, we, the undersigned representatives 

 of the United States of America and Great Britain, 

 hereby give notice that we and our governments do 

 not and never have recognized Tamesese as King of 

 Samoa, but continue as heretofore to recognize Malie- 

 toa. 



We advise all Samoans to submit quietly to what 

 they can not help, not to fight, whatever the provoca- 

 tion, but to await peaceably the result of the delibera- 

 tions now in progress, which alone can determine the 

 future of Samoa. 



(Signed) HAROLD MABSH SEWALL, 



Consul- General of the United States of America. 

 (Signed) W. H. WILSON, British Pro-Consul. 

 APIA, SAMOA, Aiigust 25, 1887. 



In the mean time, Malietoa, with two thou- 

 sand men, having made a successful retreat to 

 the mountains, remained hidden there, await- 

 ing some action on the part of the American 

 Government. The situation in Apia and in 

 the other native towns was described as excit- 

 ing and dangerous in the extreme. The natives 

 were exasperated, and in some towns tore 

 down Tamesese's proclamation, whereupon 

 the German fleet visited these towns, plundered 

 them, and reduced them to ashes. 



The action of Germany, in thus violently and 

 on a trumped up charge seizing upon King 

 Malietoa's sovereignty, was viewed with as 

 much annoyance and irritability in Great 

 Britain as in the United States. It appearing 

 that Germany suggested that she should have 

 Upolu and Apia, the best land and harbors of 

 the Samoan group, and England and the 

 United States should take Savaii and Tubereti, 

 the London " Morning Post " remarked that 

 " the Washington conference would be exceed- 

 ingly ill-advised if it accepted this suggestion." 

 The " Post " strongly advised " tlie appointment 

 of a native government with advisers chosen in 

 behalf of the great powers, but who should be 

 men who have no interest in or connection 

 with the trading-houses of the countries in- 

 volved." 



King Malietoa remained in hiding for some 

 weeks, during which time negotiations to a 

 certain extent were going on between him and 

 the Germans. At length, upon being promised 

 security of person and a pension, the King 

 gave himself up, and upon being placed on the 

 German man-of-war " Adler," was transported, 

 first to Cooktown, and from there transferred 

 to the German man-of-war " Albatross," and 



taken to the German possessions in New 

 Guinea. It was stated that had the King re- 

 mained in concealment a few days longer, 

 until the arrival of the American man-of-war 

 " Adams," he would have been protected. 

 Four German men-of-war were stationed at 

 the Samoan Islands at this time, including the 

 flag-ship " Bismarck," and the " Olga," " Co- 

 rona," and u Sophie." 



In the mean time the British consul had been 

 instructed by his Government not to interfere 

 with any thing that the Germans might do, 

 and the American consul, Mr. Sewall, while 

 doing all in his power for the natives, stated 

 that if the United States did not take the matter 

 in hand and support his action he would resign 

 Lis office. After King Malietoa had thus been 

 successfully deposed and extradited, it is stated 

 that the German naval commander demanded 

 a large sum from King Tamesese for the assist- 

 ance which the Germans had given him against 

 King Malietoa. It was believed at Apia that 

 this movement on the part of the Germans 

 was probably only a ruse to obtain an available 

 excuse, on account of his inability to make 

 any such payment, for deposing Tamesese and 

 establishing a German protectorate over the 

 islands. 



The latest date from Samoa wasNovember 30, 

 when it was stated that the Germans continued 

 to occupy the islands, that Apia was quiet, and 

 that the position of Tamesese was extremely 

 weak. The majority of the natives had paid 

 a poll tax, demanded of them by the Germans. 

 An interview with Mr. Goward in Washing- 

 ton, who was sent to the Samoan Islands to 

 arrange for the treaty with the United States 

 already referred to, brought out the following 

 statement: "The present landed and commer- 

 cial interest of the United States in Samoa is 

 very great. The Samoan commerce is princi- 

 pally on the Pacific coast. The harbor of 

 Pango-Pango is to all intents and purposes the 

 possession of the United States, secured after 

 years of exertion and expense, and for ten 

 years occupied as a coaling-station. The ca- 

 pacity of this harbor is sufficient for the accom- 

 modation of large fleets; land-locked, it is safe 

 from hurricanes and storms, and could easily 

 be defended from land or sea attack at a small 

 expense. In a naval point of view, it is the 

 key position to the Samoan group, and like- 

 wise Central Polynesia, and is eminently lo- 

 cated for the protection of American com- 

 merce. The Samoan Archipelago is now, by 

 reason of its geographical position in Centml 

 Polynesia, lying in the course <>f vessels from 

 San Francisco to Auckland, from Panama to 

 Sydney, and from Valparaiso to China and 

 Japan, and from being outside the hurricane 

 track, the most valuable group in the South 

 Pacific. Situated half-way between Honolulu 

 and Auckland, Pango-Pango would be a most 

 convenient stopping-place or coaling-station for 

 vessels or steamers either for supplies or the 

 exchange of commodities. With the Pacific 



