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the New Hebrides, nor was there any intention to depart from the obligations contracted by France towards Great Britain as regards the independence of the group.
A telegram from the Governor of New Caledonia was sent from Sydney on the 15th July 1886, to the French Minister of Marine, giving a list of the agents of the French company killed by natives in the New Hebrides. They were: one in 1882, two in 1883. three in 1884, seven in 1885, two in 1886; total, 15.
In addition to these, some other persons had been wounded or attacked.
Her Majesty's Government, while fully alive to the importance of maintaining in its integrity the understanding above referred to, were not entitled to object to any action which the French Government might take for the protection of French subjects or their interests in the New Hebrides, nor to define a time at which the French troops should be withdrawn, nor did they think it necessary or desirable to place in the islands corresponding detachments of British troops in the face of repeated assurances from the French Government that there was no desire or intention on their part to infringe the understanding. They felt it, however, to be advisable that British interests should be maintained concurrently with French interests in the New Hebrides; and accordingly, in the autumn of last year, they proposed that a joint French and English Naval Commission should be appointed for the protection of French and English subjects.
This proposal was accepted by the French Government, who undertook that the evacuation of the islands by the French troops should take place upon the approval by both Governments of regulations for the guidance of the joint Naval Commission.
Draft bases of arrangement were forwarded by Her Majesty's Government for the consideration of the French Government in October last, and, on the 1st November, the French Government communicated certain counter-proposals which were considered by Her Majesty's Government and in part accepted. The reply on this subject was made to the French ambassador on the 26th November, and during a considerable interval no further communication was received from the French Government, in con- sequence, as it is understood, of the political changes in France. addressed by Lord Salisbury to Lord Lyons on the 19th of February, expressing A despatch was regret that no reply had been received, notwithstanding the friendly attitude assumed by Her Majesty's Government, and pressing for an answer.
To this the French Government have replied that an answer might be expected almost immediately.
Lord Lyons has also stated in a despatch of the 9th of March that M. Flourens had informed him that he had examined the proposed text of the arrangement to be made, and that he was on the point of sending instructions on the subject to the French Ambassador in London. Lord Lyons strongly urged that there should be no further delay on the part of the French Government.
Colonial Office. 23rd April 1887.
No. 56.
SAMOA OR NAVIGATORS' ISLANDS. COLONIAL OFFICE MEMORANDUM.
1. The affairs of the Navigators' Islands (more commonly referred to as "Samoa") have been in a complicated condition for several years.
2. Three civilized powers have commercial interests in the group, Great Britain, Germany, and America. Each power has a separate treaty with the native govern- ment, and the Consular representatives of these powers (acting jointly, but not always in accord among themselves) have formed a sort of executive council for the native king. Although it cannot be said that this council did much towards the good government of the Islands, it nevertheless contributed to hold in check the animosities of rival native factions and to prevent bloodshed.
3. In 1880 Mr. Maudsley, Her Majesty's Consul and Deputy Commissioner in Samoa, described the weakness and incapacity of the native government; and Mr. Thurston, Acting High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, in a report written in the autumn of 1886, writes that, "The state of things has not improved since 1880."
4. In 1885 Her Majesty's Government agreed with the Government of Germany that it had become desirable, in consequence of the extension of British and German claims in New Guinea and adjacent parts of the Pacific, to come to an understanding
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as to the general limits which should be assigned to British and German influence respectively, in order that there might be no clashing of authority and jurisdiction ; and a preliminary conference was held in London, between Mr. Thurston, on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, and Dr. Krauel, who had been the German Consul-General in Sydney, and is now Colonial Under Secretary in the German Foreign Office, on the part of the German Government.
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5. The labours of these gentlemen resulted in an agreement between the British and German Governments that as between those two Governments and, of course, without infringing the rights or claims of France or the United States, or any other civilized power, German influence should be recognised as paramount to the northward, and British influence to the southward, of a line to be drawn from the joint boundary on the New Guinea coast to a point in the Western Pacific Ocean.
6. This delimitation, and the conditions under which, in pursuance of it, each country undertakes to carry out a definite native policy and to protect the subjects of the other, are set forth in papers presented to Parliament, and need not be now recapitulated in detail; but they are here referred to because the two groups of the Navigators' Islands (Samoa) and the Friendly Islands (Tonga) were expressly excepted from the delimitation, the former group as being under treaties with Great Britain, Germany, and the United States, and the latter group as being under treaties with Great Britain and Germany; while the question of the New Hebrides, the independence of which England and France have mutually agreed to respect, was not discussed.
7. Renewed assurances were, however, exchanged between the British and German Governments that neither would interfere with the independence of the Samoan group.
8. The arrangements, therefore, for the future control of Samoa, and for securing and protecting therein the rights and interests of the three nations and their nationals, were reserved for subsequent consideration with the Government of the United States; and it was decided that each of the three powers should in the first instance send a Commissioner to Samoa, in order to ascertain on the spot the facts necessary to form a basis of settlement, and that subsequently there should be a conference of repre- sentatives of the three powers at Washington.
9. Mr. Thurston was accordingly despatched to Apia, where in the month of August last he met Herr Travers representing the German Government, and Mr. Bates representing the Government of the United States, and each of the Commissioners made a separate report to his own Government for their guidance at the approaching conference at Washington.
10. Mr. Thurston's instructions were: (1), to make a thorough examination into the condition of the Islands and of the causes of the late disorders there, with a view of discovering a remedy against their recurrence, and (2) to devise, if practicable, in concert with his colleagues, some means of promoting the autonomy and peaceful government of the Islands by the native authorities. He was further instructed that the neutral status of the group would be maintained.
11. Portions of his report will be given to the Governments of the United States and Germany, and they will be communicated to the meeting of the Conference at which Western Pacific affairs are considered. It will suffice to state here that close examination on the spot confirmed him in the belief that the Samoan natives are incapable of forming, independently, a stable and efficient administration; and he inclined to the conclusion that the only satisfactory mode of preventing the peace of the Islands from being disturbed by conflicting native claimants to the throne, and of securing the interests of the three civilized nations on an equal footing, would be found in an agreement between Great Britain, Germany, and the United States, that one of them should, as the mandatory of the other two, exercise for a limited term (to be renewed if it should be so determined at its expiration) supervision and control over native affairs in the Islands.
12. After careful consideration, Her Majesty's Government have arrived at the same opinion, and are prepared to advocate at Washington an arrangement of this nature, due provision being made for preserving the independence of the group, and for securing to each power full freedom of commerce, navigation, and jurisdiction in matters affecting its nationals.
13. Her Majesty's Government will further urge the establishment of a joint Land Court for ascertaining and securing, as far as may be practicable, the land claims of all persons of whatever nationality.
Colonial Office, 23 April 1887.
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