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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

MMC.O. 885 / 5

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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cxcccded 507. in value, cognizance of the matter should, in the case of British subjects be taken by the High Commissioner's Court. And the jurisdiction of the High Com- missioner should be extended to the classes of person such as those who by the provisions of certain of Her Majesty's Orders in Council, to wit, "The West Africa Order, 1885," could be regarded as "properly enjoying Her Majesty's protection

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within the Western Pacific.

223. In the state in which Samoa is, and is likely to remain so far as can be at present seen, it is of great advantage to British subjects, and also to foreigners submit- ting to the jurisdiction of the High Commissioner's Court, that the judicial proceedings of Deputy Commissioners are reported at once to higher authority, and that appeal lies to the Supreme Court of Fiji.

224. In closing this report I cannot but express regret that the recommendations I have the honour of submitting for the consideration of Her Majesty's Government should not have met with the concurrence of the German Commissioner.

225. The task of devising a scheme of government for a native community, distracted by internal jealousies and bewildered by foreign influences and intervention of long duration, could not at the outset promise any higher degree of success.

226. But the difficulties inseparable from such a problem were not lessened when, o. the three Commissioners appointed to visit Samoa and report to their respective Govern- ments upon its, condition and requirements, one was indisposed to join in a task he regarded as futile, and moreover not within the scope of his instructions, and another though approaching the subject with a lively and earnest interest was unable to make any substantive proposals owing to inexperience of native character and capabilities.

227. With the assistance of three foreign members of Government and a magistrate, for whose services the revenue of the Native Government should without difficulty be able to pay, I think it possible that a Native Government might in time be established on a satisfactory footing.

228. It would, however, be necessary for the Powers interested in Samoa to continue an executive support to the Native Government through their naval authorities, for in the beginning every Chief who fancied himself slighted would proclaim that he had " left the King," and then proceed to hoist a flag of his own.

229. Commissioners of the three Powers, sitting severally or collectively with Samoan coadjutors as occasion required, would also be necessary to settle the all-important question of claims to land.

230. Such a Commission ought perhaps to precede any change in the form of a Government the future necessities and resources of which, if not its very existence, must so greatly depend upon its decisions.

(Translation.)

(Signed)

ENCLOSURES to MR. THURSTON'S REPORT.

Enclosure 1.

(See paragraph 29 of Report.) PROTOCOL Of July 3, 1877.

We hereby promise the German representatives:-

JOHN B. THURSTON.

Fabasiu, July 3, 1877.

1. We will accept the neutrality of the district, from Letogo to Mulinuu, including

both those places (answer for, observe the same).

2. If war breaks out we will strike our flag that is hoisted at Mulinuu, and the

officers of our Government will leave Mulinuu.

3. We will take good care of German property, houses, land, and plantations; should anyone who belongs to our Government do any damage to a German, or to anything belonging to a German, we will pay for it (make amends for it).

4. We will in nowise slight the German Government, or grant privileges to any

other foreign Government in preference to the German.

We fully adhere to all that we have written to the German representatives in that respect, in accordance with the points indicated to us in their (the German representatives) letter of the 24th May.

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5. We will notify the day to the German Consul if the war breaks out. We the Taimua and Faipule.

(Signed)

SAMOA.

LEVEA.

AUFAI.

TAGALOA.

TUIA.

LE TUFUGA.

ASIATA.

TIA.

TUATAGA.

MATAAFA.

LEUTELLE.

LEMANA.

LEIATO.

LETULI.

(Signed) (L.S.)

NELI, Secretary.

(Great Samoan State Seal.)

(Signed) AIONO.

LOTA. MASUA.

TUISALEOA. -MATAIA.

LUA. LEASNO.

LEIATANA.

ALAPA,

TUPNOLA.

FIAME.

MAMEA.

TALAO.

Done by order of the Taimua and Faipule.

(Signed)

Enclosure 2.

[See paragraph 30 of Report.]

MEISAKA, Second Secretary.

Captain HASSENPFLUG and M. WEBER to the Taimua and Faipule of Samoa. (Translation.) CHIEFTAINS,

We have received your various written and verbal declarations that you intend

Apia, May 24, 1878 (sic 1877 †) to grant no privileges whatever in these islands to any foreign nation in preference to ours, but that you mean to put all foreign Governments on the same footing, and in nowise to slight, the German Government; moreover, that you will give no foreigner a privileged position in a government of these islands.

We have received the same promises, namely, to put the foreign nations represented here in Samoa on an equal footing, from the Chieftains of the Puletua.

Furthermore, on occasion of our conference with you on the 15th of this month, we told you why the Germans and their interests in Samoa must not be regarded as on sufferance, but as possessing rights, and that a one-sided political arrangement of affairs in Samoa, without seeking counsel of the German Government, was therefore untenable.

We now inform you that we shall hold you to the promises given to us, and that we shall insist upon our rights.

For these reasons we now protest hereby, in the most decisive and solemn nanner, against any steps whatever whereby one or more foreign Governments, excluding the German Government, may be called to the protectorate of these islands, or whereby an annexation of these islands may be brought about, as well as against any other such steps whatever whereby German interests might in any way whatever be injured or prejudiced, whether by arrangement of Samoa's political relations without asking advice of the Consular and Maritime Representatives of Germany, or by granting a privileged position to the representatives of other Governments or to other foreigners, or in any other way whatever.

We protest against all such steps in virtue of our instructions from the Imperial Government for so long as until the said Government intimates its concurrence in such steps.

The Consular and Maritime Representatives

A

51431.

of the Imperial German Ġovernment in Samoa. (Signed) HASSENPFLUG, Captain of Corvette,

Commander of His Majesty's ship "Augusta."

TH. WEBER, Imperial German Consul.

(L.S.)

(L.S.)

(Signed)

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