# United States Treaty Series/Volume 1/Settlement of claims in Samoa

This is the official United States government version published in the first volume of the United States Treaty Series (Bevans).
SETTLEMENT OF CLAIMS IN SAMOA
* Convention signed at Washington November 7, 1899
* Senate advice and consent to ratification February 21, 1900
* Ratified by the President of the United States March 5, 1900
* Ratifications exchanged at Washington March 7, 1900
* Entered into force March 7, 1900
* Proclaimed by the President of the United States March 8, 1900
* Terminated by an arbitral decision rendered on October 14, 1902, by the King of Sweden and Norway
31 Stat. 1875; Treaty Series 315
Convention Relating to the Settlement of Certain Claims in Samoa by Arbitration
The President of the United States of America, His Majesty the German Emperor, King of Prussia, in the name of the German Empire, and Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, being desirous of effecting a prompt and satisfactory settlement of the claims of the citizens and subjects of their respective countries resident in the Samoan Islands on account of recent military operations conducted there, and having resolved to conclude a Convention for the accomplishment of this end by means of arbitration, have appointed as their respective plenipotentiaries:
The President of the United States of America, The Honorable John Hay, Secretary of State of the United States;
​His Majesty the German Emperor, King of Prussia, His Minister in Extraordinary Mission, Dr. Jur. Mumm von Schwarzenstein, Privy Councilor of Legation; and
Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Mr. Reginald Tower, Her Britannic Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires ad interim;
Who, after having communicated to each other their full powers, which were found to be in due and proper form, have agreed to and concluded the following articles:
Article I
All claims put forward by American citizens or Germans or British subjects respectively, whether individuals or companies, for compensation on account of losses which they allege that they have suffered in consequence of unwarranted military action, if this be shown to have occurred, on the part of American, German or British officers between the first of January last and the arrival of the Joint Commission in Samoa shall be decided by arbitration in conformity with the principles of International Law or considerations of equity.
Article II
The three Governments shall request His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway to accept the office of Arbitrator. It shall also be decided by this arbitration whether, and eventually to what extent, either of the three Governments is bound, alone or jointly with the others, to make good these losses.
Article III
Either of the three Governments may, with the consent of the others, previously obtained in every case, submit to the King for arbitration, similar claims of persons not being natives, who are under the protection of that Government, and who are not included in the above mentioned categories.
Article IV
The present Convention shall be duly ratified by the President of the United States of America, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and by His Majesty the German Emperor, King of Prussia; and by Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington four months from the date hereof, or earlier if possible.
In faith whereof, we, the respective Plenipotentiaries, have signed this Convention and have hereunto affixed our seals.
​Done in triplicate at Washington the seventh day of November, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine.
* [For the United States:]
** John Hay[seal]
* [For Germany:]
** A v Mumm[seal]
* [For the United Kingdom:]
** Reginald Tower[seal]
Footnotes
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States federal government (see 17 U.S.C. 105).
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