Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-12-27
rHs SAMOAN CORRESPONDENCE.
Transmitted by the President to
COngfesn Yentertlnv.

| transmitted by tbe President TO
Congress Yesterday.
| WAsuIseTos, Dec. 2l.-rhe President TO-
day transmitted to both houses OF Congress,
IN accordance with the promise contained
IN MS last annual message, q communica.
tion from the Secretary OF State, enclosing
| correspondencer relating to Affairs Ia Samoa,
inc correspondence opens with u com.
munication from Consul-gt neral Sewall at
| Apia to Assistant Secretary Porter, under
date OF October 9Th. 1887, enclosing state
ment from Mr.. II. J. M0ors, Leading
American merchant of Samoa. Mr., sewail
asks the consideration OF the department
Tor MIR. Moors' letter, and says IL puts
| plainly the case OF Americans whose land
titles are endangered by the instalment of
TaInasese as king, and the consequent CON
troll OF the government by the Germans.
Mr.. Moors says that he purchased for Nc.
henzie n Lundon OF New Zealand site for
warehouse, from the ruling chief Of Apia,
who had clear, indefeasible title to the
land, and had been In possession for over
SO years. The members OF the firm dts
agreeing, he (Moors) bought the property
nom them In 1885 and proceeded to erect
warehouse. Soon after the purchase he
was asked by Mr.. Weber, manager Of a Ger
man firm, and the German consul, II the
property was for sale, and Informed him
that II had been sold. At Mr.. Weber,s re-
quest Mr.. Moors gave him refusal OF the
property II 1t should ever bs again put up
for sale.
Eighteen months afterward the beach
portion OF Moore's property was fenced In
oy the agents OF MIR. Weber. and he was ln-
formed that for $40 a native of Vailele, q
town three miles away, had made convey
ance Of his (Mooro's) property to Weber,
who, therefore, claimed Il. The native,
when called to aceount, said he knew he
had no right to tho land, but that Weber
fDFnlrnnad 4, xr,tfh 1pat ID
IRON the Tamasese party unless the deed
were signed. II is proposed. he gays, by
the German government 70 have Tamasese
establish land court, which will acjudge
IN favor OF al claims the GermPns have TO
hnds. THUS" lie says, "my property and
the property OF other persons 10 liable TO bs
tsEel from MS on the most slender ptetext,
unless We defend it. rifla In hand, aud
assure you that will do go befofe will be
fofetd Into such an Ubiquitous court" He
calls attention 10 tho need of protection for
american cltizens, whose property is being
AIKEN, and asks;
Gould not the United States annex
samoa, Tamasese, and all, and so impress
upon German diplomats that they cannot
play last ard loose with country SO great
as oursp We SURELY need eoalipx station
In the South Pacific. No other plaea re-
mains but Samoa. Why should we not have
~ The county could bs made mora thnn
hun eutil u C1HugD would
pe nailed with jay by All natives and by
every white man here except the Germans,
and as they ask bat f}30, 900 for their whole |
interests In Samoa. 1t would be a very easy
matter to bug them out and resell the lands, |
which, under agood government. would be- |
worth three or four times thelt present |
value"
On November 4lh, 1887, Baron Z,dtwitg.
German Charge d'Afaires, handed to Sec |
Rotary Bayard u memorandum containing |
the counter projs oct of the German govern |
ment to the proposition of Mr. Bayarl. The |
memorandum is signed BY Count Bismarck.
1t says:
u the american Government cannot hn con- ,
flhfcd 81 the practical advantages Of the Cipr- /
man English proposition, and ii IL regards the
carrying out of the same as dangerous to tho |
iHdependence and neutrality u Samoa, and as |
y dcHlatlpn rom the traditional policy OF the
Emitted states in the Pacific Ocean, the Inn
petial Government has no desire 70 adhere 10
M pan ana 70 rcuew the discussion thereof.
The Imperial Government, however, for the
reasons stated considers the counter proposi i
ton made by Mr.. Rayard, for an executive
pfanch OF the Government composed of live
Eembers, as impraCticahle, ami Is unable to
regard the same AZ sufficient ground for fur
thor negotiations.
Under date OF April S0th, 1888, Consul
general Sewall calls attention to the fact
that nav government has -heen formed IN
the Msnua group al isinEds hres mail t
islands near the samoa eg00p1 uhier eli. /
-stanf = -pe,Asdng that Mania Is now .
az the mercy OF the same commercial creed |
which has ovefthrown this acknowledged |
government OF Samoa. The head OF the /
new government 10 the agent OF German
firm.
Ooneul.general Sswall on May 24,h says
That the German government has sought TO
enforce It's supremacy on tho islands by
eontrol Of the mails and appointing it5
V1eP- consul DOstnngtpr
Under the sane date Cansnl-general
SeWali recommends ahoiishing the present
government and temporarily occupying the
Islands. He says he Is aware that such u
step has never been contemplated by the
department. but Gays that Ii could be
etfscted without opposition, ard seems 10
DO the only solution OF the trouble.
On November 2lst MIR. BUygrd yrot8 TO
Count Aroo, German millstsr &C WgsAinS-
ton;
In consequences Of the verbal communication
made to me by sou yesterday, InGrr iustiuc-
lions OF your government, IN relation 10 thaih-
forests ol Germans ana d Americans nj 1
shinoa, have informed our REPRESENTATIVE AT
berlin, and shall similarly instruct the Cnited
states consul AZ samoa. thtt every eudruVur Il
TO he made 20 avoid all friction or rouilia; of
interests between citizens Of fiin two gdypri-
ments in their business operations in the
islands. In case of any question arising when
cnnuot be promptly and satisfactory s. arranged
hefSeen those officials, then the points il dis
pute should at once be remitte1 inr decision 10
Berlin or 10 this capital.
Mr.. Bayard said he hoped Baron Won
Holstein would recommend his government
TO adopt the same course.
The correspondence is very bulky, and
treats OF many questions that arc not 81
pablo importance. Ia ono letter FousuI-
general Sswall says there Is d practical
monopoly In the hands OF the German
dealers OF copra, the principal product Of
the Islands, and that the solo American
house then IN the business wonld pro5aply
abandon It.