Butte semi-weekly miner., 1889-02-06
THE SAMOAN SITUATION,
T1MASEsE,S FORCE GREATLY RE-
DUCED IN NUMBERS.

American and British Consuls Decline
tn Recognize the Right of the Ger
mans to Establish Martial Law-An
other Message by the lPresident-Cor
respondence Given-The Deed of thu
Harbor of Pagopago.
AUCKLAND, February 1.-The latest ad
vices from Samoa cay that Iamasese
supporters were reduced to ooo men,
The British and American consuls nave
declined TO recognize the right OF the Ter
mans to establish martial law.
The German authorities were willing to
recognize Mataafao, provided heruled under
German control.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT.
WASHINGTON, February 1.-The Presi'
dent, to-day sent the following message to
Congress-:
February 1.-As supplementary to my
previous message on the subject, l have
now the honor to transmit the report from
the Secretary OF State relating to affairs iu
Samoa.
(Signed) GROVER CLEVELAND.
BAYARD TO THE PRESIDENT:
As the question OF the German action and
American rights in Samoa is under con-
sideration by Congress, 1 beg leave to trans
init herewith, with view to their being
laid before Congress, copies OF the corre-
spondence touching affairs in Samoa which
have taken place since January 3Oth, the
date Of the last message to Congress on the
subject. This consists OF telegram to this
department from Blackjack, Vice Consul OF
the United States at Apia, dated January
31st, and paraphrase OF my teiegrapnlc
instruction of the same date to our minis
ter at Berlin, OF which a copy was also sent
to the Charge d Affairs at London, and my
note of the same date to Count Arco
Valley:
To-day was waited upon by the Ger
man minister at this capital, who read me
n note from his government, which was
transcribed from his dictation, and l now
enclose copy OF its text.
The enclosed telegram from Blackjack
via Auckland, January 81, to the German
consult declares that Germany mas pun
Samoa under martial law.
The paraphrase OF the note to Minister
Pendleton is as follows:
"Bayard instructs the minister OF the
United States at Berlin to inform the Ger
man government that advices from Apia
state that the German consul had declared
Germany to be at war with Matsona,
and Samoa to be under martial law"
"Bayard informs Minister Pendleton that
the German Minister at the Capital is un-
der instructions from Prince Bismarck
that he had already acquainted this gov.
ernment of q declaration OF war against
Mataffa, and accompanied the notification
with statement that Germany would, OF
course, abide by agreements with America
and England touching Samoa, and preserve
under all circumstances, the rights OF this
government established by treaty; but in
view of the advices from Apia, Bayard in
structs Penuleton to say that this govern
ment assumed that the German officials in
Samoa would be instructed carefully to re-
fraiu from inference with American citizens
and property there. Hence, no declaration
OF martial law could extend German Juris-
diction SO as to include control over Ameri-
cans in Samoa. Such would not be recog-
nized or conceded by this government"
The remainder OF the correspondents as
transmitted by the President, reads as fol-
lows:
BAYARD TO COUNT ARCOvALLEY.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, January 81
Bavard informs Count Arcovalley OF the
receipt of a telegram from Blackjack, and
says: "Not knowing what construction
might be given to his authority by the
German consul at Samoa in said procla-
nation OF martial laws, he deemed it ex-
nedieut at once to communicate to our
minister at Berlin, inform ng him OF the
precise language of the telegram from
Blackjack and stating the declaration OF
the state of war by Germany against Ma
taaia and his party in Samoa, had been
previously communicated through you,
and that since Bismarck, in hisinstructlons
to you also stated that the German gov
ernment would OF course abide by the
agreement with America and England, with
respect to Samoa, and pay due regard to all
the rights of those powers established by
the treaty.
Our minister at Berlin was, therefore, in-
structed to make it known at the German
foreign office that tie United States asserts
that the German officials in Samoa should
be instructed scrupulously to abstain from
all interference with American citizens and
their property in Samoa, and that no in
crease or expansion oil German lurlsdlctlon
over American citizens or their property
shall be caused by the German declaration
Of martial law; nor would such jurisdiction
be recognized or conceded by the United
States.
COUNT ARCO VALLEY TO BAYARD.
Under instructions from the Prince
Chancellor OF February 1, that a state of
war was declared against Mataafa, the
commander of the German squadron has
issued a proclamation by which foreigners
established in Samoa were subjected to
martial law, international law would, to
q certain extent, not prevent such meas
ure. But as Prince Bismarck is OF the
opinion that our military authority has
gone too far in this instance, the military
commander has received telegraph orders
to withdraw the part of the proclamation
concerning foreigners.
In negotiating with Mataafa, our consul
at Samoa has asked that the administra-
ton OF the island of Samoa might be
temporarily handed over to him, which
demand, not being in conformity to our
previous promise regarding the neutrality
and independence OF Samoa, knappe mas
been ordered by telegram to withdraw i'm
Dediately from his command.
BAYARDs LETTER TO SHERMAN.
The papers relating to tue harbor OF
Pagopago, which Senator Sherman an
sounced in the Senate, this morning, that
he had received from Secretary Bayard, are
of interest in view OF the prominence given
at present to Samoan affairs. Secretary
Bayard's letter to Sherman lie as follows:
observing that the question OF the rights
of the United States at Pagopago Harbory
Samoa, is under discussion in the Senate,
enclose, Tor such use as you may deem
proper, a copy OF the deed OF transfer %
that harbor to the United States in 1878
copy of which was sent to the navy de
partment at the time of its receipt here
With it are two notes OF Mr.. Coward, who
was United States commercial agent a.
that station, which are explanatory OF th'
transfer. The deed referred to was made
out on board the United States steamer
Adams, in the harbor OF Pagopago, ant
reads as follows:
THE DEED OF PAGoPAGo HARBoR.
To whom it may concern: Be it know
that we, the undersigned, being duly au
thorized and empowered by Taimus ant
Faipule, OF the Samoan government, d.
hereby, on this fifth day OF August, 1878
transfer to the government of the Unitet