Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1889-02-14
The Group of Islands Over Which the United
States, England and Germany Are
Wrangling.

VI "i'tirS tNi>iili- III Ine samoan II
'e ands, and the causes leading to I'll
n diplomatic disturbances. will he foun
Il OF interest
e The samoan islands are nine in nun
e ber, with some islets :, and in the schoo
II boy days were known only as the Ma,
: lgatOr islands. They are described i
2 the international Cyclopedia rs lyn
$ IN the South Pacific ocean. north G
y the Friendly islands. in latitude l3 Il,
T. grees 30 minutes to 4 degrees 3OmiI
i utes south, and longitude los degree
: to l'3 degrees west. The four princi
pal islands of the group are Mauna
/, rutuila, Cpolu and Savaii OF thes
Savaii is the largest, being 10 mile
, long by 20 broad, and having u popu
latiOn of 10000. The area of the en-
tire group is estimated at =, 500 sq,lar,
miles, withatotal popuIat ion OF about
$4,000. With he exception of one o
the islets, Rose island. the Samoan
islands are all of volcanic origin. Fo,
the most part they are lofty and
broken and rugged in appearance, ris
ing IN some cases tn upwards of = 200
feet in height. and are covered wit tho
richest vegetation. The soil. formed
chiefly 10y decomposition of volcanic
rock, Is rich, and the climate is moist
The forests. winch include the bread
tree, cocoanut. banana and palm
trees. are remarkably thick. The or
anse, lemon, tacca. from which kind
OF sago Is made; coffee, sweet pota-
toes, pine-apples, yams. nutmeg. wild
sugar cane and many other import ant
plants grow iuxurlantly. Until re-
Gently. when swine. horned cattle and
horses were introduced, there were no
traces among hese islands OF any ma
| tive mamnalia, except II species ol
| bat.
The natives OF the samoan islands
are well formed. (especially lle males,
ami ingenious and allectionatc. The
women. who Superintend the indoor
work ana manufacture mats. are held
IN high respect. There are American
and English mission stations ON the
Islands. as well as several Romau
Catholic establishments, and many of
the natlVes have embraced Christian
ny. The government oi the islands j.
IN the hands of the hereditary chiefs.
The trade OF the islands j. largely
with sidney. New South Wales. bu;
they lie directly in the course of com
merce between the United states and
Australia, and are important espc-
cl'lly az a coaling point tor this com
merce. Hence their importance. par
ticllarly To the Pacific coast.
The action of Germany. ASSUMING
that 1t ends in her obtaining BOSSES
SION OF the samoan islands, will inev- |
ltaltN haze an effect upon the future |
Il, Isss' t,''i r'q.,, ,;'s'r,e'-
snip uetw,tn fhe two government swere
declared, naval vessels of the United |
States We're given permission to enter |
and Use one of the ports of the island |
as station for coal and naval sup |
plies and it was furthermore provided /
in article ) that "if unhappily any diff |
ference should have arisen. or shall |
hereafter arise, between the samoan |
government and any other govern |
ment in amity with the United states.
the government OF the latter will en- |
ploy its good offices for the purpose OF |
adjusting those differences upon n sat /
i,iactory and solid foundation"
The treaty between Germany AMI
Samoa. signed in January. 1879, ac-
corded to he German people sub,tan-
italy the same rights and privilege
that had been accorded To the Amer
cans, and the treaty of Aug. IS. 1879.
bet ween Great Britain and Samoa
gives the English. as had been prcvi-
oll.lA slNe-1 INC NlllelIc-lllT .-ll l1lc
"ertitis' 'ii' riI''' oi 'ri'de "', ,'''
ESTABLISHMENT ol Il S''i'an, h"Na' -"
non ana 'oa''iis u,l".' me one oie
iiictioi between tie American treatA
ana thal ol tle oiici 1"o coui',t
u me clause 'l'io'"i anoNe, ny "ili'''
tue =, hli"d states promises I" use I,
good oiiices IN defense "l Sailloa' IN
september iN'', convention p"-
lMeen t'reat billaih; s,einlailN anu lhe
nited states ana ne KING ana GOV
erlheiii ol samoa lof the "oNerllhiei"
oi 'ie Town anu u's' I'' "' Nl''" wa
siehed' accof"ihS 10 lhe fepr",'h'"- ~
'Nes o lhe d,i,ifn' soi'rI''iieil'N
"lial f'sh,S ali,' du'hS III the lnu''',l
lai coii'rol o' ti'. l",i; hl t'le 81"
Limitation trea'H >i@ieh ny 'tlihi,hA
ana urea, nri'''ii' iii Nprii' 50 ''ei
h'ah! ahh El"laha polii Pieus'f, ie'ii
~'lNes iio' 10 a't'iiip' 10 eN,eha 'iie'I
'"oii'a system oN'r ,he ~ 'I'."'
tShihoaiD ls,iii''>: WIN Wili'l, yer
many ',fe''' hlli',''i anu lil1 : n''e''
STATES nave .p''' i''''''l 'i"''''H ''"a'
les' nor 'nr ! T''n''H Nions') l-ia,i''~'
VIII Whl'h 'erlhahi ana "rea' bri'
am NAY" 'oi'i'il'5i tf'a' les nor rue
Aihc lHlthas, "hi'i groups 9lliil Il,
iut'ife' ~ htie'"'"fe' lofii Il h'ulrh'
rritof!' nor any i>lahls or places III
TN" "tSl fa''I' "'"iih 'Ilat are nov