Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-01-27
THE SAMOAN QUESTION.
Whitney Wants the Govern
ment's Policy Defined.
SIZING UP QUE NAVAL FORCE.
The President Elect Regards the
Situation as Assuming Grave
Proportions.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HRnALD ]

technical attache of the German Lega-
ton, has just arrived from Berlin. His
mission is supposed to cover compre-
hensive and rapid survey of the military
and naval resources of the United States
in defense and offense. Particularly, he
is presumed to inspect harbor defenses,
principal seaports and incidentally make
q report on our ability to command sea-
going steamers which could be speedily
converted into commerce destroying pri-
vateers.
New YORK, January 26.-The Herald's
Washington special says: "When the
Consular and Diplomatic Appropriation
bill'is called up in the Senate next week
q statement will be made, authorized by
President elect Harrison, in regard to
his wishes in the Samoan matter. He
holds that this matter assumes graver
importance in view of the fact of Sher-
mans proposed amendments for defense
of our Samoan rights are to be immedi-
ately available under an emergency, in
stead of becoming effective July l., as
usual"
WASHINGTON, January 26-On the
24,h, Congressman Herbert, of the Naval
Committee, wrote letter to Secretary
Whitney, asking for any recent develop
ments in the Samoan matter, and for a
copy of Whitney's letter of the 5th, ask
ing the State Department to announce .
definite policy on the Samoan question.
Whitney's reply has just been made pub
lie. 1t sums up the matter as follows:
"Your letter also contains the follow
ing request: i should be glad to know if
any further enlargement of appropria-
tions OF your Department should be made
in view of existing conditions This in
quiry upon its face seems to put upon this
Department the responsibility OF esti
mating for possible expenditures arising
out of conditions which it cannot antici
pate. Until a decision is reached as to
the policy of this Government regarding
the independence of the Samoan group
of islands, no judgment can be formed
upon the subject of possible expendi-
lures. Up to the present time the De-
partment is not aware that we have had
any national policy upon the subject.
Neither the Monroe doctrine nor any
other expression of national policy is
understood to apply to the islands of the
Pacific.
"One by one they have been taken witt
out interference from US. If there is to
be no new departure affecting this group
of islands, l conceive the Department
quite able now to perform every duty
arising out of existing conditions. Unless
there is a conflict between the policy of
this government and that of some other
power, the differel ces will doubtless be
harmonized and no extraordinary expen-
ditures called for. Having brought to
the attention of the appropriate Depart
ment the circumstances specially within
observation of this Department seeming
to call for definite instructions to it's Off
GERS, and while the matter having subse-
quently been laid before Congress by the
President, it would be preferable that this
Department should not anticipate the
conditions beyond its authority or con-
troll"
Mr.. Whitney's letter to Mr.. Bayard is
as follows:
NAVY DEPARTMENT., WAsHINGToN,
d. c., January 5, 1889.
SIRs Enclosed herewith 1 send a copy
of dispatch just received by way OF
NewZs aland, from the captain of The Nip
sic, now at Samoa. The Department is
able to send Immediately two additional
vessels to Samoa in response to this re-
quest, and has given directions that they
be made ,eady to receive sailing orders,
and it would be pleased to strengthen
the force at the Samoan Islands by these
and other vessels Of the Pacific squadron
If any useful purpose is to be served
thereby. If, however, the purpose of
German Government, now made en-
tirely clear, imposes no duty upon the
officers of the squadron, to strengthen the
naval force at those islands would only
place the officers under irritating con-
ditions, with no duty to perform, and
would, in all probability, give rise to
trouble. The Nipsic is entirely
adequate for the protection of
our consulate and as an asylum
for non-combatants entitled to the pro-
lection of our Government. In view OF
the critical situation at the Samoan
Islands, it seems to the Department that
the officers of the squadron, if further
vessels are to be despatched, should re-
ceive instructions of definite character
as to their duty in the premises. From
correspondence heretofore held between
the Department of State and the German
Government, and from reports received
from our naval officers and the Consular
agency at the Island, it appears clear
that the conquest of those islands is in.
tended by the German Government in
the interests of commercial company
and is being consummated by overt acts
which are multiplying day by day, there
is no longer any other pretext upon
which can be explained the interference
OF German man-of-war in the contest in
progress upon the Island of Apia. I ap-
prehend that the officers of the navy will
not understand, without advices to that
effect, what their duty may be under the
circumstances, as they are developing.
Our antecedent relations to this group of
islands and to the Sandwich Islands have
been of an exceptional character and
will be likely to give rise to
doubts in. the minds of the officers
as to their duty under existing condi-
tions. In these groups of Islands, by
treaty, harbors have been reserved for
the use of the navy of the United States
and as to the Samoan group, three gov
ernments, Germany, Great Britain and
the United States have, up to a recent
date, acted together upon the theory of
mutual cooperation in preserving the
autonomy of the people of the Samoan
Islands. A harbor at Samoa will become
of national consequence to us in the
future as a naval power, but if the
islands are to 60 under the dominion of
Germany, it would cease to be of use.
The Department has therefore directed