Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-02


just now; everybody discusses, to a greater or
less extent, the Samoan question, and every
body wonders what will come of all the wars
and rumors Of wars that are agitating three
great Dtions although the strife itself is far
enough away from all of them. 1t is probably
safe to say that nine-tenths of the people of
this land are in a state of intense geographical
darkness as to the location of the Samoan
Islands. Popular opinion says they are lin the
Pacific" and it accompanies this valuable in
formation with a sweeping gesture OF the hand
toward the setting sun that takes in everything
from Behring's straits to Cape Horn. good
many people imagine that the islands are few
hundred miles west of San Francisco, but lots
of other ordinarily well-informed folks dispute
that statement without. however being able to
afford any specific information as to the loca-
ton of those little coral-founded mud-heaps
over which much diplomatic fuss is being
made. The amount of ignorance that has been
displayed on this subject during the past two or
three weeks is astounding.
If You draw u circle on a good map of the
Pacific ocean and include within the bounda-
ries of your ring the functions of the thirteenth
and fourteenth parallels of south latitude and
the one hundred and sixty-ninth and one hun
bred and seventy-third meridian of longitude
west of Greenwich, you will find that you have
fenced around that portion of the globe in
which Samoa is to be found. The little irreg-
ularly-shaped dots on the surface of the ocean
are the islands over which not few people are
worrying Nine of the islands inhabited
These are the prizes. There are a number of
smaller and comparatively valueless islets, but
they are rarely heard of. The islands which
make up the kingdom of Samoa are called
Tutuila, Opolu. Manua. Olosinga. Ofu, Manona.
Anuu Savaii and Apolima. OF these islands
by far the most important is Opolu. and its
great port. Apia. Is the capital city of Samoa.
Opolu is the second island in size. 1t is about
81 miles long and little less than
II miles broad. At Apia is the seat of gov
eminent and within the city limits are the resi-
dences of about all the foreigners
on the island. Greatest in size is Savaii
being about 40 miles long and 20 miles broad.
The greater portion of Savaiian surface is oc-
cupied by two mountain ranges of volcanic
origin. In the interior of the island there are
numerous lava beds. and consequently there is
dearth of animal life. The interest of the
United States however. is at present conferred
principally the island of Tut lila. because
treaty rights have there given possession of
the harbor of Pago-Pago. The island is fully
II miles long. and at Its greatest width meas
ures about miles. The harbor of Pago-Pago
is on the south side of the island, and the in
dentation made by it almost makes two islands
of Tutuila.
In his report on Samoa Special Agent Stein
berger before the United States had acquired
any rights in the islands) says Of this particu-
lar region:
The bay of Pago-Pago is surrounded on all
sides by PERCEPTIONS mountains. Native houses
in small villages cluster at their base. When the
rains are long continued there are small rivu-
lets found AT the mouths of the ravines: but.
excepting the one at Pago-Pago. there is not
living stream flowing into the bay. and even
this can scarcely be dignifed by the name of
creek. On an occasional fiat or gentle declivity
upon the hillsides of a few acres grow bananas.
oranges, taros. vans. and bread fruit. while
cocoanut groves line tine shore and fish are
h.v,n Al
here. The high mountains. completely shutting
IN the bay, IN a measure lessen the influences
of the trade-winGs. or they are materially neu-
traliZed by the exuberant growth of trees and
other rank vegetation. The mountains generat-
ing moisture. the rains almost continuous
The artist accompanying me devoted much
time TO the bay of Pago-PagO and its surround
ings. The security of the harbor is undoubted:
no bay IN the world could be more safe while
it is sufficiently capacious for a considerable
navy. For a naval and coaling station it would
be at all times accessible and absolutely secure.
Piers and wharves could be built upon the coral
reefs, with great depth of water alongside at
trihing expense, and a sufficient supply of fresh
water could be obtained at the head of the bay
for general depot and shipping demands. but
the Insignificant amount of cultivable land
around the bay. and the consequent necessity
of drawing supplies from the leeward end Of
the island with the absolute lack of industrial
resources immediately about the harbor pre-
lous or important place. These facts. however,
may add 70 its desirableness a naval coaling
and general repairing depot for the govern
ment The bay opening to the south, and pre-
vailing winds from the southeast often blowing
fresh. sailing vessels, especially square-rigged
ones. have great difficulty in beating out.
The kingdom was not always known by the
name II low bears. Up TO a comparatively re-
cent date the islands were known as the Navi-
gators Islands. this being the name given them
lI69 by DE ROuOaiOyilia French
turer and explorer. who visited the group and
also the adjoining collection known as the
Fiji Islands.
THE LOCATION.
The Samoan Islands are much nearer Aus
tralia than any other important country. but
they are far enough away from that British
colony to be independent-if Germany will
only allow them TO be. From San Francisco to
Apia it is about $500 miles. while from the
Samoan capital to Sydney, n. S. W., the dis
lance Is not more than 3.400 miles. Halfway
between Samoa and San Francisco are the Sand
wleh Islands. The entire area of the disturbed
Kingdom Is comparatively insignificant-only
about 900 square miles-while its population
does not exceed 10000, or not quite one-ffth
that of this city.
THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLES.
And now somebody wants to know WHY the
United States and Germany are shaking their
fists at each other over such little garden
patch The story is a long one and many
OF Its incidents are much complicated The
few facts In the case almost entirely hidden
by growth of tropical falsehood that Is luxu-
rant in the extreme, and through the density
Of which II Is extremely difficult for the average
and undiplOmatic vision to penetrate. Each
nation involved has a story of its own. and SO
far as seen, the only resemblance one narrative
bears to another is found in the fact that the
scene OF each is laid in the same region
Samoa
In that little section of the Pacific the Ger
mans have always been extremely active In Sc
curing trading rights, and when, about I845.
white settlers began to reside in the Samoan
group, a majority of them were from the
Fatherland. Since that time England and
this country have contributed unofficially to
the population and wealth of the kingdom. but
neither OF the two have succeed in placing
Germany IN the minority. The great bulk OF
both imports and exports were handled for a
long time by big German firm. and when
that met with financial disaster the business
was picked up and carried on by the German
Commercial and Plantation society a CORPORA
ton of much wealth and political influence.
For the past twenty years this company has
done its utmost to control the little kingdom
and had il not been for
AMERICAN COMPETITION
II is more than probable that Samoa would
have been by this time completely Germanized
The desire to have Samoa become an attach
ment to the German empire comes solely from