St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-02-15
OUR RIGHTS IN SAMOA.
Exclusive Privilege OF Using Page
Page Bay for a Coaling Station.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14.-Within the
past few months frequent references
have been made to the fact that CORE
spondence was in progress between
Germany, Great Britain and the United
States, under the tripartite arrange
ment by which they maintain a pro-
tectorate over the Samoan islands.
The condition off affairs on the islands
was said to be unsatisfactory, and the
presence of war vessel was deemed
advisable, and for time there was talk
of sending a second vessel there. 1t
was supposed at that time that these
precautions were necessary because
of probable local disturbances. but
a letter written to Secretary Of Legation
White, in London, by Secretary OF
State Foster, Oh the 21St OF last NoVem-
Der, may serve to more fully explain
the presence of the Alliance at Samoa.
That letter begins with the statement
that "in the judgment of the president
the time is opportune for an explicit as
Sertion of the views of the government
of the United States with respect to its
rights in the harbor of Pago Pago, as
secured by the treaty with the Samoan
islands, and as now in process of ac-
cOmplishment." The reason for this
statement, the letter goes on to say, was
the visit of her majesty's ship Curacao
in June last to Page Pag0, taking on
board the British land commissioner in
Samoa for the announced purpose "Of
looking at the land claimed by the
United States government in that har-
bor"
This proceeding, the letter goes on to
state, might have been passed over
without notice, but for the circumstance
that it had been stated without contra
dlction in the British press of the Aus
tralian colonies that the object OF MI.
Haggard'S visit was to select the place
for British coaling station in Pago
Pago harbor, and that he had. in fact,
allotted piece of land there with that
design. The letter summarizes the va
rious steps in the acquisition OF the
rights of the United States in the har-
Dor of Page Pago, which have been COLI
tinuous since 1872. and since 1878 have
been exclusive by express stipulation in
the treaty of Jan. II, 1878. Suisse
Quent treaties with Germany and
Great Britain, containing provisions tor
the establishment of cOaling and naval
stations, so far as they contravene the
exclusive rights of the United States to
tie harbor of Pago Pago, Secretary
Foster asserts, ale void, for the reason
that the grantOr was no longer c0mpe-
tent to deliver the thing alleged to be
granted. Mr.. White was instructed to
communicate to the British government
the views of this government set forth
in the following paragraph:
"This government has on several Oc-
casions publicly announced its posses
sion of vested rights in the harbor Of
Pago Page. 1t has taken continuous
measures to maintain those rights.
Through no act or omission of the gov
eminent of the United States can its
rights and privileges be considered to
have lapsed or to have reverted to the
Samoan government"
This government has at no time had,
and has not now, any desire to eXclu-
Sively occupy the harbor of Pago PagO
to the inconvenience of other shipping.
The terms and objects of the exclusive
cession of the right to use the port and
shores for naval and coaling station
are compatible with, and may be re-
garded as implying much of the de-
tailed stipulations found in the German
Samoan treaty, and as meaning that,
like Salua Fata, the harb0r of PagO
Pago shall not be closed on account of
the rights granted to the United States
to the naval or mercantile ships of any
other such nations for whom the
Samoan government keep their other
ports open, but the Samoan government
Shall not grant to any other nation such
rights with respect to the harbor OF
Page Pago and its shores as those
granted to the government of the
United States. This declaration OF
views was conveyed to Rosebery on
Nov. 80, and he promised that it should
receive his prompt attention.