Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-05
SAMOAN AT FAIRS
Report of the Commission to Adjust
Claims to Lands.
ONLY EIGHT Per CENT CONFIRMED
Only Nineteen Bona Eide American
Subjects in the Country.
FRICTION WITH CONSULS

The report Of W. L. Chambers. United
States land commissioner to Samoa, dated
February 3. 1895. has been made public.
Mr.. Chambers was one Of three commits
sioners appointed by the treaty powers Of
Great Britain. Germany and the United
States. under the provisions of the Berlin
treaty. to adjust and settle all claims by
aliens @ lands in Samoa The final meet
ing of the commission was held December
g. 1894. at Apia, and its reports were turn
ed over to the chief Justice of Samoa, as
required by the treaty, and are now in his
custody. These reports include all the title
papers to Samoan lands, and are OF con-
siderable value. They give In detail the
history of each of the 1892 claims investi-
gated OF these claims 1,422 were German.
1,757 British, 307 American, 1926 French and
$50 miscellaneous. The total claims aggre-
gated 1.691, S93 acres, while the islands only
contain 100000 acres. Only 8 per cent of
claims amounted to 1,2JO,210 acres, owing
to the fact that enc man, under large
number OF deeds, claimed practically the
whole of the island of Savaii, which con-
tains nearly half of the acreage of the en-
tire country. This same man also held
large claims in other islands, but all ex-
cept about 1900 ceres Of his claims were
rejected.
The vast bulk Of acreage claimed by
Americans was also rejected. because OF
the manifcstly inadequate consideration
given for 1t. and because the titles were
defective under several of the provisions Of
the treaty. About q 900 acres were con-
firmed to Americans. Most of them belong
to corporation composed Of San Francisco
stockholders
Mr.. Chambers says he heard of only 10
l,pv,o fCo C,,hl4 60 In, tta
exclusive Of officials, and does not believe
there are thirty Americans there all told,
including those who claim citizenship
through naturalization. He says there are
several well-to-do Americans. engaged prin-
cipally In mercantile pursuits one of whom
is the wealthiest man in the country. Some
Of these are married to native women. and
probably will never return to the United
States for that reason.
II have been thus explicit In reference
to the property owned by Americans, as
well as TO the number Of Americans in
the country" continues Mr.. Chambers.
''in order that the department may know
cur relationships to Samoa, as they were
developed In the course of the investiga-
| ceive 1t my duty to let our government
know how Insignificant such interests real
ly are"
As to Pnngo-PanRo Bay.
In reference to Pango-Pango Bay, Mr..
| Chambers says that the claims of the
| United States government were examined
and confirmed, but that they are by no
means so valuable as the American pub
| lie seems to think. What are thought to
| be the most valuable parts of the shore
Of the bay have never been acquired by
| the United States. The harbor is so deep
| and the bay so small that not more than
| three or four ships could be anchored there
| in case the wind was blowing either into
| the mouth of the barber or on shore. He
recommends that If our rights are con-
| sidered to be really of value. steps should
be taken to acquire such additional rights
as may make those already held Of use.
He argues, however, that the station Is
not likely to be of further use and thinks
the ACCESSIBILITY of making further invest
ments there should be fully considered be-
fore taking any further steps in the mat
ter.
A Serious Observation-Disclosures.
From other official correspondence in re-
| gard to Samoa, it appears that in August,
1894, serious misunderstanding took place
| between Chief Justice Ide Of Samoa and
| the foreign consuls stationed there. the
| Chief Justice claiming the right to be pres
| ent at certain conferences held by the
| consuls and being deried admission by
them.
| In a letter on the subject to Secretary
Gresham, Baron Saurma, the German am
hassador in this city, uses the following
| language: LAS to the view taken py the
| imperial government. 1t regards this case
| as furnishing additional evidence that
| many-headed administration Of Samoan
| affairs is in the long run untenable, and
| that 1t must lead to constant friction, even
| supposing the officials there to be guided
| by the most upright and conciliatory feel
| ings. 1t appears, beyond doubt, from the
| chief Justices memorial, that his inten-
| lions are the best, but II also appears with
equal clearness that under present condi-
| lions q well-ordered administration of
| affairs and a well-ordered situation will
not be reached"
| The Banished Chiefs.
Baron Saurma wrote to Secretary Gres-
| ham in reference to the wives and families
Of Samoan chiefs held as prisoners at the
Island of Jaluit, and In February he wrote
again in regard to their subsistence.
Secretary Gresham replied on February
| 49, declining to assume one-third Of the
expense of maintaining these people, and
| inquiring how long their Punishment was
| to continue. He says 1T was never the in
| tention of the Unitel States to cooperate
| in any permanent detention of the chiefs.
| and that If this is contemplated this gov
| eminent must earnestly dissent.
| I'm the governments judgment" he says.
ample punishment has already been in
| ficted on the malcontent chiefs, and II
may be gravely questioned whether the
government of the United States may with
proprfety longer participate in the expense
| of their Punishment"