The San Francisco call., 1897-09-19

be .he only safe place of refuge in the
group. Any other nation can, under ex-
listing circumstances, buy land on the
shores of Pago- Pago, and establish a
depot for coal or other naval supplies.
And as far as Notifications or other actual
Improvements go, everv other nation is
exactly in the same position as the United
States, fer literally the nation has moth
ing to show for ner money.
In the morning. when 1 got un from my
mosquito screen, took look around to
see tue famous coaiing station. Congress
some ten years ago appropriately $500, 900
for the purpose of asserting the position
of the nation in Samoan waters, but where
is the money now?
Our hut, together with the cluster of
a dozen or so which constituted the little
native village, stood on the edge of a
small bay which opened off the main
island harbor. Goat Island. which is part
of the property of the United States, on
our right, at the end of projecting point,
which screened us from the sea, broke the
force of the waves which roll into the
outer barbor. Before me, looking right
across the bay, was clear space of deep
green water about mile in width.
Behind and all around were the rugged
mountains which completely screen this
inlet, great clouds of mist tearing vio-
lentiy across Their rugged tops, for outside
gale still howled, and though we were
more than a mile from the entrance, we
could plainly hear the boom of the break
ers on the outer reef. 1t is terrible place
for squalls, the high mountains seem TO
attract all the tropical weather they can
get hold of, and pour it down into this Sc
cluded inlet. For two miles from Goat
Island the gorge. gradually narrowing,
runs right up into the heart of the noun
tain, and owing to this peculiar confgura.
ton, which acts like a funnel, the wind
can only bow two ways, either up or
down the gorge. Therefore it is either
fair wind in or out, and to-day, because
the wind is rushing straight up the gully,
our little schooner rides in peaceful se-
curitv few yards away behino the rocky
point.
''If the wind hsd been the other way"
remarked our skipper, now reposiDg in
the bosom of his family ashore, II should
have had to get another anchor out, for il
she were 10 drag, or part her cable, she
would blow straight out to sea. AS it is
she cannot do any harm, even if she does
60 on the bea ah."
Still for Lig ship, with good ground
tacFie, this is one of the safest harbors In
the world. the only drawback being the
depth of anchorage. which runs from
thirty to forty fathoms. There Is room
here for the whole United States navy 20
lie in peace and security, for line OF
torpedoes across the entrance would ef-
fectually keep out any hostile ships.
When l had made myself thoroughly
acquainted with the harbor view, looked
about for the coaling station. Where
were the buildings and the wharve. and
all the appurtenances OF dockyard
Nowhere. A few hundred wards away, on
the edge of the sandy beach. couple OF
hat.bottomed lighters were hauled up to
rot, and little bits of coal scattered about
on the grass showed that fuel had once
been stored there. A few piles, their de-
cayed heads just projecting above the
sand, indicated the spot where a wharf
had once been.
This melancholy looking collection OF
wreckage. 1 was given TO understand, was
the United States coaling station. Fifteen
acres of land have been purchased here,
but there is nothing to mark the boun-
daries. The native houses and planta-
tions crowd thickly on this little strip of
alluvial beach, for the mountains rise al
most precipitously hundred yards back.
palms and breadfruit trees and all manner
OF luxurious tropical vegetation grow
everywhere, the place lacks nothing of The
picturesque element and it seems alH,ost a
sin to attempt any improvement of ma.
ture's handiwork. But as to the utility OF
such an establishment let me quote the
authority of Mr.. Mulligan, who was re.
Gently Consul-General for the United
States at Samoa:
$50 Tar as concerns the United States.
the entire question of Samoa is centered
in this harbor, that is, aside from what
may, perhaps. be permissibIy termed the
humane interest of .he American public
in the rights and welfare of the Samoans.
Whatever value, from naval point OF
view, Samoa possessed when the treaty OF
Washington was form mula,ed, that i'm por-
tance has since been increased MANY
times over. The apparently certain con-