The San Francisco call., 1899-08-26
SULU ISLAND MAY
CAUSE MORE TROUBLE
Germany and England Interested by
Virtue of an Almost Forgotten
Treaty.

Special Gable 20 The Call and the New York
Herald. Copyrighted 1893. by James Cor
don Bennett,
PARIS. Aug. 25-The dispatch published
in the Herald on August II giving an ac-
count Of the negotiations between General
Bates and the Sultan of Sulu may open
up a somewhat interesting point in inter-
national law.
The trade Of England and Germany in
the Sulu archipelago is regulated by
convention drawn up between Spain, Eng
land and Germany. As this convention,
dating from the year 1877, has somewhat
dropped out of sight. the Herald corre-
spOndent took advantage of the presence
jim Paris of Spencer Pratt, former Consul
General of the United States at Singa-
pore to obtain his views on the question
Mr.. Pratt stated the situation in Sulu as
Though after the Sulu war of 1876 the
Sultan formally admitted Spain to suZer-
ainty over his dominions. this was more
apparent than real and limited TO the es-
adjustment of a Spanish garrison on the
islands of Sulu, Sassi and few other
points of minor Importance. Trouble with
foreign powers began by Spain on the
strength OF these garrisons. leVying or
eudeaVOring TO levy customs and Other
duties on goods landed on other points,
and otherwise hampering trade with the
archipelago. This LED 10 constant friction
and especially with England and Germany
and in lS17 both these countries protested
with such vigor that on March II conVen-
tiOn was entered into which defined the
7.Spain abandoned the necessity it form
erly imposed on merchant ships bound for
Suiu Of calling at Bamboanga 10 pay du-
ties and obtain permit of navigation and
accorded complete freedom of navigation
throughout the Sulu archipelago.
In the ports occupied by Spain the Gov
ernment of the King reserved to itself the
right of imposing duties and sanitary reg
ulations, but on the points effectively oc-
Cupied by Spain ii undertook at the same
n maintain the necessary establish
ment and functionaries for the necessarles
of commerce.
SPANS supremacy has now come. to an
end but the question remains whether in
the terms of the article of the treaty OF
Paris her obligations as suZeraln power
have not devolved on the United States.
The Sultanate of Sulu.'' said Mr.. Pratt.
comprises Sulu Island and some liO other
islands The population is estimated at
100 Mohammedan by religion and more
or less pirates by instinct. The Sultan,
man of fair intelligence, has at times had
difficulty in ruling his people.
This was one of the most powerful rea-
sons for admitting Spanish suzeratnty, as
the presence there of garrisons contribu-
ted to maintain his power. 1t was for
this reason that, as far back as February
last. special information having reached
me to the effect that the Spanish garri-
son was about to eVaCuate Sulu and leave
the Sultan to contend alone against a
peaeeful coalition in order TO prevent
civil war, / urged general Otis to at once
dispatch an American force to Sulu to
recognize the Teigning Sultan under the
protection of the United states, with such
guarantees as existing conditions might
require. but with as little interference as
possible with the established Mohamme-
dan laws and customs, merely affording
him means of holding his own against
those who were or might be contesung
with his authority. This l consider was
the only safe and rational policy. and l
hope that it is. the one our Government
decided TO adopt