Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-11-14
OUR sligo Of SAMOA
Ex. Chief Justice Chambers Makes .
Favorable Report on the
Division.
The Island Of Tutuila Commercially
Unimportant But Has an Ex-
cellent Harbor.
Page Page the Best in tho Pacific
Pearl Harbor Second in
Importance.

bers, chief justice of Samoa, had a long
conference Monday with Secretary Hay
respecting Samoan affairs, and particu-
larly the conditions in the island of
Tutuila. which Is to become the exclu-
sive property of the United States upon
the ratification of the recently ar
ranged division Of the Samoan group.
The chief justice made q most favora-
Bile report upon the island, which has a
native population of about 1000 per-
ment must be devised. 1t probably will
be patterned after that at Guam, where
the navy maintains naval governor.
The closing chapters of the history of
the administration of Samoa under the
Berlin treaty are set out in report
which Judge Chambers prepared and
submitted to the secretary OF state to-
day.
Tutuila, the Samoan island which
falls to the United States in the recent
arrangement completed between Ger
many and England, subject to ratifica-
ton by the United States government.
becomes an extremely valuable addi-
ton to the possessions of the United
States in the Pacific With but small
area and population. which according
TO the treasury bureau of statistics are
but tfty-four square miles and 1000
population, 1t possesses the most yalua
BILE island harbor in the South Pacific
and perhaps in the entire Pacific ocean.
A representative of the London Times
recently in Washington, who had Wis
tied and was thoroughly familiar with
not only the Samoan islands, but those
of the Pacific generally, pronounced
he harbor of Pago Page in the island
of Tutuila the best in all the Pacific
and the Pearl harbor in the Hawaiian
group the next in value as a harbor,
the United States thus being the pos
SCISSOR of the chief island harbors and
ports of call, supply and repairs in the
| Pacific ocean.
Commercially the Samoan islands
singly or as group are unimportant so
far as their local production or con-
sumption is concerned, but extremely
| important in their relation to the COM
merce of any nation desiring to culti-
vate trans-Pacific commerce. Mr..
Goward, who was sent by the United
states government TO the Samoan
Islands to arrange for a treaty with
reference to The harbor of Page Page,
said: The capacity of this harbor is
sufficient for the accommodation of
large fleets; land locked, it is safe from
hurricanes and storms and could easily
be defended from land or sea attack at
a small expens.. In a naval point of
/ view it is the key position to the Sa
moan group and likewise to central
/ Polynesia lying in the course of vessels
from San Francisco to Auckland, from
Panama to Sydney, and from Nalparai-
SO to China and Japan, and from being
loutside the hurricane track, the most
valuable group in the South Pacific.
Situated half way bewteen Honolulu
and Auckland, Page Page would be a
most convenient stopping place or
coaling station for vessels or steamers
I.either for supplies or the exchange of
commodities. With the Pacific mail
steamers making it port for coaling,
1T would necessarily become the con-
trolling commercial place in that part
of Polynesia"
A The above statement made by Mr..
Coward in 1887 applied simply to the
harbor of Page Page, and it's impor-
lance increases with the occupancy and
complete ownership of the entire island
by the United States, and becomes adj
Nationally important In view of the con-
troll by the United States of the Ha-
! waiian and Philippine groups, the pro-
/ spective construction of an isthmian
canal. and the rapidly growing COM
merce between the United States and
the great markets of Asia and ocean,
ca. which buy annually more than q
: billion dollars worth of goods, and
nearly all of this OF the class of mer-
chandise which the people Of the
United States desire to sell.
The interest of the United States II
the Samoan islands, and especially Tu-
tuila. which now passes completely un-
der our control. provided the agreement
of Germany and England is ratified by
, the United States, began in 1872 wher
!, ICommander Meade, of the United
/, States navy. made a treaty with Maun
4 ga. the great chief of the island of Tu
/ tuila, by which the port of Page Page
! was to become the property of thu
i United States on condition that ;
n friendly alliance be made between th'
i island and this government. Presiden
g Grant, in a message sending the treat.
a to the United States senate in tina
6 year. said: The advantages of the con
n cessions which the treaty processes t
II make are So great in view of the ad
10 vantageous position of the Tutuila sea
y port as a coaling station for steamer
J. between San Francisco and Australi;
/ that l should not hesitate to recon
q mend its adoption but for the obliga
IS ton of protection on the part of tn
i United States which it seems to imply.
e This obligation of protection" wa
q afterlua I'd 1nadiaed hX the sena u