Evening star., 1899-04-18
THE MEMBERS MEET
Samoan Commissioners the Guests of
Secretary Hay.
THEIR INSTRUCTIONS COMPLETED
Only Action Affecting the Treaty
to Be Ad Referendum.
OUR NAVAL FORCE AT APIA

Cstlieu dl lHt Sldlt lJtpcl thichl TINS
ing and was eloseted with Secretary Hay
for half an hour. He also conferred for
some time with Third Assistant Secretary
CridIer, who has been particularly in
charge Of the Samoan negotiations, and
then accompanied the Secretary to the
White House, where he was introduced 10
President Mckinley before the cabinet
meeting began. The department is adding
the finishing touches to the written in
structions which will be supplied to Mr..
Trip. but in addition to these he will be
made fully acquainted with the private
views of the President and Secretary Hay
respecting the proposed work of the COM
mission.
Entertained by Secretary Hay.
Secretary Hay entertained the commits
sion at lunch at his residence at 1:30 today.
1t was the first time the members of the
commission had come together, and while
the gathering was quite informal and So
c!al mainly for the purpose OF getting ac-
Quainted, yet 1t afforded an opportunity for
discussing the Samoan topic in its general
phases.
The commission will start on its mission
tomorrow The members will make no ef-
fort to keep together the way to San
Francisco. Mr.. Eliot, the British member,
goes this afternoon.
Mr. Tripp leaves tonight or tomorrow
accompany him to Samoa. and this may
take him home before he reaches San Fran
cisco. Baron Won Sternburg leaves tOmOr-
row afternoon.
day that except for the informal gathering
at Secretary Hays house there would be
no meeting. and effort to enter into the
merits of the Samoan question, the inten-
ton being to leave everything open until
Samoa is reached The members are max
ing plans to be gone about four months.
They Will return together to Washington,
and their respective reports, as well as their
joint conclusion. will be framed here some
time in the early autumn.
Instructions to the COmmi siOners.
The instructions to the commissioners
have been completed. Mr.. Eliot has al
ready received his from the foreign office,
and the other members will get theirs dur
ing the day. The instructions are alike in
all essential respects. They were summed
up today by one of the high commissioners
substantially as follows:
The commission is given complete author
ity 10 carry on q provisional government
for Samoa In doing this the Instructions
carefully prescribe the preservation of or
der and the security of life and property as
first requisite.
1t is provided that the duties of all Off
cials heretofore exercising authority in
Samoa. either under the treaty OF Berlin
or in the service of either of the govern
ments. shall be suspended, in order that
the high commission shall have complete
authority over the affairs of the island
The commission is required to make report
upon variety of things including the re-
cent collisions and the causes leading up
to them: also to the administration of
the Islands. the rights of the several claim
ants to the kingship; also as to what
changes are desirable in the methods pro-
vided by the treaty of Berlin. The instruc
tions call for unanimity'in in all action by the
Commission.
General Action Not to Be Referred.
The action taken by the commission Is to
be conclusive, without referendum, except
when II suspends provision of the treaty
of Berlin. In that case also a provision of
the treaty may be suspended by unanimous
agreement of the members, but the sus-
pension is ad referendum. and is not finally
binding unless the three governments ap
prove it. The exact extent to which the
treaty can be temporarily suspended is not
quite clear, and one of the commissioners
said today that it would require consulta-
tion among the commissioners to make this
point certain.
The instructions are broad enough to in
clude the recent troubles the lombard
ment, fighting, arrest of German citizen,
&c, SO that these acute phases as well
as the general government of Samoa will
be adjusted without further conflict be-
tween the three governments.
Evidence Against a German.
In connection with the statement made
IN the British house of commons yesterday,
that there was sworn evidence that Ger
man had melted the natives to attack the
Anglo-American party, it is stated in Off
cial German quarters that If any German
has been guilty of such action the German
government will punish him. But the Ger
man foreign office, il is stated, is not ready
to accept the charge that German citizen
was guilty of thus melting the natives. 1t
will learn the facts, and in the meantime
instructions have been issued to the COM
mander of the German warship Fake to
see that the accused is held until the facts
can be established.
The hurried departure of the commission
will permit the execution of the plans for
sailing from San Francisco on the Badger
on the date fixed upon, the 18th.
Secretary OF the Commission
The three commissioners have been left
to deal with the selection of a secretary for
the commission. but it is possible that it
will be decided that there is no occasion for
an officer of this grade and that all the
clerical needs Of the commission will be
met by the individual private secretaries
who will accompany the respective commits
siOners. 1t is understood that DIR. Solf
now in San Francisco. will accompany the
commission as secretary TO the German
commissioner, Baron Sternberg.
Increasing Our Naval Force.
The cruiser Marblehead has been detach-
ed from the North Atlantic squadron and
assigned to the Pacific squadron, under COM
mand of Read Admiral Kautz. Similar
orders were recently issued in the case of
the cruiser Newark. and it is expected that
the two vessels will make the long trip
around South America together.
1t Is said at the Navy Department that
these movements have no special signifi-
canoe beyond Il desire to supply deficiencies
On the Pacific station and to strengthen 1t
in accordance with it's growing Importance
I har hat he trtAf.f los ", 60
moa nave nothing to do with the case, as
the plan TO reinforce the Pacific fleet was
determined upon long before that crisis
arose The battleship Texas may also be
sent to the Pacific station, and she Is held
In reserve for that service. All the vessels
named are now cruising IN the West Indies
and are not hkely to return 10 the coast of
the United States. with the possible excep-
tion OF the Texas