The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-04-25
A Good Digest Of an 0mcial
Paper On Samoa.
the POINTS Of IMPORTANCE
Location and Size = Commerce =
Products and Population
Government.
New York Maritime Registsr)

New York Maritime Register)
The people, productions and CONNER
cial and strategic importance of the
Samoan Islands are discussed in the
current number OF the Monthly sum
mary Of Commerce and Finance, just
issued by the Treasury Bureau of
Statistics. The islands are located
about 1000 miles south and 800 miles
west OF the Hawaiian Islands and IA
degrees south Of the equator. They
Lie in an almost direct line between
San Francisco and Australia and
slightly south of the direct steamship
line connecting the Philippines with
the proposed Panama or Nicarag,ian
interoceanic canals. Their special i'm
portance, therefore, lies mere in their
position as coaling and repair sta
lions on these great highways OF com
merce rather than in their direct COM
mercial value, their population being
small and their imports and exports
OF comparatively little Importance.
The group consists OF 10 inhabited
and 2 uninhabited islands, with an
area Of 1,705 square miles and an
aggregate population, according to the
latest estimates, of 10000 people, of
which something over 200 are British
subjects, 125 Germans, rs Americans,
rs French, and % of other natSonalities
Shil the remainder are natives, of
the Polynesian race. The bulk OF the
population Is located in the three is
lands Of Upolu, Savaii, and Tutuila;
the number in Upolu being 10000, in
Savaii IL 500, and in Tutuila 300.
The Islands are Of volcanic origin. but
fertile, producing cocoanuts, cotton,
sugar and coffee; The most important
however, being cocoanuts, from which
the "copra" Of commerce is Obtained
by drying, the kernel of the coco1nut,
the "oopra,". which is exported to Eu-
in the manufacture Of cocoanut Oil.
The expectation of copra from the
islands In 1896 amounted to 1866 1903
pounds, valued at $231,372. A consider
able proportion of this was exported to
the United States; larger proportion,
however, to Germany, whose citizens
control its commerce through a trad
ing company which has long been
established there. The cocoanut and
oopra production. however. varies
greatly from year TO year, owing to
tire fact that many Of the cocoanut
trees have been destroyed in the re-
cent wars between native factions,
single individual being able, by cutting
out the crown of the tree, to per-
manently destroy in two minutes time
the fruit-bearipg qualities OF trees
which require several years for their
growth.
The government OF the Samoan Is
lands had been from time immemorial
under the two royal houses of Malie-
toa and Tupea, except on the island Of
Tutuila, which was governed by native
chiefs. In 1873, at the suggestion OF
foreign residents, house OF mobiles
and a house of representatives were
established, with Maietoa Laupepa,
and the chief Of the roual house of
Tupea as joint kings. Subsequently
Malietoa became sole king. In 1887
he was deposed by the German Gov
eminent upon the claim of unjust
treatment Of German subjects, who
formed the bulk Of the foreign pspu-
latien on the island, and was de-
ported first to German New Guinea
and then to the Cameroons, in Africa,
and finally in 1883 to Hamburg, Ia
masese, a native chief, being mean
time proclaimed by the Germans as
king. though against the protest of
the British and American consuls at
Samoa Mataafa, a near relative OF
Malietoa, made war upon Tamasese
and succeeded to the kingship.
In 1889 a conference between the
representatives OF the American, Bri-
fish and German Governments was
held at Berlin. at which a treaty was
signed by the three powers guarantee
ing the neutrality Of the islands, in
which the citizens OF the three
signatory powers would have equal
rights OF residence. trade, and person.
al protection. They agreed to recog-
nize the independence OF the Samoan
Government and the free rights OF the
natives to elect their chief or king and
choose form Of government accord
ing to their own laws and customs.
A supreme court was established. con-
slsting OF judge, who Is styled TIN,
chief justice OF Samoa, and who Is at
present w. l.. Chambers, an American
formerly resident OF the State of
Alabama. To HIS court are referred;
First. all civil suits concerning real