The times., 1899-11-19
TEE PARTITION OF SAMOA
Negotiations for the Division of
Samoa Still Continue.
Details of the Treaty Concerning
the Future OF the Islands Being
Arranged - a Conference Between
Representative of the Three Pow
ers-No Dispute Over the Transfer.

Negotiations for the perfection of the
treaty arrangement providing for the geo
graphical partition OF Samoa have been
transferred from Ldadons to Washington.
and conversational exchanges on the sub
ject occurred at the State Department YES
terday between Lord Pauncefote Of Pres
ton, the British Ambassador; DR.. Won
Holleben, the Ambassador of Germany. and
Secretary Hay. The most interesting de-
yelopment of this transference is that the
negotiations have not been completed de-
spite the statement 10 that effect given ous
officially in Berlin and confirmed in Lon
don
Authoritative information affirmed here
few days after the Berlin announcement
that so far as it affected the position of
the United States, the statement from the
Foreign Office in Berlin was correct, all
though the American officials frankly ac-
knowledged that they had not been notified
by Ambassador Choate of the arrangement
OF treaty It appears, however that
while Mr.. Choate was a party 10 the Lon
don negotiations, they included actually
and formally only the surrender of Great
Britain's interest in Samoa to Germany in
consideration Of certain territorial conce :
sions by Germany TO Great Britain, and an
arrangement for the adjustment of bonn
daries in South Africa.
The transfer by Great Britain and Ger
many to the United States of the Island of
Tutuila was not formally arranged in
treaty form, and the negotiations now go
Ing on here are being conducted with a
view to that end. There is no dispute On
the subject of the transfer of Tutuila and
some smaller islands in the group, ami no
difficulty is expected in perfecting the
treaty.
Although now engaged in discussing the
matter with the United States the Govern
ment of Great Britain and Germany vir-
tually agreed to the cession OF Tutuila to
this country before proceeding to arrange
their own immediate interests in the Sa-
moan group. The British and German ar
rangement in London was made without
taking into consideration the territory
! which this Government considered as its
rightful share of the islands.
1t was learned yesterday that the United
! States twice stated to the other two pow
/ ers when the partition scheme was
/ broached that It would not be satisfied with
less than the cession of all Samoan terri
tory lying east Of the I71st degree Of longi-
tude. This includes the islands of Tutuila
Mamma, OloOslnga, OfOo, and Rose. Great
Britain and Germany practically conceded
/ this demand and proceeded TO discuss the
/ Samoan partition among themselves, inde-
pendenuy of the territory desired by the
United States but moi without permitting
Mr.. Choate and his Government to know
what was going on. The exchanges re-
sumed in Washington are understood to be
on the basis of the acceptance by the two
other powers of the claims of the United
States, and treaty arrangement contain
ing such provision may be expected
shortly.
Some questions are still unsettled but
these are believed TO relate TO matters that
do not conflict with the general partition
arrangement