The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-11-17
is OUT OF SAMOA
England Sells Her Island
Holdings to Germany.
The Trade is, However, Subject TO
the Ratification of the Unirsd
States Government.

BERLIN, Nov. Sit was officially
! announced this morning that an agree
ment, subject TO the approval of the
! United States, had been arrived at be,
tween Great Britain and Germany, by
| virtue of which the Samoa act is re-
| pealed and the islands of Upolu, Sayai
and the small adjacent islands fall to
! Germany as free property, and the ISL
and of Tutuila and the subsidiary ISL
ands go TO the United States. Great
Britain, it is added, renounces any
| claim TO the Samoan Islands, and Ger
| many in return renOunces any claim
| TO the Tonga Islands and to Savage
| Island in favor of Great Britain, and
also cedes Choiseul and San Isabel. the
| two easterly islands of the Solomon
ings, TO Great Britain. The consular
representatives. of the two powers in
Samoa and the Tonga Islands are TO
be Withdrawn for the present and Ger
man subjects are to have the same
rights as the British subjects in re-
gard to the free and unimpeded enlist
ment of native laborers in the whole
OF the Solomon group in the posses
sion of Great Britain, including Choi-
seul and San Isabel
At the same time an ARRANGEMENT
has been arrived at between the two
powers by virtue of which the social
ed neutral zone in the hinterland of
German TOgOland and the British gold
coast, Africa, will be divided in such
manner that the boundary of German
and British territories will be formed
by the Paka river up to a point where
the latter cuts the ninth degree of
latitude, thence north by a line to be
fixed by a commission. To this is
pended a reservation that the countries
OF MampruSi and Cambaza shall fall
TO Great Britain and the countries of
GeuGi and NehakOSi to Germany.
Finally, according to the decision of
the colonial council, Germany has pro-
missed to renOunce her eXtra-territorial
rights in Zanzibar until the expiration
of the commercial treaty in 1902, with
the proviso that the remuneration is
only effective when the other nations
Zanzibar in favor of Great Britain Re-
garding the agreement, it is observed
the United States consent is taken as
assured.
further agreement concluded be-
tween Germany, Great Britain and the
United States is to the effect that the
question of compensation for claims
for damages during the late trouble is
al
OF arbitration, which will decide all
claims.
WASHINGTON. Nov. S.-The State
Department has not yet been advised
of the agreement between Great Brit
ain and Germany respecting the Sa-
moan group. 1t is gathered, however.
that if the outline of the arrangement
sent out in the cable advices is accu
rate there will be no disposition to
withhold our approval, provided GER
tain minor conditions are included.
Whatever plan Great Britain and
Germany might agree upon, it was stip-
ulated should be first submitted to
the ratification of the United States.
This was necessary as the change pro-
posed could be made only by formal
treaty. which would require the ap-
prevail of the Senate. 1t is believed
that the arrangement proposed now
will be sent to the State Department.
The United States is not concerned
with the amount or character OF the
compensation that passes between the
other nations. Besides retaining the
coaling station of Page Pago, acqulr-
ing the island of Tutuila whereon the
harbor is located, and the three or four
small islets in the vicinity, the United
States will continue to enjoy by Stlpu-
lation the privilege of trading with
Apia under conditions equally as favor
able as those existing. The islets re-
ferred to are not of any particular i'm
portance from a commercial point OF
view, but it is deemed essential to con-
troll them politically in order to pre-
vent smuggling.
The partition of the Samoan group
of islands marks the close OF a long
standing source of international con-
troyersy and also brings about new
territorial arrangements in the South
Pacific. In the early stage of the nego-
tiations it was agreed that the United
States should have the island OF Tu-
tuila, with its valuable harbor OF
PdgO PaSO ana the lesser lSiduuS vi lis
coast. including the large islet Of Ma
nua. The negotiations then shifted to
London to determine whether Germany
or England should retain the two re-
naming islands. The nature Of these
later negotiations has been constantly
communicated to Washington, al
though they have not reached the State
Department, and it has been known for
some days that in case Great Britain
retired from Samoa, Germany would
give as part compensation the large
Solomon islands of San Isabel ana
Choiseul. These are near the British
possessions in Australia, being east OF
New Guinea They are twice the size
of the Samoan group, but the country
is mountainous and the people war
like. many being cannibals.
At the British and German embas-
sizes here the announcement Of the close
of negotiations was received with much
satisfaction A high diplomatic Off
cial said that the agreement was due