The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-03
IUTU|LA'S FINAL CtSS|ON.
FORMAL INSTRUMENT DRAWN AND
SIGNED ny THE CHIEFS.
Commander TflIey Transmits IL With
His Report to the Navy DEPART
ment-some Stringent Police Reg
uIations Issued by That Omcer.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2-Commander
BENJAMIN f. Tilley, in charge of the Unit
ed States naval station at Tutuila, Samoa,
transmits in a recent report to the navy
department upon the condition of affairs
on the island an instrument Of cession.
executed by the chiefs OF Tutuila and the
United States government.
The document formally cedes and trans
fers to Commander Tilley, as the repre-
sentative of the United States government,
the islands of Tutuiia, Auna and all other
islands. rocks,-reefs, foreshores and wa
tiers lying between certain degrees OF lat
ftude and longitude named. to erect the
same into a separate district to be known
as the district of Tutuiia.
The instrument OF cession'' was signed
by the marks OF twenty-five chiefs. with
their seals affixed. on the 18th of April
last, Immediately prior to the raising OF
the Stars and Stripes over the naval sta
ton at Page Page.
The provisions of the instrument set
forth that the chiefs of the town shall be
entitled TO retain their individual control
OF the separate towns. provided the same
shall be In accordance with the laws of
the United States regarding Tutuila. 1t
also provides that this government shall
respect and protect the individual rights
OF the people to their land and property
and that should the government require
their lands 1t shall take the same on pay
u CONSIDERATION.
Commander Tilley visited Rose island,
the eastern member OF the Samoan group,
which lies seventy miles to the east OF
Mayua, hoisted the American flag and
took formal possession. This island IL
nothing but coral atoll and is Of no
value.
Very stringent regulations have been
Issued by Commander Tilley prohibiting
the Importation Of firearms, dynamite and
otner explosives into Tutuila. An order
recently issued forbids the importation Of
wines. beers or liquors except by permits
sion Of the commandment.
The. secretary of the navy Is In receipt
OF letter from Ebenezer v. Cooper Of
the London Missionary Society and resi-
dent missionary for Tutuila and the neigh
porins Islands, speaking In high terms of
the progress that has been made by COM
mander Tfiley In establishing the author
fty OF the United States over our new
Samoan possessions. Mr. Cooper saws he
has been for twenty years connected with
the missionary work OF the Pacific islands,
station in Tutuila- He Is intimately ac-
guafnfed with the characteristics OF about
5000 Of the 5000 natives resident in our
new islands: He says that Commander
riley mas handled the rather delicate
TASK OF "annexation'' with a consummate
tact mingled with frmness. The natives
already expressing their satisfaction al
his administration and hope that he NAV
nitely.
On behalf Of himself ana the other mis-.
ssionarfes In the island Mr. Cooper saws
he wishes to express his joy at the new
order OF things and to pay his tribute 10
the good work that the United States has
done ana ~ doing in civilixing the island
ductfve labor by establishing a just. nrm
ana stable government where none such
had existed before