New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-15
RATIFICA7TONS BY CABLE.
NEW PLAN ADOPTED TO HASTEN
ACTION ON THE SAMOAN TREATY.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. ]

tBY TELEGRAPH TRIBUNE.I
Washington. Feb. 14.-An innovation in the
formality of exchanging treaty notifications has
been adopted by the United States. Great Brit
ain and Germany in order to secure the parti-
ton of Samoa with the least possible delay. and
for the first time the submarine cable is to be
called into service to obtain results within as
many hours under the customary deliberate
way would have taken weeks yet without any
sacrifice of the dignity or soemnity of the cere-
mony. When the German Emperor is empowered
by the constitutional legislative authority to
retify the treaty of December 2 which will prob
ably be in the next day or two the President of
the United States having already the consent Of
the Senate, and Queen Victoria having ex-
elusive powers, its provisions may be made bind
ing and operative within hour or two.
To this end an arrangement has been made
by which the notifications will be simultaneously
exchanged in Berlin, Washington and London.
Ordinarily these ratifications would have been
exchanged in Washington. as the treaty was
signed here but in view of the unsettled state
of affairs in Samoa, which long the tripar-
tite agreement lasted might at any moment
cause further complications. it was determined
to put the treaty into effect as soon as possible
with the object of leaving Germany free in the
exercise of sovereignty and the suppression of
any disorder in Upola. Savaii and the western
islands of the group, while the United States
would assume responsibility for Tutuila and the
eastern islands, Great Britain ceasing to have
hand in the archipelago
Great Britain and Germany also had another
treaty the subject in which the United States
had part, and it desirable that that
convention should become effective at precisely
the moment the Washington treaty OF December
went into force.
The novel arrangement which has been de-
vised in this instance will probably be adopted
generally in treaty exchanges hereafter The
Usual time consuming method pursued is to send
the official documents back and forth across the
ocean by mail and after both parties have rati-
fed ten days two weeks must pass before
proclamations and DEGREES give the prov-
sions the force of statute. To-day the three
copies of the Samoan Treaty in the posses
sion of the three Governments.
The exchange copies ready for the sig
to the accredited representatives of the remain
ing Governments. When the cable dispatch
comes from Berlin announcing Germanys readi-
ratify hour will be fixed, and at that
hour in Washington Secretary Hay will give to
Lord Pauncefote and to Dr. Won Hoeben war
rants of President Mckinley ratifying the
treaty In Berlin at the same moment Count
Won Bulow viii deliver the Emperor'> warrants
to DR.. White and TO Sir Frank c. Lascelles, and
in London the Queens warrants will be handed
to Mr. Choate and Prince Hatzfedt by Lord
Salisbury. Immediately in Washington the Pres
ident will issue a proclamation publishing the
treaty, and Imperial DEGREES will be made in
London and Berlin to the same end.
If no German vessel is at Auckland the United
States collier Abarenda will take the news to
Apia in four days, the Kingdom of Samoa will
disappear, the United States will be abSolved
from irksime ENHANCEMENT and have indis-
putable title to the only good harbor in the
South Pacific.