New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-06-29
BRITISH VIEW OF SAMOA
THE ISLANDS PROsPERING UNDER
THEIR NEW GOVERNMENTS

washington. June IS CSpecaD .-Conditions in the
Samoan Islands since the transfer of Tutuua and
Mauns 10 the United States and savaii and UpoIu
10 the German Government are the subioc, ~ .
report by the British Consul in the islands 4 copv
of which has just been received bv the rreas,r,,
Bureau Of Statistics. The report is as follows:
The Islands OF Savaii and Upolu were ANNEXED
BY Germany on March l. 1900 Shortly afterward
Tutula and Manua. The only export for Tnsn nv
years has been copra amounting in 1897 to as oei:
lsss feoeo 1893 $4,000; $780, $1,000 Copra largely
goes 10 the United Kingdom FTanc emu c
Russia Italy and the United States nrncinaiV 10
me United Kingdom and Germany one of the
hrst acts OF the Governor was to protect the ma
ives by enforcing fair weights he is now endeavoT
ing 10 induce them 10 make better article
tention here At distance OF two or three miles
from the sea II grows almost wild. and can be
cultivated with success everywhere in Samoa ex-
cept perhaps on the summit OF the mountains
where The climate will probably be too cold The
quality is Sood. MI. Carrutherss cocoa fetched
lately the highest price in the London market The
ooo1soo varety rom aico OF me celebrated
should draw the attention home capitalists
for longer period than ten Years are nor keIy
70 be confirmed. as the government does not wish
pncation Of this kind the Berlin authorities
Coffee mas been failure. Even the hardy
suffering from the same disease that destroyed
the Mocha ana other Narleties Vanilla and kola
nanas and pineapples ere shipped occasionally TO
Auckland in small quantities. but the time occupied
in transit is too long and the fruit is often spoiled
The principal articles imported are salt beef in
kegs and timed meats. entirely from Auckland:
soap, from Auckland and sydney prints long cloth
auckland and sydney. although during the l9st
three years merchants have begun TO import from
Hamburg many articles formerly brought from the
colonies Kerosene oil. timed biscuit and lumber
Commercial travellers from Auckland and Sydney
visit Samoa regularly for orders. The large Ger
years established in this group imports from Ham
burg the greatest part OF the manufactured goods
At present the import duties follows; Ale,
g cents dozen quarts; spirits s. % gallon wine.
& each; gunpoWder q cents a pound on ali
cost and charges It is supposed that some aItera-
lions VIII be made before long in this tariff
500 according 10 the business done. The tax
on buildings is ! per cent yearly on two-thirds
from s. 70 $50 per annun There Is an export tax
Of ~ per cent on the value OF copra shipped Al
OF the above We're imposed 91isinally IN accordance
The population 81 German Samoa consists Of
about 100 whites. 800 halfcastes and $1,000 IA lives
Tspfs n > climate ike this being limited but
should planting companies he formed and the land
utilized matters will assume very Inherent as
There is more protection for property now than
der the rule Of native sovereign The govern
rnent is eonclliailng ooth parues WIN InuCh SUI
lives and all foreigners are most amicahle II re-
beion should occur IL would arise out Of the dis
putes between the ole conflicting native factions
The area Of Upolu is $4,000 acres Of Savan 40 coo
acres. in all $4,000 acres Of which only 10000
cres are now being cultivated One hundred and
fifty thousand acres have been sold 10 foreigners
Commerce would he increased to a very great eX-
tent should the land generally be thrown open 70
Improvement by sale forty year leases. The
price Of the land ranges between g 80 and 80
an acre according 10 its situation and improve
rnents. An American company lately sold several
thousand acres in blocks AZ from s. to s. an acre
There several schools In Apia. Roman Cath
Ole and Protestant, in which English services are
regularly held
The area OF Tutua and Manua is small, perhaps
. 600 acres much Of which Is steep and mountain
Gus Tutuila is seventy miles from Apia. Four
thousand natives living in Tutuila and 1900 in
Manua. and about twenty whites and many
half-castes.
The imports Of the Samoan group In 1900 were
about 600 in value. and the exports f4s,o00. No
details OF the commerce for 1900 were ayaila BILE
when the report was sent but the figures for 1893
showed that the United States held ~econd rank
n the countries supplying the imports. the figures
being; From the British Empire. f7oi37: from the
United States, t1s,5z9: from Germany $3.50