Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-03
Continued From Third Page y

sent their first Ambassador" to Wash
ington, a handsome native named Ma
mea, who returned with what purported
to be treaty.
The wise men scented more and more
trouble, and wanted some one to pro-
tect them both from foreign aggression
and from civil war. Col. Steinberger
had convinced them that the United
States would do just that. There was
clause which stated that If the Samoans
at Page Pago should have misunder-
standing with other nations the United
States would use its good Offices" in
their behalf.
Mamea was on the grill several days
before the council Of chiefs explaining
the terms of the treaty. especially good
Offices" He was never able to convince
them that the term meant cannon and
rifles. In 1885 the semblance Of actual
sovereignty was given when United
States consul raised the Stars and
Stripes over the island.
The claims Of rival native kings re-
suited in several wars in Samoa in
which the white settlers and residents
took sides. A German warship had &C
tually bombarded villages of those OPP
posed to the King of their Teutonic
choice. Early in 1889 the situation had
become so bad that there were seven
warships at Apia-three American. three
German and one British. A naval en-
gagement might easily have resulted.
Swept by Hurricane.
Then the Storm King fell upon the
whole squadron, for one of the worst
hurricanes known to history swept down
upon Samoa on March Is, 1889. The
warShips. with their crews of $500 men
were thrown about like sockle shells
All except one were either sunk OF
beached and $50 lives lost.
The disaster has been described By
gifted pens, including that of Stevenson
and that OF a newspaper correspondent
who produced one Of the classics in re-
porting, as he was an eye witness.
1t was the iron hand of Bismarck
which gripped Samoan affairs later thai
year. The German commander vas dis
, ciplined for exceeding his instructions
especially in that he had arrested Ameri-
| representatives of the three countrie.
| concerned most in Samoa met in Berlir
and made an agreement.
Under it the United States. Great
Britain and Germany recognized Samoa
as neutral territory with an independen
| government and gave the natives the
! right to administer affairs according Il
their own laws and customs. in so fal
| as such regulations were in accordance
with civilization. Samoa then began tt
! settle down to more peaceful days.
| Stevenson's Home in 1889.
| This group of islands came to the at.
tention. of the world about this time ir
an entirely new light. In 1889 Rober
| Louis Stevenson, beloved both by his fel
low Englishmen and by the citizens o
! the United States. where he had lived
came to make his home on the island o
| Upolu. He was so delighted with tn
scenery and the mild climate and tn
romantic surroundings that he decidet
TO make Samoa his home.
Near Apia. under the shadow Of higl
mountain, he built a rambling hous.
which he called Vailima, Samoan wore
meaning Five Waters" He also had
large plantation which he worked Will
! the aid OF the natives. This last man
sion OF the novelist was visited BIZ tn
society of the foreign colonies and b,
tourists from all parts Of the world.
Stevenson was greatly beloved ant
respected by old Samoan stock, and t,
him they gave the name of Tusitala-
The Teller of Tales" In the broat
grounds before the house fetes were hel,
in which appeared the Polynesian dance
which so greatly delighted the visitors
the kava drink. a on-alcohoiic stimu
liant made from root, was ceremoni.
ously. passed. and the guests we're re.
! called with roast pig. taro vans ant
other dishes for which Samoa is famous
Succumbed There in 's4.
Stevenson took deep interest In tn.
! troubled politics Of the region. rs sl1owr
In hts book, "A Foot Note to History.
! which recounts the story of the clashe!
and the plots and counter-plots will
which he was familiar. Although h,
had gained some strength in the South
! Sea airs, the beloved owner of Vailims
was under a great pressure of work
and in 1894 his body suddenly gave way
The word OF his death, carried b,
cable, sent a wave of grief about thu
world. His body was borne by Samoan
chiefs to a stone tomb on the top o.
the mountain which rises above tn,
white walls Of Vailima. Many tourist.
make trips to Apia to see the house
where Stevenson lived. The structure
somewhat remodeled, is now the resS
dence Of the British governor Of West.
ern Samoa.
! Internecine strife came to an end II
| the islands in 1899 with the abolishine
of the bone of contention-the king.
| ship. Under tri-partite treaty among
the three powers, Great Britain with.
| drew from Samoa entirely. She wa.
!, then involved in the Boer War and ir
! the international politics of the day
felt she needed the friendship Of Ger.
many
Britain therefore accepted from the
! Kaiser the Solomon Islands and other
small possessions for her interests In
Samoa. Germany came into control OF
the islands east of I'll east longitude
the United States those west Of tina,
! line.
Pact Ratified in 1900.
This arrangement gave to Germany
the large islands such as Upolu anc
Savaii the United States got Tutuils
and several small islands, including. OF
course, the harbor of Page Page. This
agreement was clinched by the formal
cession made by the chiefs and other
claimants, and in 1904 a cession OF
Mana to the United States was made
The American flag was raised once
more in 1900 when the agreement was
finally ratified The newspapers and
magazines of the period welcomed this
domain, considered American as far
back as the seventies, but as yet Samoa
was not an integral part Of the United
States.
1t was announced that to these
islands neither the Constitution nor
the laws Of the United States extended
and 1.-The only administrative authority