Mr. Secretary of State: Pursuant to
instructions from my Government, I have the honor to submit for your
excellency’s information, hereto annexed, a copy of a report of April 24
of this year from the imperial consul in Samoa. It confirms the
impression that a termination of the continual contentions and the
devastation and cruelties incident thereto can not be hoped for in the
near future unless vigorous measures be introduced.
According to a cablegram of May 17 of this year from the commander of the
imperial cruiser Bussard, at Apia, further
disturbances were expected, and the latest news that reached San
Francisco by the S. S. Mariposa announce, as may
be known to your excellency, the outbreak of the same.
In requesting to be apprised of the attitude which the U. S. Government
assumes toward these unchanged and threatening conditions,
[Inclosure from German
consul.]
I have the honor to submit for your excellency’s information the
following, supplementary to my report No. 27 of the 26th of last
month:
The intervention of the consuls has not been without success, even if
they have not been able to restore complete peace and order to the
country.
On the 24th of last month we proceeded to the village of Falelatai,
occupied by the Aana rebels in the southwest part of the island of
Upolu.
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The negotiations with the leaders of the rebels led to an agreement
whereby the rebels submitted to the following conditions:
Peace shall be restored, and as soon as the Government troops shall
have evacuated the territory of Aana and the rioters have returned
to their villages they are to pay the money penalties of their
chiefs captured in the former revolt In Mulinuu; they are to build a
road through Aana connecting with the one built by the Tuamasaga;
they are to deliver to the consuls 50 guns, and the chiefs are to
come to Mulinuu, and in the presence of the consuls recognize
Malietoa as the only King of Samoa and pay him homage.
Only with the greatest difficulty could we effect the acceptance of
these conditions. The surrender of a greater number of guns was not
to be obtained, as the insurgents, expecting Atua’s assistance,
would have chosen a continuance of warfare rather than deprive
themselves entirely of their means of defense.
Though final victory would more than likely have been on the side of
the Government, it was to our interest, notwithstanding, to bring
about as quickly as possible a treaty of peace, even if not so
favorable to the Government, in order to be able to withdraw the
Government forces from the Aana territory. The latter were camped in
the immediate vicinity of the German Mulifanua plantation, and drew
their subsistence solely from the products of the plantation, and
created much trouble on it. The plantation dwelling was continually
surrounded by bands of warriors, annoying the white officials and
laborers. At a meeting held at Mulifanua on the evening of the 30th
(?) with the leaders of the Government forces, the promise was
renewed to us that foreign property should be spared as soon as
order would come from the Government to evacuate Aana. Similar to
the difficulties which we had to encounter to effect the acceptance
by the insurgents of these lenient terms, were the difficulties we
had the following day with the Government to make it satisfied with
the conditions of peace, as, conscious of victory, it desired to
impose more severe ones.
After breaking off the negotiations repeatedly and expressing the
threat that a refusal of our wishes would be looked upon as an
insult to the treaty powers, and perhaps conduce to deplorable
results for the Government and its followers, they condescended to
accept our proposals.
Before we went to the general meeting at Mulinuu we had a prolonged
interview with the chief justice and the president. The chief
justice was sensible of being in an awkward position in consequence
of the decapitation law, which he had caused to be instituted. We
had pledged to the insurgents that with the compliance with the
terms of peace the war should be considered as at an end, and no
further judicial proceedings by the chief justice should take place.
While we had not considered the decapitation law specially in the
premises, we felt that the natives of Aana would reproach the
consuls with breaking their word if subsequently the chief justice
should institute proceedings against those of their party who had
taken part in the decapitations. The Government party would construe
such action, as far as it might be affected, as a sign of deepest
ingratitude on the part of Malietoa for its services and cause it to
separate from him and go over to the opposition party. After a
prolonged consultation, the chief justice agreed that it should be
proposed to the Government that in the interest of peace, not only
with reference to the insurrection itself but also for the violation
of separate laws, no criminal proceeding should be instituted on the
part of the Government. The chief justice recommended this proposal,
and Malietoa and the Government accepted it.
It is understood that Stevenson, the author of the decapitation law,
was very angry with the chief justice for his yielding attitude.
After the terms of peace had been accepted by both parties, they were
then to be carried out. Here new difficulties arose. It is true the
victorious Savaiians soon withdrew from Aana, but not to return to
Savaii, but to settle on the frontier of the Tuamasaga toward Aana.
The repeated attempts on the part of the president and the consuls
to induce them to leave here have not up to date been entirely
successful. At first they again demanded that the Aanas should first
return to their villages and comply with the terms of the treaty of
peace. After it was made clear to them that this could not be
demanded of the Aanas, as they could only look upon it as a threat
if the Savaiians remained at their frontier, the Savaiian chiefs
declared that they would return home as soon as they had celebrated
a projected peace festival (talolo), and
about 100 men should remain at Upolu for the protection of the
Government. Before the appointed day for their departure had
arrived, rumors were afloat that Atua had decided to make war
against the Government in Aana’s behalf. This gave new ground to
postpone departure.
The arrival also, on the 15th instant, of His Majesty’s cruiser Falke, and of the British man-of-war Curacoa on the 21st instant, have caused no
definite change for the better.
The reports from Atua may have been exaggerated at the beginning, but
it is certain that the party advocating war has gradually gained
ground by the again postponed withdrawal of the Savaiians and made
probable a hostile advance on the part of Atua.
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On Sunday evening, the 22d, rumor was spread in Apia that the Atua
people were advancing, and among the whites and Samoans reigned a
perfect panic.
The Government of Mulinuu marched their people to the interior to
resist a possible attack from that direction, and requested, through
President Schmidt, that the men-of-war should prevent a boat attack
by sea upon the seat of Government.
A consultation concerning this took place between the consuls and the
commanders as to how far, in case of an attack on Apia and Mulinuu,
the whites, that is to say the Government, could rely on the
protection of the men-of-war. If the men-of-war could not assist the
Government directly, or at least indirectly, then we held that we
did not have the right to further insist upon the withdrawal of the
Savaiians and thereby to weaken the Government in a possible attack
upon it by Atua and the Aana. Then, too, further sacking of the
German plantations and robbing of the whites were to be
foreseen.
The result of the consultation was that the commanders issued a
proclamation which produced a good impression upon Malietoa and the
Government, and it is to be hoped will prevent the people of the
insurgent districts from advancing upon Mulinuu.
As soon as the Savaiians have left Upolu and the Aana’s have retired
to their villages, the consuls will again enter into negotiations
with them and then with the Atua people, in order to restore general
peace. If ic will succeed, and how long it will last, is a matter of
conjecture. But among all those who understand the situation no
doubt prevails that with the departure of the men-of-war, if not
before, fresh uprisings will take place. Causes for such the
imaginative natives have always at hand.
