Sir Julian
Pauncefote to Mr. Olney.
British
Embassy,
Washington, July 15,
1896.
Sir: I have the honor, by instruction of Her
Majesty’s secretary of state for foreign affairs, to transmit to you
herewith a copy of a dispatch addressed to him by Her Majesty’s consul
at Apia, submitting on behalf of himself and of his German and United
States colleagues, a proposal that the war ships detailed by the three
powers for service in Samoan waters should carry extra ammunition,
which, in case of an emergency and upon the unanimous request of the
consuls, should be served out to the Samoan Government for defensive
purposes.
I am instructed to state that Her Majesty’s Government would be glad to
be favored with an expression of the views of your Government upon this
proposal. I am to add that there would be no difficulty in regard to the
arrangement, so far as Her Majesty’s ships are concerned, if it was
thought desirable to adopt it.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
Mr. Cusack-Smith to the Marquis of
Salisbury.
Apia, Samoa, April 21, 1896.
My Lord: I have the honor to report that on
the 8th April the three consuls met the King and Government of Samoa
at the latter’s request. President Schmidt was at the meeting as
adviser to the King.
The King, after recapitulating the present state of affairs and
reminding us that the rebels to the westward in Aana were setting up
their own government, while the disaffected to the eastward in Atua
were also taking similar steps, and for the purposes of their rebel
administrations were collecting a tax, requested us to issue a
proclamation to all Samoans, ordering them wherever assembled to
disperse and return to their own homes. His Afioga also wished us to
issue a proclamation ordering all Samoans to pay their taxes. In my
No. 19 of the 25th of February I stated my doubts as to the
likelihood of much revenue accruing from the poll tax which the
Government of Samoa had decided to collect. I asked how much of this
tax had been paid in, and the Samoan Government replied with
pardonable pride that out of the $20,000 or $30,000 due they had
collected in all $10. They finally came
[Page 550]
to the real purpose of the meeting, which was
to request the assent of the consuls to the importation for the
defense of the Government, of 1,000 Martini-Henry rifles, 40,000
Martini-Henry cartridges, and 10,000 Mauser cartridges. I inclose a
copy of the unanimous refusal of the consuls to assent to any such
import of arms and ammunition.
We were quite unanimous in considering that a proclamation from us
ordering all Samoans to disperse would be disregarded, and we also
knew that the suggested payment of taxes was not seriously meant,
but was a mere sop to induce us to approve of the 1,000 rifles and
50,000 cartridges. We, however, hope that the proclamation which we
have advised the Government to issue may have a very good effect.
The term “Malaga” means a visiting party of from 50 to over 100
natives in boats, which visits village after village like a scourge
of locusts, literally eating up every available provision of food as
they advance, only to be followed in a few hours by a larger and
hungrier “malaga.” They supply, also, a regular system of fomenting
rebellion, and are in other ways objectionable.
The consuls were also unanimous in deeming it necessary to provide
for the case of a sudden attack upon Mulinuu, the seat of
Government, by the rebels.
We rejected as dangerous any idea of a reserve of ammunition on
shore, and decided to suggest to our respective Governments that the
war ships detailed from time to time for service in Samoan waters
should carry extra ammunition, which in a serious crisis and upon
the unanimous request of the consuls could be served out to the
Samoan Government forces for defensive purposes.
It was suggested that Her Majesty’s Government should provide the
Martini-Henry and Snider ammunition, the German Government the
Mauser cartridges, while the Springfield ammunition should be
supplied by America. It was also suggested that the ammunition
should be so distributed, at least among the visiting British and
German men-of-war, that each ship should have available some of each
kind of the specified reserve ammunition.
I inclose the minute of our meeting, at which perfect cordiality and
good feeling prevailed.
I have, etc.,
[Subinclosure 1.]
The Consuls of the Treaty
Powers to King Malietoa.
Apia, Samoa, April 14, 1896.
Your Afioga: In reply to the request which
was made to us at our meeting with you, we have the honor to inform
your Afioga and your Government that we are unanimously agreed in
refusing our consent to the importation of the 1,000 rifles and
50,000 cartridges.
The consuls would remind the King and Government that the treaty
powers have been ready in the past to support the King and
Government of Samoa when necessary, and they will be as ready in the
future to afford protection should occasion arise. Before the
consuls consider the advisability of issuing a proclamation, they
unanimously suggest that the Government should first notify to all
Samoans by proclamation that so far as the Government is concerned,
there is peace in Samoa, and all persons are free to come and go
throughout Samoa on their lawful business, but that large “malagas”
are forbidden.
We have, etc.,
- T. B. Cusack-Smith,
Her Britannic Majesty’s
Consul. - Rose,
Imperial German Consul. - W. Blacklock,
Vice-Consul-General, United States of
America.
[Subinclosure 2.]
minute.
At a meeting of the three consuls, held on the 14th April last in the
Imperial German consulate to consider a request made by the Samoan
Government to the consuls at a meeting held in the King’s house on
Mulinuu on the 8th April for the importation into Samoa by the
Samoan Government of 1,000 rifles and 50,000 cartridges, it was
unanimously agreed not to allow such importation, but to propose to
the three treaty powers that the men-of-war which may be sent to
Samoa shall carry a reserve amount of ammunition for the use of the
Samoan Government in an emergency in or around Apia, or at any other
point, when it may be deemed necessary.
Said ammunition reserve to consist of 4,000 Martini-Henry cartridges,
2,000 Mauser cartridges, 2,000 Snider cartridges, 2,000 Springfield
cartridges, to be kept on board the men-of-war, and only to be
landed or distributed upon the unanimous request to the commander by
the consuls of the three treaty powers in Samoa.
