Page:Anglo-American relations during the Spanish-American war (IA abz5883.0001.001.umich.edu).pdf/40

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for the establishment in that harbour of a naval station for the use and convenience of the vessels of the United States. About this time traders began to urge the growing importance of the Samoan trade with the result that in 1873 the United States government sent a special agent there for investigation. From then on trouble between the nations interested in Samoan trade, Great Britain, Germany, and the United States, grew in proportion to the determination of each to increase her trade. After 1884 German statesmen undertook a systematic policy of expansion in the islands. The United States and Great Britain, previously in control of the Samoan trade, objected strenuously. By the close of the decade, American popular interest had reached such a pitch that American warships were sent to defend her trade. With American, British, and German warships gathered there, each nation determined upon the protection of commercial interests, trouble seemed inevitable. Fortunately, a hurricane swept the island at an opportune moment. The good feeling engendered as a result of the sincere coöperationcooperation [sic] extended in the work of rescue led to the compromise of 1889 in which the three nations agreed to a policy of joint control. The real significance of the episode lay in its prophetic nature. Germany had contended vigorously for foreign monopoly of the trade of the islands. The United States had contended with equal force for open trade under native control, protected, if need be, by American guarantee. This policy of joint control existed until 1900 when the islands were divided between the United States and Germany.