Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/704

 652 UNITED STATES: — SAMOAN ISLANDS

cocoa, and sugar, besides valuable timber. There are about 4,000 head of cattle, including 900 water buffaloes. The imports into the island in the year ending June 30, 1920, amounted to 408,263 dollars, and the exports to '34,132 dollars.

The official currency is that of the United States.

Governor. — I. C. "Wettcngcl, Captain U.S. Navy (appointed Mav 27. 1920).

SAMOAN ISLANDS. (Amekican Samoa.)

The Dutch were the first to visit the Samoan Islands, in 1 722 ; French explorers followed in 1768 and 1787. In 1791 a British war vessel visited the islands.

The history of American Samoa commenced in the year 1872 when the harbour of Pagopago, in Tutuila, was ceded to the United States for a naval and coaling station. In 1S78 this cession was confirmed and rights of freedom of trade and extra-territorial jurisdiction in Samoa were granted. On June 14, 1889, the conference between the repre- sentatives of the United States, Germany, and Great Britain was held at Berlin, resulting in the treaty recognising the Samoan Islands as neutral territory, with an independent government, the natives being allowed to follow their own laws and customs, while for civil and criminal causes, in which foreigners were concerned, there was established a Supreme Court of Justice, in which an American citizen was the presiding judge. This arrangement continued till 1898, when disturbances regarding the right of succession to the office of king arose. In 1899 the kingship was abolished, and, by the Tripartite Treaty of November 14 of that year, accepted in February 13,. 1900, by the United States, Great Britain and Germany renounced in favour of the United States all rights over the island of Tutuila and the other islands of the Samoan group east of 171 degrees of longitude west of Greenwich, the islands to the west of that meridian being assigned to Germany.

The Island of Tutuila, 70 miles from Apia, has an area of about 77 square miles, with a population of 6,185 (3,166 males and 3,019 females), according to the 1920 census. Tau and the other islets (Ofu and Olosega) of the Manua group have a united area of about 25 square miles with a population of 1,873 (926 males and 947 females). According to the 1920 census American Samoa thus contained 8,324 inhabitants (including 266 Europeans of the United States Naval Service) on January I, 1920 (4,092 males and 3,966 females). Tutuila is mountainous, luxuriantly wooded and fertile. The harbour at Pagopago, which peuetrates the south coast like a fiord, is the only good harbour in Samoa. It is a United States naval station under a Commandant, the Government having acquired there a land area of about 40 acres.

The Commandant is alsothe Governor of American Samoa by commission from the President of the United States. He appoints officers and frames laws or ordinances, but native customs (not inconsistent with United States laws) are not changed without the consent of the people.

The islands are organised in three political divisions corresponding to the old Samoan political units: — 1, the Eastern District of Tutuila, with