Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/294

 286] FOKEIGN HISTOEY.

with the 12th degree of east longitude and, following a north- easterly direction, touches Toncha and ends on the 8th parallel of latitude. On the north the concession is bounded by the 8th parallel of latitude ; on the north-west by the Anglo-German frontier ; and on the west by a line starting from the most southerly intersection of the Cross Biver with the frontier and proceeding in a south-easterly direction until it reaches the Sannaga, where that river is joined by the M'bam.

In foreign affairs Germany fully maintained her position as a great European Power, and was able to register some notable successes. The greater part of the year was occupied in negotiations about Samoa, where a grave conflict had broken out between the representatives of England and the United States on one hand, and of Germany on the other. On the death of King Malietoa there were two rival candidates for the throne — Tanu, the son of Malietoa, and Mataafa. Eng- land and the United States supported the former, and the German Consul the latter. Mataafa's men, having refused to evacuate the municipality of Apia, though called upon to do so by the United States admiral, the' town and the adjoining villages were bombarded (March 13), and Tanu was crowned king, notwithstanding the protests of the German Consul The supporters of Mataafa attacked the combined British and American forces, and several of them were killed and wounded in the engagements which followed, the Germans remaining neutral. A joint high commission was then ap- pointed by the three Powers to settle the matter. The following were the instructions given to the commission : —

" The commission appointed by the three signatory Powers of the Berlin Samoa Act, in view of the disturbances which have broken out in Samoa, and for the purpose of restor- ing tranquillity and order, will assume provisional powers of government over the Samoan Islands. For this purpose the commission is to execute the highest official authority in the islands. All other official persons there, whether their authority is derived from the provisions of the Berlin Acts or from any other source, must ooey the commands of the commission, and the three Powers will instruct their consular and naval repre- sentatives to subordinate themselves accordingly. No measure which may be adopted by the commissioners, in accordance with their prescribed powers, shall have legal effect, unless all three commissioners agree to it. It will be among the duties of the commissioners to consider what arrangements they regard as necessary for the future government of the country or for the alteration of the Berlin Treaty, and to report to their Governments regarding the conclusions at which they may ultimately arrive."

A good deal of ill-feeling was created between Germany and the United States on account of this conflict between their representatives in Samoa, and also of the high-handed action