Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/295

 1899.] Germany. — Samoa. [287

of the German admiral, Diedrichs, towards the American fleet at Manilla; but this gradually subsided as the commission* proceeded with its work, and great satisfaction was also felt in Germany at the permission given by President M'Kinley, on April 29, for the establishment of a direct cable from Germany to the United States. In July the commissioners decided, with the consent of both parties, to abolish the king- ship, and to appoint an administrator with a Legislative Council of three members nominated by Great Britain, the United States and Germany respectively. The report of the commis- sion, signed July 18, expressed the opinion that it would be impossible effectually to remedy the troubles and difficulties under which Samoa was suffering as long as it is placed under the joint administration of the three Governments; and an agreement was accordingly arrived at for dividing the Samoan Islands between them. A convention to this effect was signed on November 14 by the representatives of Great Britain and Germany, and it was subsequently agreed to by the United States. The following were the most important articles of this convention, which was received with great satisfaction by public opinion in Germany : —

" I. Great Britain renounces in favour of Germany all her rights over the islands of Upolu and of Savaii, including the right of establishing a naval and coaling station there, and her right of extra-territoriality in these islands.

" Great Britain similarly renounces, in favour of the United States of America, all her rights over the island of Tutuila and the other islands of the Samoan group east of 171° longitude east of Greenwich.

" Great Britain recognises as falling to Germany the terri- tories in the eastern part of the neutral zone established by the arrangement of 1888 in West Africa. The limits of the portion of the neutral zone falling to Germany are defined in Article V. of the present convention.

"II. Germany renounces in favour of Great Britain all her rights over Tonga Islands, including Vavau, and over the Savage Island, including the right of establishing* a naval station and coaling station, and the right of extra-territoriality in the said islands.

"Germany similarly renounces, in favour of the United States of America, all her rights over the island of Tutuila and over the other islands of the Samoan group east of longi- tude 171° east of Greenwich.

" She recognises as falling to Great Britain those of the Solomon Islands, at present belonging to Germany, which are situated to the east and south-east of the island of Bougainville, which latter shall continue to belong to Ger- many, together with the island of Buka, which forms part of it.

" The western portion of the neutral zone in West Africa, as