No. 518.
Mr. White
to Mr. Bayard.
Legation of
the United States,
London, May 4, 1888.
(Received May 15.)
No. 742 (bis).]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith for your
information a copy of a question asked in the House of Commons on Thursday,
the 3d instant, in regard to affairs of Samoa, and also a copy of the answer
made by Sir James Fergusson, the under secretary of state for foreign
affairs.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure in No. 742 (bis).—The Times,
Friday, May 4, 1888.]
Samoa.
Mr. W. McArthur asked the under secretary of state for foreign affairs
whether the convention of 1881 between Great Britain, Germany, and the
United States of America, with regard to Samoa, had ceased to exist, and
whether the Government intended to recognize Tamasese as King of
Samoa.
Sir J. Fergusson. There was no such convention
contracted in 1881. A convention was concluded in 1879 between Great
Britain and Samoa, to which Germany and the United States subsequently
became parties, providing for good order in the district of Apia and for
the maintenance of neutrality in case of internal disturbances; and a
further convention between the same powers in 1883 continuing the last.
The German Government have announced their withdrawal from that
convention, and Her Majesty’s Government have assented to the district
of Apia being replaced under the control of the Samoan Government
subject to the rights of the treaty powers.
