Mr. Coleman to Mr.
Bayard.
Legation of
the United States,
Berlin, December 19, 1888.
(Received January 7, 1889.)
No. 710.]
Sir: In the course of a discussion on colonial
affairs, on the 17th instant, in the House of Commons, the British
parliamentary under secretary of state for foreign affairs, Sir J.
Fergusson, made, as you will have been informed, certain utterances with
respect to Samoan affairs in response to an inquiry from Mr. McArthur, a
member of that body, who took her Majesty’s Government sharply to task,
asking whether they had made a deliberate bargain with the German Government
to hand over Samoa to them, and otherwise severely criticising British
action with relation to Samoan affairs.
Commenting on the utterance of Sir J. Fergusson the Voss’sche Zeitung, an
organ of the advanced liberal party, published in this city, says in its
morning edition of the 18th instant:
In the course of the discussion yesterday on colonial matters in the
English House of Commons events in Samoa and the question of
indemnification connected with the same were also touched upon. In
the course of the discussion Fergusson declared that he hoped that
many of those who had suffered losses in Samoa would be indemnified
for the same, but that it was not in his power to say what the
future of Samoa would be. For a long period his Government had
pledged themselves to preserve a neutrality in Samoa between the
parties existing there. The Germans were everywhere the best
settlers in British colonies, and it was not surprising that Germany
should have an eye on that island; in England people should not look
with jealousy on the movements of other nations with respect to
colonization.
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In those suggestions from an official source an intimation may
perhaps be perceived that in case the Samoan question should
presently take a turn which, in consonance with the existing
commercial interest in those islands, should be directed to the
establishment of a predominant German political influence also, the
British Government would offer no opposition thereto. Whether the
same could be expected from the Government at Washington is not yet
manifest in the same degree.
The conclusion arrived at by the Voss’sche Zeitung would seem to be not
unwarranted by the official utterances upon which it is based, utterances to
which only a certain definite significance can well be attached in view of
the circumstances that the United States Government is notoriously not
seeking to acquire colonial possession.
The text, taken from the London Times of the 18th instant, of the statements
by Sir J. Fergusson, and of the inquiry which elicited them, to which the
above-cited comment relates, is herewith inclosed.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure in No. 710.]
extract from london times of december 18.
1888.
Mr. W. McArthur asked for information with regard to the position of
affairs at Samoa. He wished to know whether it was true that two years
ago the Government made a deliberate bargain with the Government of
Germany practically to hand over Samoa to them, and whether last year
the information furnished by the British ambassador to the conference
which met at Washington was to the effect that nothing was settled. He
hoped that the under secretary for foreign affairs would state what the
Government proposed to do with regard to Samoa. Did they intend to allow
Germany to take it?
What they wanted was a responsible government there. A King was set up
who was nothing more nor less than a puppet of Prince Bismarck. Her
Majesty’s Government recognized this ruler. Since then, however, there
had been a revolution, the puppet king had been bundled out, and a
brother of the old King had been elected by the people. He wanted to
know whether Her Majesty’s Government had recognized, or would
recognize, the elected King. Those who were interested in the Australian
colonies desired to ascertain whether it was safe any longer for English
people to invest capital in the Pacific; whether they would be backed
up; whether diplomatic engagements would be respected; and whether in
the future when British interests came into conflict with German
interests, British subjects would be passed over and the advantage given
to Germans. (Hear, hear.)
* * * * * * *
Sir J. Fergusson said that the honorable member for the St. Austell
Division (Mr. W. McArthur) represented some who had suffered most
undeserved losses by the troubles in Samoa. Those losses were
undeserved, and he hoped some compensation and amends might be made to
many who had so suffered. The honorable member very justly touched upon
the question in a broader sense than any question of losses, and he
challenged the conduct of Her Majesty’s Government in relation to the
Samoan conference at Washington as compared with the declarations they
had made to the colonial conference.
It was impossible for him to answer the honorable member’s categorical
question. He could not tell him what passed in the conference, because
that conference, though suspended, was not closed, and it was not open
to any of the powers concerned to make public statements on the case;
neither could he tell the honorable member what would be the future of
Samoa. He could, however, tell him that nothing her Majesty’s Government
did at Washington in connection with that conference was inconsistent
with the declarations they made at the colonial conference. There was no
secret or improper arrangement made between Her Majesty’s Government and
Germany; their conduct was straigtforward and open to the other powers,
and he regretted very much that no arrangement for the permanent good
government of Samoa was arrived at.
Her Majesty’s Government had always pledged themselves to preserve a
neutrality in Samoa between the different classes, and it was earnestly
to be wished that there might be such a settlement as would put an end
to all further civil wars. Her Majesty’s Government were fully sensible
of the duties which devolved upon them in connection with these islands,
especially in consideration of the great interests and
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just demands of the Australian colonies.
His honorable friend was aware that some time ago an arrangement was
made with other Governments by which our influence in the Pacific was to
a great extent limited, the object being to place each group of islands
under one European power, to whom the traders might look for the
maintenance of law. He hoped it would not be long before the troubles at
Samoa were healed. [Hear, hear.]
A word fell from the honorable gentleman as to the
presence of Germany in those seas, Our own country had been engaged
in the work of colonization. He did not think we could expect that
other nations which had a similar desire for expansion would not
also seek to find colonies. The German people formed some of
the best colonists in our own possessions, and he did not think it so
surprising that the Government of Germany, with people spread all over
the world, should have settled to some extent in colonies of their own,
rather than altogether in those of Great Britain and the United States.
[Hear, hear.]
He did not think we ought to view with jealousy the
advent of the civilised powers to colonies to some extent
adjacent to our own. [Cheers.] If we sought to do so we should be
pursuing a selfish policy, which would neither increase our influence
nor the safety of our own possessions; but he quite agreed that we
should be mindful of the interests of the subjects of Her Majesty
wherever they might be, and always demand justice for them according to
the country where they lived. He hoped that the policy he had shadowed
in relation to Canada would, in the future, be attended with better
results than we had obtained in the past, and that before long no one
would establish any good ground of complaint of the neglect of English
interests in the Pacific. [Cheers.]
