Mr. Blaine to Sir Julian Pauncefote.
Washington, March 26, 1890.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 24th instant, in which, under instructions from the Marquis of Salisbury, you communicate the substance of the instructions sent to Her Majesty’s consul at Apia, touching his coöperation with the consular representatives of Germany and the United States in taking measures preliminary to the execution of the general act of Berlin.
The instructions under which Colonel de Coetlogon is to act appear to agree with the proposition submitted to me by the German minister at this capital on the 2d instant and with the telegraphic instruction which, [Page 409] in pursuance of the joint understanding then reached, I sent on the 6th instant by way of Auckland to Vice-Consul Blacklock, directing him to join simultaneously with the British and German consuls in orders restricting the traffic in firearms and liquors, and defining the election districts of the municipality, and also in concerting with the Samoan Government to fix a date for beginning the collection of taxes and customs and to provisionally appoint collectors.
I have, etc.,