[Navigator Islands, November 13; confidential, 67; section
1.]
No. 1.
At the beginning of the month of August I had occasion to draw King
Malietoa’s attention to some bad consequences which would occur if the
King allowed irresponsible persons to induce him to take official
measures. I got the impression that the King understood my advice, and
under that impression I have continued my work.
On the 3d October I read in the local newspaper a correspondence between
King Malietoa and a German member of the municipal council. By chance
this was the same gentleman whose interference in government affairs had
already caused the aforesaid advice on my part. The correspondence
consisted of a letter from him dealing again with a matter concerning
solely the Samoan Government, and of King Malietoa’s answer. The answer
was dated twelve days later than the letter, and concurred in the views
of its writer. Before I read the correspondence I had no knowledge of
it, although the letter addressed to the King interfered just in my
official province, the financial administration, and although it
contained personal attacks against my sense of duty.
It was the King himself who then, upon my request, confirmed that indeed
the correspondence had taken place.
From this experience I could but arrive to three conclusions, which, at
the same time, constituted as many reasons for my request of
resignation: (1) No hope of succeeding in my official duties is left to
me since I am convinced that King Malietoa does not comprehend the
consequences of affording influence in official matters to irresponsible
persons. These consequences must be the worse, the Berlin treaty not
having furnished the King’s advisor with any means to formally secure
his cooperation, although such means would only be the equivalent of his
responsibility. I hardly need to add that it could not be my task,
especially in the first months of my service, to complete the treaty,
with amendments, in order to strengthen my position.
(2) The same failure of success must arise for me out of the want of
confidence the King has proved towards me in concealing the
correspondence in question, notwithstanding several conferences he held
with me during the respective time.
(3) A full and undamaged authority is not less indispensable for
fulfilling the task imposed on my office by the Berlin general act than
the King’s confidence. The King himself having apparently damaged my
authority, he can not repair the same without getting into a humiliating
position on his part, which certainly will raise more harm than there
exists already.
In connection with these considerations I can not forbear observing that,
according to my opinion, experiences like the above stated would have
been avoided if, in consequence of the common interest the treaty powers
have in supporting the authority of my office, I had found the common
assistance of the consular representatives in one case in which I
required their common assistance more than ever. In that case I exerted
myself to prevent an unequal action of the Samoan Government in regard
to the commercial interests of the three treaty powers, and I believed
that I was not at liberty to perform this duty of my office with less
energy only because Germany, the interests of which were going to be
neglected, is my native country. Your lordship will find the facts in
question in the mémoir I have the honor to inclose herewith.
I have declared to King Malietoa as well as to the consular
representatives of the treaty powers that I feel obliged to perform my
official duties, inasmuch as the Berlin general act does not provide my
representation therein, until I am allowed to lay down my position
through a joint instruction of the three powers.
I shall be most thankful if this can be done telegraphically.
I also most respectfully ask your lordship to instruct me whether yon
wish me to call at the foreign office in returning to Germany.
[Inclosure in No. 1.]
Memorandum.
In a meeting of the municipal council of Apia, held on the 3d of
June, the question was discussed how the troublesome state of
different coin circulating in Samoa could be altered.
The Berlin treaty not having established a currency for Samoa, the
coins of the three treaty powers, and besides the Chile silver, had
been introduced, and the fluctuations of the silver value in the
money market disturbed to a very disagreeable extent its fixation,
and consequently the fixation of the prices of goods in the
place.
The majority of the council being inclined to regard that body as
competent for making a definite settlement of this affair, I pointed
out that a settlement applying to the Samoan Islands could only be
made by the Samoan Government.
I added, I had no doubt that, just in this question, the opinion of
the municipal council at Apia, if communicated to the Government in
the form of a request, would have a considerable weight for their
decision, the council consisting mainly of merchants, and,
consequently, of men possessing a particular knowledge of the
matter.
The result of the discussion was a resolution saying that the council
requested the Samoan Government to adopt the following rate of
exchange for the country:
“One piece ($5) United States currency gold to be equal to one
English sovereign or to one 20-mark gold piece, and, for change,
English silver to be taken only, and the Chile dollar as equal to 75
cents, (smaller coins in proportion); and that after the 15th of
November next no Chile coin to be taken for taxes or duties by the
treasurer.”
This resolution having been submitted to the consular board, I was
informed, by their letter dated the 9th of June, that the consular
board suggest, as an amendment, “that the consideration of this
resolution be deferred.”
In their meeting of the 10th of June the municipal council did not
accept this amendment.
I then referred the same, together with the above resolution, to the
chief justice of Samoa.
By an accompanying letter, dated the 17th of June, I informed him
“that the councillors were not unanimous in the question which kinds
of money were admitted in the islands at present, but quite
unanimously they regarded the concurrence of much different coins
circulating here as a prejudicial one for the interests of the
residents, therefore they would like to request the Government that
one currency were fixed for the islands as soon as possible, and at
the same time to make a proposal with a view to the settlement of
this currency question.”
[Page 520]
On the 20th of June the chief justice decided “that the municipal
council are at liberty to submit the above-mentioned resolution
adopted by the council to the Samoan Government by way of a
petition.”
Only after having obtained this decision I considered myself in the
position to deal with the matter in my capacity as adviser to the
Samoan Government.
By letter dated the 26th of June I submitted the resolution of the
municipal council in the form of a petition to the Samoan
Government; but as no government office existed at that time except
my office, the letter remained at first in my archives, since,
before advising King Malietoa in the matter, I desired to ascertain
the views of the chief justice.
In private interviews I had with him, his honor declared he was not
convinced of the advantages of the arrangement requested by the
municipal council; however, he did not intend to interfere in my
action.
On the 24th of July I laid the petition of the municipal council of
Apia before King Malietoa.
I advised the King to adopt the proposals made in the petition with
the modification, however, that I recommended not to exclude the
silver of the United States, and to authorize me to publish a
corresponding notice in the newspaper.
I expressed my opinion that the lines to be observed by the treasurer
in his receipts and disbursements would consequently be observed
also in commercial transactions; that, therefore, no law, but only
an order given to me by the King, would be required, and that such
an order could be changed if necessary after three or six
months.
In reply to my speech the King stated that he personally agreed to my
proposal, but wanted the Faipule to be asked for their opinion. He
said this would be only a formality, because the Faipule did not
understand the question and would not make any objection; but on the
other hand, if they would not be consulted, troubles might arise
afterwards. My answer was: Generally it would not be wise to submit
matters to the Faipule in which they were not competent to give a
decision; nevertheless, I did not see a sufficient reason for
objecting to the King’s wishes.
Interpreter in this interview was the Rev. Arthur E. Claxton, member
of the London Missionary Society.
On the following day a. meeting of the Faipule was held in the
presence of the King Malietoa and myself.
Having explained the matter, I urged the immediate approval of
proposal. Some speakers answered, but wanted time for deliberation,
saying they would let me know their decision within two days.
On the 27th July, in the evening, I received a letter from King
Malietoa informing me that, with his assent, the Government resolved
to admit after the 15th November, only the gold and silver coin of
Great Britain and Ireland, and of the United States of America.
I regarded this resolution not to be binding, because I had not yet
advised the Samoan Government in regard to such an engagement, nor
had I set forth its possible consequences, and I had no doubt that
this was an occasion which, according to the spirit and provisions
of the Berlin general act, required my advice.
Therefore, in a meeting of the municipal council of Apia on the 28th
July, being asked whether the currency question had been settled by
the Government, I strictly denied that.
In this condition the matter remained some days.
On the 1st August, I received another letter King Malietoa addressed
to the municpal council of Apia, repeating more formally the
communication of the 27th July.
In the next meeting of the municipal council, which was held on the
5th August, a German member of the council, M. Grevsmühl, declared
that the King took this step on his verbal request.
On Monday, the 3d August, I explained to King Malietoa again, in the
presence of the Rev. A. E. Claxton, the reasons for my keeping
secret both his letters. He then answered, he comprehended that I
was right in acting as I did, and he approved that in another
meeting of the Faipule I should try to make them recall their
decision.
Before that meeting a conference took place on the 4th August between
the three consular representatives and myself, at my request. I
acquainted them with the state of the matter, and declared that I
was anxious to know their opinion, whether. they, like I, understood
the clause contained in the Berlin general act under Article VI,
section 4, as admitting all kinds of money in Samoa, unless an
alteration would be made by the competent authorities, so that, for
instance, the coin of one of the treaty powers could not be excluded
by the Samoan Government without the previous assent of the three
powers.
I understood that Her Britannic Majesty’s consul, as well as the
imperial German vice-consul, clearly expressed themselves in
conformity with my interpretation of the treaty, whilst I did not
ascertain the views of the U. S. vice-consul-general.
[Page 521]
By the same opportunity Her Britannic Majesty’s consul also stated
that the municipal council of Apia was by no means entitled to issue
any decision in the currency question; but, that this body ought to
take part in its settlement, only in giving their opinion like a
chamber of commerce.
On the 5th of August I made known to the municipal council in their
meeting both letters I had received from King Malietoa, adding, at
the same time, that the decision was not final; for since then the
King had instructed me to deal with the matter in another meeting
with the Faipule, which I was going to do in the afternoon.
In that meeting I made strong endeavors to convince the Faipule that
under the Berlin treaty the Samoan Government was not at liberty to
exclude the German coin from the islands altogether without the
assent of the treaty powers. Moreover, I said it would be very
unwise, especially in the present situation of the country, the
Samoan Government would begin to alter the Berlin treaty from their
part in neglecting in regard to one of the powers the equality of
rights guaranteed in the treaty to all of them.
I acted so because I had not presumed for one moment the decisions of
the King and the Faipule, communicated to me on the 27th of July,
had arisen in the Samoan mind.
Finding myself suddenly placed in front of the uncontrollable
influence of irresponsible persons advising the Government, I felt
the more obliged to exert myself to overcome the same and to prevent
its consequences.
The Faipule then again expressed their wish to deliberate on the
matter in my absence and to let me know their decision
afterwards.
I replied no new decision was required. I should be content if they
would revoke the first one as being inconsistent with the Berlin
treaty, and this they ought to do at once. Their repeated request
for time for consideration I repeatedly declined to agree with, but,
being unable to obtain a distinct answer, I finally left them, the
King having stated that the meeting would be continued on the next
day in my presence.
Before I returned on the following day, I received a letter from the
King requesting me not to come, because the Government’s members
would consider the question privately and acquaint me with the
result in a meeting to be held on the 7th August.
In that meeting the King declared that the Government were unwilling
to revoke their first decision.
On the following day I advised King Malietoa to communicate the
resolution of the Government to the consular representatives of the
treaty powers. When 1 repeated that advice on the 11th August
through the chief mamea (acting as interpreter), the King replied he
had already informed the three consuls on the same day.
On the 7th August the Imperial German consul forwarded to me the
German translation of a letter addressed by King Malietoa on the 6th
August to each of the three consuls, and also the copy of Mr.
Schmidt’s English answer, dated the 14th August.
I learned from that correspondence that the King had asked the
consuls whether some declarations I had made in the meeting of the
Faipule were true or not, and that the imperial German vice-consul
in his answer had ignored this question.
From the part of both the other consular representatives I have not
received any information about their respective correspondence with
King Malietoa. Only the King himself did show me their letters which
also did not contain a reply to the King’s question concerning my
explanations.
Besides these, three letters furnished King Malietoa with the three
different judgments in regard to the currency resolution of the
Government. The German vice-consul stated that “the three consuls in
a common meeting came to the conclusion that the decision of the
Samoan Government is contrary to the treaty made at Berlin.”
Her Britannic Majesty’s consul stated he was “not at present prepared
to object to” the same resolution; and the U.S. vice consul-general
declared “he saw no reason to complain and had much pleasure in
notifying the same resolution to his Government.”
In the next meeting of the municipal council of Apia, on the 12th of
August, I submitted to them the result of their petition.
The council then considered the decision of the Government would not
come into operation before the 15th of November, and passed a
resolution saying only that the last fixation of the rate of
exchange, made by the consular board, 1890, should be binding by the
municipal treasurer; but no payments in silver exceeding the amount
of $10 were to be admitted hereafter.
As an amendment to this resolution of the council, the consular board
suggested that English and German silver should be excluded from the
municipal treasury.
On the 20th August the municipal council accepted that amendment, I
only objecting to the same, because, as I said, I was not aware that
there was any authority in Samoa entitled to alter the Berlin
treaty.
On the 27th August, I received from the Imperial German vice-consul a
communication informing me that the three representatives, by common
letter dated the 25th [Page 522]
August, had acquainted King Malietoa with the resolution of the
municipal council accepting the aforesaid amendment of the consular
board.
Whether they had taken this step on behalf of the municipal council,
or in advising King Malietoa, I did not learn from the letter, but
in both cases I found the representatives transacting the business
of my office.
However, I have laid down my own opinion in the following clause of
the quarterly report I have rendered to King Malietoa on the 8th
September:
“There existed, and exists no doubt in my mind that according to
Article i and Article vi of the Berlin general act, everybody in Samoa is
allowed to pay his taxes with any coin which constitutes a part of
the currency of a foreign country.
“This state of affairs could be altered, as far as I understood the
aforesaid clauses in connection with Article viii, section 1, of the treaty, by consent of the three
powers concerning the coin of either of them, and by a law to be
passed by the Samoan Government concerning the coin of any other
foreign country.
Frihr. Senfft von
Pilsach.
Apia, October 13,
1891.