Foreign Relations of the United States, 1894, Appendix I, Chinese-Japanese War, Enforcement of Regulation Respective to Fur Seals, Mosquito Territory, Affairs at Bluefields, Claim of Antonio Maximo Mora, Import Duties on Certain Products of Colombia, Haiti, and Venezuela, Affairs in the Samoan Islands

Mr. Gresham to Sir Julian Pauncefote.

Department of State,
Washington, February 17, 1894.

Excellency: I have the honor to inclose for your information a copy of a note from the ambassador of Germany of the 31st ultimo, in regard to the deportation of Mataafa and eleven chiefs from Samoa and the expense of their maintenance at Fakoofo, Union Islands, from August 3 to November 8, 1893, amounting, according to contract, to £22 per month.

I add a copy of my note of the 14th instant, saying that Mr. Blacklock, the consular representative of this Government at Apia would be, as he has been, instructed to draw upon the Secretary of State for one-third of the amount, being the quota of this Government towards those expenses, and pay it over to the British consul, who expected to visit the Union group in May next, for distribution in accordance with the German ambassador’s suggestion. My note closed as follows:

I deem it proper to say in this connection, this Government does not understand that the detention of Mataafa and his chiefs by the three powers is to be prolonged for an indefinite number of years.

I have, etc.,

W. Q. Gresham.