Mr. Uhl to Sir Julian Pauncefote.
Washington, April 3, 1894.
Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 22d ultimo, respecting the expense of the maintenance of Mataafa and other Samoan chiefs during their temporary detention at Fakaofo, in which, referring to my note of the 17th February, you inform me that the British consul at Apia has been advised that in case he should apply for authority to proceed to the Union Islands, Lord Rosebery would have no objection to the proposal alluded to in Baron Saurma’s note to this Department of the 31st January last, namely, that he should hand over the amount due to the persons who are entitled to the payment, and that the consul had also been informed that he might, if necessary, draw on Her Majesty’s Government for the sum required as the share which falls to its charge.
I concur in the suggestion which concludes your note that “it would be preferable, as a matter of account, that the money should be provided in the first instance by the German Government who will eventually claim one-third of the total expenditure from each of the other Governments concerned.”
I have, etc.,
Acting Secretary.