Mr. Gresham to Baron Saurma.
Washington, August 31, 1893.
Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. von Holleben’s note of July 8, 1893, concerning Samoan matters. In this connection I advert to the Department’s notes of the 1st and 10th instants, the former relating to the appointment of Mr. Henry C. Ide as chief justice of Samoa, vice Mr. Cedercrantz, and the latter to the appointment of Mr. Schmidt as president of the municipal council at Apia, vice Baron Senfft von Pilsach.
In addition to the foregoing I find Mr. von Holleben’s note presents for my consideration other matters, which I shall now dispose of in accordance with the promise made in my note of August 10.
Mr. von Holleben suggests, with regard to the appointment of Mr. Ide, that telegraphic instructions be sent to the minister of the United States at Stockholm, to the end that “he, conjointly with the German and English representatives, might take proper steps to secure the recall of Mr. Cedercrantz,” who, he further adds, will, in all probability, remain at his post until the arrival of his successor.
I shall adopt this course and shall cause the Government of Sweden to be advised, as Mr. Adee, in, his note of the 1st instant, stated, that Mr. Ide proposes to depart for his post by the steamer leaving San Francisco October 20, 1893. He will proceed directly to Samoa, reaching Apia, in all probability, about the middle of November.
The suggestion of the Imperial German Government that Mr. Cedercrantz and Baron Senfft von Pilsach should receive the salaries of their respective offices up to the time of their being actually relieved by their successors has my concurrence, provided it receives the sanction of Her Britannic Majesty’s Government.
In this relation your Government expresses doubt as to there being sufficient money belonging to the Samoan Government to discharge these obligations, and cites the provisions of the general act (Article [Page 684] iii, section 2) which oblige the treaty powers to make good any deficiency in the salary of the chief justice. No such obligation exists, Mr. von Holleben states, touching the salary of the president of the municipal council, but the German Government thinks it would be an unreasonable hardship for that officer, because of the insufficiency of the funds of Samoa available for the purpose, not to receive the full amount of his compensation. Hence the suggestion that it is incumbent upon the three treaty powers, by whom he was appointed to make good any deficiency; provided, however, that the amount “shall hereafter be deducted from the revenues of the Samoan Government,” which your Government believes will be ample to meet all legitimate expenses under capable management such as is anticipated from Mr. Schmidt’s administration.
If this course meets the approval of the British Government, it has the assent of that of the United States; and I can only express the hope that the revenues of Samoa may be so wisely managed that the expenses prescribed in the general act may be met therefrom.
“The Imperial Government,” says Mr. von Holleben, “further thinks it would be proper to pay the expenses of the homeward journey, of the returning officers, together with those of the removal of their residence, although this was not expressly promised to them when they were appointed.”
Accordingly a lump sum of $1,500 is suggested to be paid to each on that account, and it is stated that these financial proposals of the Imperial Government are agreeable to the British Government in case they meet the approval of the United States.
The share of this Government towards the homeward transit of Mr. Cedercrantz and Baron Senfft von Pilsach, based upon the payment to each of $1,500, will be $1,000 for the two, and I shall instruct the consular representative of the United States at Apia that, whenever he is advised by his colleagues of Germany and Great Britain that they have been authorized to pay over to Mr. Cedercrantz and Baron von Pilsach, or the latter’s legal representatives, a like sum on account of the homeward transit, to draw upon the Secretary of State for the one thousand dollars necessary to pay the share of this Government on that account.
In this connection I wish to advert to Mr. Adee’s note of the 1st instant, wherein it was stated that, in compliance with the request of Mr. Ide, provision should be made by the three powers for the payment of the actual expenses of removing himself and family to Samoa. It was also added that this Government would bear its pro rata share.
I shall be glad to learn the decision of His Imperial Majesty’s Government as to this proposition, in order that I may communicate it to Mr. Ide at his home in Vermont, so that he may be governed accordingly.
Accept, etc.,