Baron Saurma to Mr. Gresham.
Washington, October 11, 1893.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of September 6, regarding the assent of the U. S. Government to the deportation of Mataafa and his eleven followers to Jaluit, one of the Marshall Islands belonging to the imperial possessions in the South Pacific, with the understanding that the expenses of the maintenance of these Samoans be divided among the three powers.
In reply to your inquiry as to the probable expenses to be entailed by such deportation and maintenance, I am instructed to state that, as far as it can now be ascertained, the cost of maintenance would probably amount to 60 marks, i. e., about $14.28 per month for every head.
To this continuous expenditure a singular fee would have to be added for the conveyance of these exiles from Samoa to the Marshall group, which will be accounted for in conformity with the regular rates of transportation on board a ship belonging to the navy.
I avail myself, etc.,