Imperial German Embassy at Washington,
Washington, May 2,
1894. (Received May 3.)
Mr. Secretary of State: I have the honor, in
pursuance of instructions received from the Imperial Government,
herewith to transmit to your excellency a copy of the report of the
officer in command of His Majesty’s cruiser Sperber, concerning the transportation of Mataafa and the
rebellious Samoan chiefs to the Marshall Islands.
[Inclosure.]
Singapore, January 26,
1894.
To the Commanding Admiral,
Berlin:
On the 8th instant, in the afternoon, we stopped at Fakaofa, where
the British agent immediately came on board and said that he was
prepared to bring the captive chiefs on board with very little
delay. As their place of destination was unknown to the chiefs, they
came onboard very quickly, probably hoping that they were to be
taken back to Apia. Consequently, after a delay of scarcely two
hours we were able to continue our voyage to the Marshall
Islands.
When the chiefs perceived that they were not going back to Apia, they
were at first greatly dejected, but were soon cheered up by kind
treatment (two of the officers were able to converse with them in
their own language).
On the 17th of September, in the afternoon, we anchored atJalnit, and
at 4 o’clock the Samoans were turned over to Dr. Schmidt, the
imperial commissioner. The captives were temporarily lodged in
unoccupied storerooms, and lands were assigned them, on which they
may, if they like, hereafter erect their huts.
