Mr. Day to Mr. von Holleben.

No. 76.]

Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a note from your embassy of the 7th instant, in which you inquire whether the Government of the United States is disposed to concur in the recommendation of the Imperial German Government “that all the chiefs living in exile with Mataafa should be permitted to return to Samoa on condition of their signing a similar protocol to that to be signed by Mataafa regarding their loyalty toward the Samoan government.”

I am disposed to believe that the peace of Samoa would be more readily and perhaps more permanently secured by the return thither of all the chiefs who accompanied Mataafa in his exile, provided each were willing to sign the protocol or a similar one to that mentioned in the Department’s note No. 66, of June 25, 1898, and which promised allegiance to the Samoan government.

If this disposition of the incident is satisfactory to Her Britannic Majesty’s Government, as well as that of His Imperial German Majesty’s, it will be acceptable to the Government of the United States.

I shall give a copy of your embassy’s note and of my reply to the British ambassador for the information of Her British Majesty’s Government.

Accept, etc.,

William R. Day.