Mr. Hay to Lord Pauncefote.
Washington, June 25, 1900.
The Secretary of State has given consideration to the memorandum of the British ambassador, dated June 19, 1900, reciting that the French Government was desirous of having the claims of its citizens arising out of the recent disturbances in Samoa included in the arbitration before the King of Sweden and Norway, pursuant to the convention concluded November 7, 1899, between the Governments of the United States, Great Britain, and Germany, providing for the settlement of certain claims in Samoa by that method.
The Secretary of State agrees that the French claims do not properly fall under the provisions of Article III of that convention, since they are not claims of persons, not natives, who are under the protection of either of the three Governments parties to the tripartite agreement, but the Secretary of State believes that the application of the French Government is one that should be equitably treated. Hence the Government of the United States readily consents, in case both Great Britain and Germany agree, that claims of French citizens growing out of occurrences in Samoa may be included in those to be submitted to the King of Sweden and Norway as arbitrator.
The Government of the United States has not yet been approached upon the subject further than by an informal memorandum left at the Department of State by the charge d’affaires ad interim of France on December 26, 1899, asking that in case the convention for the settlement of Samoan claims should become a law the claims of French citizens sufferers in Samoa be included in the arbitration. Should it be, the assent of the Government of the United States to the proposition will be given, conditioned only that it meets with the approval of Great Britain and Germany.