Lord Pauncefote to
Mr. Hay.
British
Embassy,
Newport R.
I., October 16,
1900.
No. 303.]
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your note, No. 1952, of the 13th, in which you are good
enough to inform me of the
[Page 628]
terms on which your Government are prepared to assent to the proposal
that His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway should consider the
claims of all foreigners in connection with the military operations in
Samoa.
I have forwarded a copy of your note to my Government, and I have now the
honor to transmit to you, by direction of the Marquess of Salisbury, a
copy of a note addressed to his lordship by the charge d’affaires of
Sweden and Norway in London, stating that the German Government have
notified their intention to present on the 1st proximo the claims of
Germany for losses suffered in Samoa, and requesting Her Majesty’s
Government to present the British claims by December 1, or at latest by
the end of the current year, together with a copy of the reply returned
to Baron Ramel, stating that, in the opinion of Her Majesty’s
Government, it is necessary first to determine whether the military
action through which the claims arose was or was not warranted.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure
1—Translation.]
Baron Ramel to
Lord Salisbury.
Legation of Sweden and Norway,
London, September 25, 1900.
Mr. Maequis: The minister of Germany at
Stockholm has given notice of the intention of the Imperial
Government to submit on the 1st of November next to the decision of
His Majesty the King indemnity claims of German subjects for losses
sustained at Samoa.
As it is important that similar claims of subjects and citizens of
the other signatory powers parties to the Washington convention of
November 7, 1899, be laid before the arbitral tribunal without too
great a delay after the presentation of the German claims, I have
been charged by order of the King to request the Government of Her
Britannic Majesty to transmit, if possible, before the 1st of
December next to the Government of the King the claims of the
British subjects for delivery to the tribunal.
Should the Government of Her Britannic Majesty find it impossible to
produce these documents before the date mentioned, the King is ready
to grant on request a further extension of time.
It would, however, be highly desirable that all documents bearing on
the Samoan indemnities be collected in Stockholm before the close of
the year.
While bringing the foregoing to the knowledge of your lordship, I
venture to apply to your good offices to the end of receiving an
answer as promptly as circumstances will permit.
I take, etc.,
[Inclosure 2.]
Lord Salisbury
to Baron Ramel.
Foreign Office, October 5, 1900.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your note of the 25th ultimo, in which you are good
enough to inform me that the German Government have notified the
intention to present on the 1st proximo for the decision of His
Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway claims for losses incurred by
Germans in Samoa.
These are the losses which, according to the convention signed at
Washington on the 7th of November last, Germans allege they have
suffered in consequence of unwarranted military action, if this be
shown to have occurred, between January 1, 1899, and the arrival of
the Joint Commission.
[Page 629]
You at the same time request Her Majesty’s Government to present the
British claims by the 1st of December, or at the latest by the end
of the current year.
I have in reply to observe that it seems necessary in the first
instance to determine whether the military action through which
these claims arose was or was not unwarranted.
With regard to this point a memorandum setting forth the events which
took place between the above-mentioned dates is being prepared and
will in due course be submitted for the consideration of His
Majesty.
I have, etc.,
F. H. Villiers.
(For the
Marquess of Salisbury.)
