No. 15.-Count Hatzfeldt to the Marquess of Salisbury.-(Received 'ranslation.) Y LORD, April 30.) German Embassy, London, April 28, 1890. I HAVE had the honour to receive your Lordship's kind note the 22nd instant concerning the appointment of the Chief istice of Samoa, and have informed my Government of its ntents. I am now instructed to inform your Lordship that the Imperial overnment are ready, in accordance with the 2nd section of rticle III of the Samoan Act, to ask the King of Sweden to point the Judge, and that the Imperial Minister at Stockholm has en furnished with the necessary instructions. he Marquess of Salisbury. I have, &c., P. HATZFELDT. No. 16.-The Marquess of Salisbury to Sir J. Pauncefote. Telegraphic.) Foreign Office, May 3, 1890. ACQUAINT the United States' Government that the Ministers of Ingland and of Germany in Sweden have been instructed to ask he King to name a gentleman for the post of Chief Justice in jamoa. Request that the United States' Representative at Stockholm may be furnished with similar instructions. SIB, No. 17.-The Marquess of Salisbury to Sir F. Plunkett. Foreign Office, May 5, 1890. I HAVE to inform you that, in accordance with section 2 of Article III of the Final Act of the Samoan Conference, Her Majesty's Government have agreed with the Governments of Germany and of the United States to request the King of Sweden and Norway to nominate the Chief Justice of Samoa. I have, therefore, to instruct you, in concert with your German and United States' colleagues, to address a communication to the Swedish Government, asking that the King may be graciously pleased to nominate a gentleman for the post in question. Sir F. Plunkett. I am, &c., SALISBURY. No. 19.-Sir J. Pauncefote to the Marquess of Salisbury.-(Receive May 7.) (Telegraphic.) Washington, May 7, 1890 SAMOA. With reference to your telegram of the 3rd instant Mr. Blaine has informed me that he would send telegraphic instr tions to the United States' Minister at Stockholm as desired your Lordship. No. 20-Consul de Coëtlogon to the Marquess of Salisbury.- MY LORD, I have also the honour to forward to your Lordship a copy With regard to the General Act, it was carefully translated int the Samoan language by the Imperial German Consul-General and his Samoan Interpreter, and then submitted for examination the Rev. Mr. Clarke and the Rev. Mr. Newall, both of the Londo: Missionary Society, so that a very good translation was mad, and was thoroughly understood by the King and his Chiefs. The Marquess of Salisbury. I have, &c., H. DE COETLOGON. (Inclosure 1.)-Certificate of Assent, signed by the King of Samoa, të the General Act of the Berlin Conference.-Apia, April 19, 1890. WHEREAS a General Act relating to the organization of a independent and neutral Government of Samoa was signed a Berlin on the 14th day of June, 1889, by the Plenipotentiaries of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India, the President of the United States of America, Ho Majesty the Emperor of Germany, King of Prussia; And whereas the Representatives in Samoa of the Governments of Great Britain and Ireland, the United States of America, Li Germany, in bringing this General Act to the knowledge of the Samoan Government have requested the same to assent to it as provided for in the second clause of Article II; And whereas the Principal Chiefs and talking men of Sam s assembled at present in Apia have, upon my advice and counsel, unanimously resolved that the said General Act be as a whole nted to and accepted by the Government of Samoa as containing those provisions that will guarantee peace and good order in Samoan Islands and the future welfare of the people : I, therefore, as King of Samoa, by these presents declare and he same time certify the assent of the Samoan Government he General Act as above described. Done in triplicate at Apia, Samoa, this 19th day of April, 1890. MALIETOA, le Tupu Samoa. (Inclosure 2.)-Joint Letter addressed to the King of Samoa. CR (HIGHNESS) AFIAGA, Apia, Samoa, April 12, 1890. WE have the honour to lay before you a printed copy, together h a translation in the Samoan language, of the General Act ating to the organization of an independent and neutral Governnt of Samoa, which was signed at Berlin on the 14th day of June last year by the Plenipotentiaries of the three Great Powers. This General Act will allow the people of Samoa to form a wernment, under their own native King, strong enough to prevent ther civil war, and to keep peace and good order in Samoa, us offering every security for the future welfare of its people. The carrying out of the provisions of this General Act will, is true, cause considerable expense, but it is not on the shoulders the people of Samoa, but on those of the foreign residents the islands, that the heavier part of the new charges are laid. he people of Samoa will only contribute a fair share to the general st of the new Government. It will, therefore, be for the best interest of the Samoan people at this General Act, after you have thoroughly acquainted yourelf and the principal Chiefs and talking men of all its provisions, e as a whole assented to and accepted by the Government of amoa as provided for in the second clause of Article II. We now most respectfully request you to give your early attenion to this important matter, and to inform us, as soon as it can be lone, of the decision arrived at by your Government. We shall have further to agree with you upon the form of the certificate by which, in conformity with Article VIII, section 2, of the General Act, the assent of the Samoan Government is to be attested under your signature. We have, &c., STUEBEL, Imperial German Consul-General. H. DE COETLOGON, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul. W. BLACKLOCK, United States' Vice-Consul. (Inclosure 3.)-Reply from the King of Samoa. To your Excellency H. de Coëtlogon, British Consul: YOUR EXCELLENCY, Government of Samoa, King's Palace, WHEREAS on the 12th day of this month I received from your (joint) hands the Treaty (General Act) made by the three gra Governments at Berlin, printed in foreign language, and certified to by the names of Chiefs of those Governments, together with translation thereof in the Samoan language, and also your (jo letter explaining the meaning of that Treaty, &c. In consequence thereof, I, with great respect, notify you that he Chiefs and orators of the whole of Samoa have this day made the following announcement to me : "We accept with satisfaction the Treaty (General Act) made by the three Great Governments. The high Chiefs and Rulers of Samoa have this day signified their acceptance by the uplifting of their hands." I expectantly hope for a day when we shall have reciprocal information in accordance with Article VIII, clause 2, of the Treaty. I am, &c., MALIETOA, King of Semol No. 21.-Sir F. Plunkett to the Marquess of Salisbury.—Received May 19.) (Extract.) Stockholm, May 16, 1890. I HAD the honour to receive on the 8th your Lordship's despatch of the 5th instant, instructing me, in concert with my German and United States' colleagues, to address a communication to this Government asking the King to nominate a gentleman for the post of Chief Justice at Samoa. Baron Gaertner, the German Chargé d'Affaires, received similar instructions from his Government on the 11th instant, but as Mr. Thomas, the United States' Minister, has not yet heard fr Washington on the subject, we are unable to take any action for the present. The Marquess of Salisbury. F. R. PLUNKETI No. 22.-Sir F. Plunkett to the Marquess of Salisbury.-Receive June 6.) MY LORD, lled on me on the 29th to state that he had received his instrucons, and was ready to join me and our German colleague in questing the King of Sweden and Norway to nominate a gentlean for the post of Chief Justice of Samoa. Accordingly, in company with Mr. Thomas and Baron Gaertner, called at the Foreign Department the day before yesterday. As the senior of the three Representatives, I informed Count wenhaupt in our joint names of the instructions we had received, ad requested that his Excellency would apprise us in what form e King would desire that the request should be made to him. Count Lewenhaupt said he had as yet no official knowledge I the Act concluded in Berlin, and, at his suggestion, I handed m a copy of it. After some conversation, during which I called his Excellency's ttention to the importance of the Chief Justice being thoroughly o versant with English, it was agreed that we should address to in three identic notes, asking His Majesty to nominate a gentleman or the post. I have the honour to forward herewith a copy of the note which as agreed upon in union with my two colleagues, and which I have addressed to Count Lewenhaupt to-day. The Marquess of Salisbury. I have, &c., F. R. PLUNKETT. (Inclosure.)-Sir F. Plunkett to Count Lewenhaupt. M. LE MINISTRE, Stockholm, June 2, 1890. I HAVE the honour to inform your Excellency that by a General Act signed at Berlin on the 14th June, 1889, by the Plenipotentiaries of Great Britain, Germany, and the United States of America, in regard to the neutrality and autonomous government of the Samoau Islands, provision is made in Article III for the establishment of a Supreme Court for those islands, and the appointment of a Chief Justice of Samoa. Section 2 of Article III states that the "Chief Justice shall be named by the three Signatory Powers in common accord, or, failing their agreement, he may be named by the King of Sweden and Norway." The three Signatory Powers having now decided to ask the King of Sweden and Norway to nominate a gentleman for the post, I am instructed by the Marquess of Salisbury to convey to your Excellency the request of my Government that His Majesty will be graciously pleased to name a Chief Justice of Samoa. |