5

A.—4d

No. 19. The Foeeign Office to the Colonial Office. Sic, — Foreign Office, 3rd January, 1885. With reference to your letter of the 11th ultimo, relating to the wish of the King of Samoa for British annexation, and to my letter of the 19th, I am directed by Earl Granville to transmit to you, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, the accompanying despatch received from the Acting British Consul at Samoa, together with its enclosures. I have, &c, The IJnder-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Philip W. Cueeie.

No. 6. No. 7.

Enclosure 1. My Loed, — British Consulate, Samoa, 11th November, 1884. I have the honour to enclose a copy of a despatch sent by me to the Consul-General at Fiji, concerning Samoan affairs, since which events have occurred that—a chance opportunity offering—l feel it my duty to report direct. On the 9th instant I received a visit from the King, who in great distress sought my advice. He told me that on the previous day the German Consul had sent his interpreter to him, who read a document to the Government virtually giving a preponderance of influence to the Germans, such as establishing a police under German officers, having a German treasurer, and other such things. He asked that the document be left with him for discussion, but was refused, and was informed that he would be required to sign it the following day. He complained most bitterly that he was being made, under threats of man-of-war compulsion, to sign an act that he was not allowed to discuss. The next day I received the enclosed letters, which themselves will give your Lordship a true statement of Samoan feeling. I was, until I received copies, in utter ignorance that such action had been taken, which I believe was done in accordance with my advice given long since—namely, that any such subject must be from themselves without any foreign aid. There is no doubt whatever that the feeling is universal and genuine, and that the Samoans have now the greatest and sterling anxiety to be saved from what they openly state to be an existence of slavery. I beg that your Lordship will pardon this hurried despatch, caused by the unexpected chance of sending this information. A complete report will be forwarded on first opportunity. I have, &c, W. B. Chuechwaed, Her Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of State Acting British Consul, for Foreign Affairs.

Sub-Enclosure 1. Sib, — British Consulate, Samoa, 28th October, 1884. Eeferring to my despatch of the 6th December, 1883, I have now the honour to inform your Excellency that the anticipation stated therein of a certain action being taken by the Germans is likely to be realized, M. Weber, as owner of Muliunu Point, the seat of Government, having called upon the Samoans to redeem or vacate this property. My information is obtained from as reliable a source as is procurable—namely, from a party of natives commissioned to ask my advice and opinion in the matter, subsequent to a Fono held amongst themselves. They were most earnest in the matter, and informed me that after a Government consultation they had offered paj'inent, but it had been refused on account of a speech from the Vice-King on the subject, at which the German authorities had taken offence. This speech, I have since ascertained, was to the effect of protesting against the unfairness of the trial that deprived them of Muliunu, also against paying for land that was considered to be really their own. There existed, in my belief, another reason for this act of severity—viz., that the Samoan Government intended to reopen the question, and for that purpose had arrested the principal witness on whose evidence the case was given against them at the trial. This man, a chief of Atua, and one whose name is affixed to more bad land deeds than any other single man in the country, made his escape in the night, as is claimed, by outside assistance; consequently the trial could not come off. He is now in Atua amongst his own people, from whence it is highly improbable, if not impossible, for the Government to get him back. My visitors also informed me that it was the general opinion the Germans wished to pick a quarrel with their Government for annexation purposes. This they said was made clear by speeches to them, by the man-of-war placing flags on various parts of their coast, and also planting cocoa nuts on the reef islands. Of course I could give no advice or opinion on the first subject, as such would certainly be made public and no doubt have caused bad feeling as an act of interference in what did not concern my office ; but I explained that the flags were merely for surveying purposes, and that the planting cocoa nuts could harm no one, and was not to be taken for an act of possession as such is understood in their own custom. I knew they had already been to the German Consul concerning the last two subjects ; and, on my asking why they came to me after interviewing him, they replied that as he belonged to the nationality of the man-of-war whose captain was present at their interview they were not sure they were correctly informed,