Our New Annexation

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 16, 1872

Our New Annexation.

The United States is gaining a new foothold of influence in the Pacific, as will appear from the following statements. The inhabitants of one of the Samoan group of islands, have made over the island to the United States. The name of the island is Upolu, covering an area of sixty square miles, and containing a population of 25,000 souls. The people have been Christianized for many years, and many Americans and Englishmen are resident among them. The United States sloop of war, Narragansett, took possession of the island; and an officer of the Narragansett thus relates how the annexation was brought about:—

“For the past ten years a war has been raging between the son and heir of the former king of the group and his uncle, who, during his father's life, was chief of one of the lesser islands. The struggle was one for supremacy, and the young king was driven, step by step, to the eastern portion of the island, where he maintained his position for a long time. A truce was at last agreed to, and during its continuance, some time in April last, the President of the Polynesian Land Company arrived from San Francisco. Taking advantage of the condition of things, he called a meeting of the chiefs of both parties, and represented to them that if the strife went on, in a short time the entire race would be destroyed. The chiefs unanimously agreed that the conclusion was a highly probable one, and were willing to listen to any suggestions which would bring about an honorable peace. It was finally agreed to hand over the island to the United States, and in accordance with this resolution a treaty was drawn up, one clause of which reads as follows:—

“We do acknowledge the absolute authority of the United States of America with regard to all matters whatsoever, and bind ourselves to adopt the common laws of America.”

“This agreement was signed by the two kings and one hundred and twenty chiefs, and the British and American consuls attached their signatures and seals.

At the same time the Narragansett, Commander Meade, was in the harbor of Pango-Pango, island of Tutuila, the five chiefs of which had just formed a league for mutual protection and benefit. With these chiefs Commander Meade consummated a treaty which will prove of the utmost importance to the American government. As a matter of curiosity, we give an outline of this treaty, which, we may premise, was the entire work of the native chiefs, who are generally supposed to be little higher in the social scale than cannibals.

“After arranging for the safety and protection of all foreigners, wrecked or settling upon the island, it provides for the appointment of pilots, the charges of the port, salvage, &c. In regard to the observance of the Sabbath, it expressly declares that no work shall be done on shore, nor shall any natives be employed on board vessels on Sunday, under a penalty of ten dollars, except under circumstances of absolute necessity, such as aid in the case of a wreck of a vessel, or the coaling of the steamship to proceed on time on her voyage. On the temperance question, the chiefs of the island are sound. The treaty provides that there shall be no trading in spirituous or intoxicating liquors under penalty of one hundred dollars, and all such liquors found on shore, and kept for sale or barter in any way, shall be seized and destroyed. If any native be found intoxicated, the individual who has furnished the drink which has caused the intoxication, is to pay a fine of ten dollars, and if any foreigner be intoxicated and riotous, he shall pay a fine of ten dollars. Prostitution is prohibited under heavy penalties; all fines for whatever offenses having to be paid in specie or worked out upon the roads.”

The Detroit Post speaks as follows concerning the entire group:—

“The entire Samoan group contains an area of nearly three thousand square miles, thickly populated. The United States will annex them all, probably. The climate is tropical, delightfully cooled by the trade winds. The correspondent says the soil is wonderfully fertile. The very rocks seem to bring forth vegetation; the eye cannot discover anything not covered with the beautiful tropical verdure. The valleys abound with nutmegs, ginger, curry; the sands, with pineapples; the hills, with spices; the table-lands, with bread-fruit and guava. These islands are directly in the track of the American, New Zealand, and Australian steamers, and our new possession will soon become the center of a great commerce, where all the productions of the South Pacific islands will center, and flow into American commerce. The coaling depot of the steamers is to be immediately located at Samoa city, in the harbor of Pango-Pango, and our Government has already taken possession of the splendid land-locked bay for a naval station.”