American Diplomacy in the Orient/Appendix E
E. THE SAMOAN TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES,
GERMANY, AND GREAT BRITAIN, 1899.
Signed December 2, 1899; Proclaimed February 16, 1900.
The President of the United States of America, His Imperial Majesty the German Emperor, King of Prussia, and Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India, desiring to adjust amicably the questions which have arisen between them in respect to the Samoan group of Islands, as well as to avoid all future misunderstanding in respect to their joint or several rights and claims of possession or jurisdiction therein, have agreed to establish and regulate the same by a special convention; and whereas the Governments of Germany and Great Britain have, with the concurrence of that of the United States, made an agreement regarding their respective rights and interests in the aforesaid group, the three Powers before named in furtherance of the ends above mentioned have appointed respectively their Plenipotentiaries as follows:
The President of the United States of America, the Honorable John Hay, Secretary of State of the United States;
His Majesty the German Emperor, King of Prussia, His Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Herr von Holleben; and
Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India, the Right Honorable Lord Pauncefote of Preston, G. C. B., G. C. M. G., Her Britannic Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary:
who, after having communicated each to the other their respective full powers which were found to be in proper form, have agreed upon and concluded the following articles:
Article I.
The General Act concluded and signed by the aforesaid Powers at Berlin on the 14th day of June, A. d. 1889, and all previous treaties, conventions and agreements relating to Samoa, are annulled.
Article II.
Germany renounces in favor of the United States of America all her rights and claims over and in respect to the Island of Tutuila, and all other islands of the Samoan group east of Longitude 171° west of Greenwich.
Great Britain in like manner renounces in favor of the United States of America all her rights and claims over and in respect to the Island of Tutuila and all other islands of the Samoan group east of Longitude 171° west of Greenwich.
Reciprocally, the United States of America renounce in favor of Germany all their rights and claims over and in respect to the Islands of Upolu and Savaii and all other Islands of the Samoan group west of Longitude 171° west of Greenwich.
Article III.
It is understood and agreed that each of the three signatory Powers shall continue to enjoy, in respect to their commerce and commercial vessels, in all the islands of the Samoan group privileges and conditions equal to those enjoyed by the Sovereign Power, in all ports which may be open to the commerce of either of them.
Article IV.
The present Convention shall be ratified as soon as possible, and shall come into force immediately after the exchange of ratifications.
In faith whereof, we, the respective Plenipotentiaries, have signed this Convention and have hereunto affixed our seals.
Done in triplicate, at Washington, the second day of December, in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine.
| John Hay | [ seal.] |
| Holleben | [seal.] |
| Pauncefote | [seal.] |