7

A.—3

Enclosure. Sib, —. Downing Street, 23rd November, 1885. I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, for your information, copies of a despatch from the Governor of New Zealand, with its enclosures, and of the reply which has been returned to it, respecting the position of Fiji and the islands of the Western Pacific in relation to the colony. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand. John Beamston.

A.-l, '85, No. 73. A.-2, '86, No. 22.

No. 25. The Premier to the Agent-General. Sir, — Premier's Office, Wellington, 21st December, 1885. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 4th ultimo, No. 1,324, on the subject of Samoa; and I need only now say that the Government has every confidence in your taking such steps as you may consider expedient to prosecute the object in view to a successful issue. I have, &c, Sir F. Dillon Bell, K.C.M.G., Agent-General. Robert Stout.

No. 18,

No. 26. The Premier to the Agent-General. Samoa : Germans have driven King from Mulinuu, hauled down municipal flag, and reported to be on the point of annexing. You had better see Government at once. " Nelson," with Admiral, is here in New Zealand. 9th January, 1886. _______„____ Robert Stout.

No. 27. The Agent-General to the Premier. Samoa : Saw Colonial Office immediately. Lord Salisbury sent energetic message Berlin, and reassuring reply now come. No annexing allowed, existing engagements maintained. London, 12th January, 1886. F. D. Bell.

No. 28. The Agent-General to the Premier. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 15th January, 1886. I received on the 9th instant your telegram relating to Samoa, stating that the Germans had driven King Malietoa from his place, and that it was said they were also on the point of annexing the group, and directing me to see Her Majesty's Government on the subject; which I immediately did. A telegram had just been received at the Foreign Office from Consul Powell, to the same effect as yours. Lord Salisbury at once sent an energetic telegram to Her Majesty's Ambassador at Berlin, who lost no time in communicating with the German Government; and assurances have been received in reply from Prince Bismarck that no annexation of Samoa would be allowed, and that the existing engagements between Germany, England, and the United States would be maintained inviolate. Count Hatzfelt, the German Ambassador in London, also called at the Foreign Office and gave personal assurances to Lord Salisbury to the same effect. I transmit herewith a number of extracts which have appeared in various newspapers since the arrival of the news. It was discredited at Berlin, and declared to be greatly exaggerated, because the German Admiralty had had a telegram from the commander of the "Albatross" simply reporting that he had come to Apia at Christmas, and was to leave again on the 14th of January, but saying nothing of any disturbances; and the German authorities could not suppose that the commander would have sent any telegram without mentioning such important events, if they had really happened, as Consul Powell described. It is certain, however, that an immediate effect was produced by the strong telegram Lord Salisbury had sent. If it had not been for the opening of the Imperial Parliament on the 12th Colonel Stanley would have seen me before this on the subject of Samoa; but the pressure upon Her Majesty's Government has necessitated the postponement of a number of subjects: and I have, for my own part, much preferred that my interview with the Secretary of State should not take place during a time of so much hurry in affairs. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

No. 26,

[Extract from St. James's Gazette, 11th January, 1886.] Samoa annexed by Gebmany.—Flight op the King.—Beitish and American Protest. Central News telegram.—San Francisco, Monday morning.—The latest news from the Samoa group of islands in the Pacific is of a highly-disquieting character. The Germans have made a pretext for interfering with the government of the islands on the alleged ground of protecting the German traders. The King and chiefs of the native tribes have been wantonly insulted by the German officials; and so exasperated were the natives that, had it not been for the intervention of