Germany Assumes A Protectorate.

Malietoa was asked to surrender the Kingship of Samoa to the High Commissioners on behalf of the Great Powers. He acceded to this. Then the arms were called in and given up by the Samoans. As an outcome of the work of the High Commission, the Islands were divided between Germany and America. Those Islands now under the Mandatory Authority of New Zealand were placed under the protection of Germany. There is this significant fact to be noted: When the Berlin Treaty, acknowledging the autonomy of Samoa and declaring a joint Protectorate over Samoa by the Powers, was signed by representatives of Great Britain, Germany and America, it was stipulated that before ratification the Treaty had to receive the assent of the King and Government of Samoa, but when the arrangement was made to partition the Islands there was no stipulation that the convention between the Three Great Powers had to be assented to by Samoa before going into effect. This led the Samoans to believe, and they still believe, that their autonomy has not been curtailed in any manner. Realising this fact, the Chiefs of the American Group granted a Deed of Cession of their Islands to the American Government. The German Governor, Dr. Solf, would have desired a similar cession to Germany of these Islands of Western Samoa, but Mataafa and his Chiefs maintained that they would acknowledge no greater right of possession of the Islands than that of a Protectorate. The German Colonial Office classed "Samoa" as a "Protectorate" only, and not as a "Colony."