ENGLAND AND SAMOA.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 136, 8 May 1880, Page 3

ENGLAND AND SAMOA.

—.—#~ —_—,. In Fiji the strongest belief is rntertained that Sir Arthur Gordon is instructed to take (ln< lir.-t upport-mitv 'after his return to that cuimiy lo unriiiiro i into the advisability of annexing no; onlv New Guinea, but Samoa. T-.m'.-a, and New Britain. The :„.;;•:..;: , n .,V,.

;neuts of Franco in th • ;>:"h■:•'.-■.] >;>•■ . •...-•- lion of tha New ilebivl ■. :■■ -i t!a commercial activity of Germany in it-i|ii.-t: . more | rmninenily than ov.-r under the notice of the Colonial t llice. nod if the openly expressed wishes of the Knpdisi'i colonists were r.ttendeil tn lltero would he no more, delay in hoisting the English flag. Notwilhstnndingtheeom-.npreial treaties recently concluded between the chiefs of

Samoa, nil tl e hand, and Germany ; and (be i'nitcd States on (ho other, there ' are not wanting indications of a desire on | the part of the natives to throw in thair lot. with Fiji. The Samoa or Navigator Islands are situate about ti'M miles lo the north-east of Fiji, and ten' decrees south of Hi 'coiiator. ' The capital. Apia. :'•': ]r>.!<. W'-.ki ■■ ni ba." V.\.l' though small, i- d.Mp enough' tu hold onlv a dozen liouV-s occupied bv Kuru-;„.-ui-. but several largo stores and a number of As to thenaiural re.ourees of tiin U!a:i.k w? nave received tile following particular? o-o-.n a cot •: >-■: .hj ■■'• u---.; at i iji who has several limes visiied the group : '■ The principal articles "j' commerce ni-o copra, or dried cocoa-nuts, and cotton. The sugar-cane is cultivated Ivy the

natives for llu'ii' nun use, pciccs being preserved and i-ali'ii when ripe as a sweetmeat and the syrup being extracted for swH-toiiitiy their dishes of cassava, .•;(•. With a little cultivation, sugar; in i slit become an ini|iurtant crop in the ; Islands. An experimental plantation of entice has been inside by a Hamburg linn, Messrs. Gndulfroy and' Co., ami it is believed that on th(! higher lamls this crop will succeed. Oranges, limos, lemons, mangoes, bread-fruit, lianaiias, and other kinds of tropical fruits grow in abundance. Considerable Ilocks of sheep and iivnls of cattle exist in the Islands and thrive well, !mt pork is prefenvd and generally eaten by th" natives, pigs being very numerous. Fowls of various hinds arc abundant, and the seas swarm with fine fish, but ths iiatnr.il indolence of the. natives, owing in part to the wonderful fertility of the soil, prevents their taking any regular steps to cultivate lauds or to develop the fisheries.

The natives are a well-built race; the men are tattooed from the waist to the knees. Their dwellings are of eonsiderablu sue. with raise.! roofs, thatched with palm leave-. The climate is goueiidly lieiilthy, mid there me two seasons, the wet and dry, with prevailing northerly and southwesterly winds respectively. The islands lire of volcanic origin with an

irregular snr/nre. The uDiiuUtiaa of tho Ulterior attaining n height uf 20)0ft., while near tho shore are i>xti'n<ive plains separated by Jeep gorges, down which run hiiiuiueralilo rtroams. Kain is frequent, lint tho snil is porous :unl soon absorbs tlio moisture. Abundant forostn "I excellent limber exist, suitable for ship-building mid other purposes. As to tin? political aspect o( the question, tho chiefs, who formorly possessed great iiowor, have of late yours been losing their inilnonco among tho natives, who, rlividoil into two factions, have bum in a continual state of antagonism mid oppn war-fare. A largo proportion of tho pooplo who liavo taken no active port in these struggles, joinoil by others who grown tired oi ihe strife mo »<«v ela. rooming for tho pi itvction of tho UritUh | Bag.-J&Jtitlon Xuuoj.