A.—7.

1879. NEW ZEALAND.

TREATY OF COMMERCE BETWEEN UNITED STATES AND SAMOAN ISLANDS (PAPERS RELATIVE TO).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency. No. 1. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W , 3rd October, 1878. I have the honor to inform you that having seen it stated in the public Press that a treaty of friendship and commerce had been lately concluded between the Governments of the United States of America and of the Samoan Islands respectively, I requested Sir Michael Hicks Beach to move the Foreign Office to obtain, for the information of my Government, a copy of the treaty; and the Colonial Office having at once complied, I now enclose the text of that document. I have, &c, Julius Vogel, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Agent-General.

Enclosure in No 1. Treaty between the United States of America and the Government of the Samoan Islands.— Friendship and Commerce. —Concluded January 17, 1878 ; ratification advised by Senate with amendments, January 30, 1878 ; ratified by President, February 8, 1S78; ratified by the Samoan Envoy, February 11, 1878; ratifications exchanged at "Washington, February 11, 1878; proclaimed, February 13,1878, by the President of the United States of America. A PROCLAMATION. Whereas a Treaty of Friendship and Commerce between the United States and the Government of the Samoan Islands was concluded and signed by their respective Plenipotentiaries at the City of Washington on the 17th day of January, in the year of our Lord, 1878, which treaty, after having teen amended and ratified by the contracting parties, is word for word as follows: — The Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Samoan Islands, being desirous of concluding a Treaty of Friendship and Commerce, the President of the United States has for this purpose conferred full powers upon William M. Ewarts, Secretary of State, and the Government of the Samoan Islands has conferred like powers upon M. K. Le Mamea, its Envoy Extraordinary to the United States. And the said Plenipotentiaries, having exchanged their full powers, which were found to be in due form, have agreed upon the following articles:— Article I. There shall be perpetual peace and friendship between the Government of the United States and the Government of the Samoan Islands. Article 11. Naval vessels of the United States shall have the privilege of entering and using the Port of Pagopago, and establishing therein and on the shores thereof a station for coal and other naval supplies for their naval and commercial marine ; and the Samoan Government will hereafter neither exercise nor authorize any jurisdiction within said port adverse to such rights of the United States, or restrictive thereof. The same vessels shall also have the privilege of entering other ports of the Samoan Islands. The citizens of the United States shall likewise have free liberty to enter the same ports with their ships and cargoes of whatsoever kind, and to sell the same to any of the inhabitants of those islands. All such traffic, in whatever articles of trade or barter, shall be free, except that the trade in firearms and munitions of war in the islands shall be subject to regulations by that Government.