SAMOA. Report by Consul Canisius, of Apia. FOREIGN TRADE. The subjoined tables show that while both Germans and British have lost ground in the commercial field of this part of the Pacific the Americans have gained considerably. The value of goods imported in American ships from San Francisco almost doubled that of British goods imported in British ships. Of the 151 vessels which entered the port of Apia during the calen dar year just ended, 114 were for German account, 17 for American, and the remaining 20 mostly small British trading vessels from Sydney, Auckland, or Fiji. This shows how far the German trade still overshadows that of both British and Americans. This does not, however, discourage American merchants; on the contrary, it rather encourages them to make still greater exertions in obtaining a share in this trade. During the year also another American house has been established at this port, making in all three. American trade also has been extended to the Tonga Islands, and though it may be rather difficult to obtain a footing in that group at once, still with energy and perseverance I have no doubt that it could be effected. COPRA PRODUCTION. The production of copra, or dried cocoanut kernel, has almost entirely ceased in this group for the present. The hurricane of last March has proved so destructive to the blossoms and young nuts that even the natives can scarcely find enough for their own use. Fortunately the cocoanut palm is very elastic, and escaped entire destruction, so that in the course of another year the crop of nuts will again reach its usual proportions. The present custom of shipping the dried meat of the nut has not been very long in use here. A few years ago the natives manufactured all the oil, which was bought up by the traders. The native method of extracting the oil is so very primitive that large quantities of oil are wasted in the process; besides the, refuse, which is now pressed into cakes and forms an excellent food for cattle, was not utilized. The natives simply scraped out the meat into a canoe and allowed it to lie exposed to the rays of the sun for a time, when the oil would ooze out, and the refuse, floating on top, be skimmed off. Since large cocoanut plantations have been established, and the cocoanut cake become better known as a cattle food, the traders have preferred to take the dried article, which is very much more advantageous for both native and trader. The price usually paid for copra is 2 cents in cash, or 24 cents in trade per pound. Before the establishment of American houses here the price was only 1 cent cash, or 14 cents in trade. I am told that the demand for this article in San Francisco is rapidly becoming greater. A few years ago the merchants who took it in payment for their goods had to send it off to Germany, there being no demand for it in San Francisco. Large cocoanut plantations have been established on this island (Upolu) by German and English firms. One at the west end of this island is estimated to contain 60,000 trees, and, as each tree is supposed to produce a dollar's worth of copra annually, the value of the copra produced on this one plantation would equal $60,000. The natives could produce many thousand dollars' worth of copra, for they own all the lands best suited for its cultivation, but their incurable indolence will always be a bar to a large increase in its production by them. Apia is the central depot where all the copra from scores of South Sea islands is collected and transshipped for Europe or America. All the more important firms here have one or more small vessels of from 20 to 100 tons burden, which they employ running between the groups to collect the copra and take out the trade. The trade usually consists in gaudy calicos, tobacco, pipes, axes, knives, &c. The Samoans seem to have made a little more progress, for here tinned salmon, biscuits, American lamps, and petroleum find quite a considerable sale. LABOR IN SAMOA. As the resources of the Samoan group are developed the question of the labor supply becomes a more momentous one. The immense competition for Polynesian labor from Fiji and Australia is causing the supply for Samoa to become very limited, and at some not very distant day the planters will have to resort to "John Chinaman" for aid. In Samoa there is only one firm (German) which has any extensive plantations, and they employ between eight and nine hundred laborers. They keep three vessels running between Samoa and the various groups whence the laborers are brought. One of these vessels recently returned with only 107 men after having been out some months. The usual impression on first seeing the creatures which one of these labor ships brings is that they can never become good laborers. They belong to one of the lowest types of humanity, the greatest cannibals on earth. The arrive filthy, lazy, and ferocious. They are comfortably housed, decently clothed, and well fed. At the end of the three years for which they are generally engaged, they are as unfit to return to their savage homes as they were previously to have contact with civilized beings. Missionaries, philanthropists, and others have denounced in unmeasured terms the horrible outrages of the labor traffic, indiscriminately accusing all nationalities of the guilt. While it is doubtless true that many outrages have been committed, it is equally true that they have in many instances been greatly exaggerated. If one looks at both sides of the question one cannot but think that the "slavery" so much denounced by those persons must finally turn out to be a blessing. To be convinced of this one has only to compare the difference in the as pect of these cannibal Polynesian laborers when they arrive on the plantations and when they depart for their island homes. The laborers are paid in "trade," consisting generally of clothing, tobacco, knives, axes, guns, powder, shot, and many other articles which savage races prize. During their three years' service on the plantations these ignorant savages learn the white man's method of cultivating the soil and become acquainted with the use of many valuable plants. Their food consists for the most part of such things as can be grown on the plantation, such as bananas, bread-fruit, yams, and cocoanuts, besides which they have an allowance of rice, cornmeal, beans, salt meat or fish. They are also allowed to help themselves to 14708 C R, PT 2—51 various kinds of fruits and roots which grow wild on the plantations and in the forest. THE TONGA GROUP. The Tonga (otherwise known as the Friendly Islands) is, politically and socially, the best-regulated group of islands in the South Seas. Life and property are as well protected under the rule of King George as in any civilized country. The true author of the well organized and regulated government of Tonga is Shirley W. Baker, an Englishman by birth, who for many years labored among the people of that group as a missionary, and it is owing to his intimate knowledge of their customs and feelings, and to the firm will and excellent character of King George, that Mr. Baker has succeeded in making the Tongans the most moral and industrious race in the South Pacific. So far our commerce with Tonga has been very limited; but a short time ago an American firm doing business at Apia sent a vessel with a valuable cargo to the group. The two large German firms of Apia have hitherto enjoyed almost a monopoly of the commerce of the Tonga group. Should the experiment of the American firm prove a success they will probably establish themselves permanently there, thus making considerable inroads into the trade of the Germans. Tonga will then obtain her lumber supply directly from San Francisco, securing it very much cheaper through the American house than she now does through the Germans. I have no doubt that in the course of time the American firms of Apia will obtain at least a fair share of the trade of Tonga. Copra, the principal product of the group, is becoming an important item in the list of imports at San Francisco, and American merchants at Apia are willing and anxious to take every pound that can be had. HEALTH. The public health of this group of islands has, during the last year, been, as usual, excellent. Contagious diseases are entirely unknown amongst the Samoans, and the quarantine regulations of the municipal board of Apia afford ample security against the introduction of infectious diseases from foreign countries. The inadequate shelter and clothing of the natives make them liable to inflammation of the lungs and abdomen, and even phthisis pulmonalis; but small-pox, yellow fever, scarlatina, or measles have never yet gained a foothold in the group. Intermittent fevers, which usually give way to quinine, occur frequently, even among the whites, whose mode of living is so much superior to that of the natives. The elephantiasis is the most common disease in Samoa. In fact, it is surprisingly prevalent, for wherever one goes one sees natives afflicted with it. Neither are the whites free from it, for several of those who have been in Samoa for lengthened periods also suffer from it. MORTALITY AND BIRTHS. As no register of births and deaths is kept in Samoa, I am unable to give any information on this point. It is generally thought that the native race is gradually increasing. I believe that if contagious diseases are kept out of the islands, and the foreign Governments represented here continue to lend their support to King Malietoa in suppressing internecine wars, the native race will continue to increase for some time yet. There can be no doubt, however, that when the group becomes settled by the white race, the aborigines of Samoa, as with most other countries, will gradually disappear from the face of the earth. RAINFALL. The annexed table is a copy of the record kept by a medical gentleman at Apia who kindly furnished it to me. The fall in the present year (1883) has probably exceeded that of the previous year, for I am assured by those who ought to know that this has been an unusually rainy year. Statement showing the shipping at the port of Apia during the year 1883. German.. British United States. Austrian Norwegian Tongan.... Total Preceding year Increase Nationality. American shipping at Apia during 1883. From San Francisco... Total. Preceding year. Increase American exports estimated at 200 tons copra, valued here at $14,000. During the year 1883 the following ships of war arrived at Apia: Carola, German; Hyæne, German (3 times); Miranda, British (2 times); Le Limier, French; and Wachusett, United States. Report by Consul Atwater on the commerce of Tahiti for the year 1882. The accompanying returns of imports and exports for 1882-those for this year are not yet completed by the custom-house authoritiesshow no increase in the volume of business at this point. With a soil and climate adapted to growing cotton, sugar-cane, and the spontaneous production of all kinds of tropical fruits and nuts, the want of energy on the part of the native population to harvest only what will supply their actual necessities for the time being has become such a serious obstacle to all commercial and industrial prosperity that steps have been taken to introduce laborers from distant islands. The Government ignores the fact that they are in a great measure responsible for the present and increasing state of depression caused by the nonrestrictive sale of intoxicating liquors at the expense of all other inter ests. The exports to the United States have increased nearly $200,000 over those of last year, but that is simply a diversion in the carrying trade, as it gives shippers the choice of two markets and quicker returns, very little or none of the chief exports-cotton and pearl shell-being consumed in the States. The local government continues the subsidy of $14,000 per annum for a monthly communication between here and San Francisco. Three sail vessels are employed, all under the American flag. Duties on all No change has been made in the tariff for next year. kinds of merchandise remain at 12 per cent. ad valorem. The opium contract has been farmed out for three years, at the rate of |