Tripartite Convention

In Samoa Treaty of 1899 (English Tripartite Convention ) of the long-standing dispute was resolved to Samoa between Germany, Great Britain and the United States. It was decided to divide the group of islands Samoa between Germany and the United States, the United Kingdom with other Pacific islands was compensated. The western part of the Samoan Islands became a German colony: German Samoa.

Causes

See also: conflict over Samoa

After the three great powers had in 1889 in the Berlin conference Samoa have agreed to manage the Kingdom of Samoa together, there are 10 years later came back to conflict. As Laupepa Malietoa, King of Samoa died, the Germans supported another successor as the British and Americans.

The Samoa contract came to German pressure on November 14, 1899. Therein Germany and Great Britain declared their ownership claims in the Pacific, but also in Africa. On 2 December 1899, the United States joined. Mainly because of the simultaneously erupting Second Boer War, had to give in the UK.

Content of the contract (excerpt)

  • Great Britain renounced all rights to the Samoan islands (Article 1)
  • Germany renounced all rights to the Tonga islands and those islands that lie south-east of Buka and Bougainville (Article 2)
  • The Samoan Islands were divided along the 171st meridian between Germany and America
  • Distribution of neutral zone in West Africa ( Salaga area) between the German Togo and the British Gold Coast ( Article 5)
  • Germany gave its extraterritorial rights in Zanzibar (Article 6)
Samoan crisis Treaty of Berlin (1889) Buka Island Bougainville Island
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