In 1861 at the age of only eighteen, Theodore Weber was sent to Apia in Western Samoa as assistant with a commission for Unshelm as Consul for Hamburg and the North German Confederation. Weber was devoted to the work of building up Germany's commercial power in the South Polynesian Seas. It is impossible to say how far his plans at the outset were for political aggrandizement, how far the commercial needs of his firm involved first interference in native politics, and later to ensure the establishment of a stable government.
In 1870, after much the turnoil in Europe where German invaded France there were rumors of a scheme for the settlement and colonization of Germans in Samoa, the rumor being that acres of the best land were to be bought for cocoa oil production. The higher plateau was to be colonized by Germans, the sea-coast by Chinese who were to become indentured labourers and this rumpr preseumed to be spread by the British.
"However these rumors of German greed at the time were purely propaganda told by the British, and spread locally by Samoan allies on opposing sides. There are many cases where Samoan Tui A'ana Tupua Tamasese Titimaea was claimed as a German tool, character attacking his position in New Zealand media, to seed mistrust in Samoan German allied politics. Tui A'ana Tupua Tamasese Titimaea (A High King of Samoa) visited the Emperor of Germany at Berlin at one point with Governor Dr. Solf."
Webb states that it was with distress that he saw, in February 1872, Captain Meade of the U.S.S. Narrangansett make his unauthorized treaty with Mauga, chief of Tutuila, for the acquisition of Pago-Pago harbour as a U.S. naval station. Within a short time of this, he returned to Germany.
According to author Sylvia Masterman "While he was at home, and we may certainly assume his influence in the affair, Steinberger drew up his agreement with the Godeffroys. This implies that the firm was seeking primarily the establishment of peace, and that only later, as the colonial movement in Germany became stronger, and there was hope of Government support, did Germans work for annexation."
"The book by Sylvia 1934 has been said to be a resource of interesting facts, wordplay, and assumption, but was written during the WWs and the author takes a biased position."
Although Johan Godeffroy of Hamburg owner of the firm that ran the cocoa oil trade and who were partnered with Samoan ranks, he did not have power in Samoan politics. In 1871 Weber suggested that Western Samoa become an allied protectorate region with the German Crown.
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Posted in: A.P.I. A. Studies
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