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IV. Bismarck's Imperialism: The Case of Samoa, 1880–1890

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

P. M. Kennedy
P. M. Kennedy
Affiliation:
University of East Anglia
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Extract

Property and trade must first of all be formed privately, then the flag and protection can come in as well. (Bismarck minute on Krauel to Bismarck, no. 24 of 22/4/1885, in R.Kol.A.2835.)

Type
Articles
Information
The Historical Journal , Volume 15 , Issue 2 , June 1972 , pp. 261 - 283
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1972

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References

1 By far the best short synopsis of the various interpretations can be found on pp. 709–22 of the essay by von Strandmann, H. Pogge and Smith, Alison, ‘The German Empire in Africa and British Perspectives: A Historical Essay’ in Britain and Germany in Africa: Imperial Rivalry and Colonial Rule, edited by Gifford, Prosser and Louis, Wm. Roger, with Smith, Alison (New Haven/London, 1967)Google Scholar. See also Lowe, C. J., The Reluctant Imperialists (2 vols., London, 1967), 1, 60–4.Google Scholar

2 Turner, H. A., ‘Bismarck's Imperialist Venture: Anti-British in Origin?’ in Britain and Germany in Ajrica, p. 50.Google Scholar

3 On this see Wehler, H. U., Bismarck und der Imperialismus (Köln/Berlin, 1969).Google Scholar

4 In the Reichskplonialamt records in the Deutsches Zentralarchiv, Potsdam, there are over 300 volumes upon Samoa, of which about 80 cover the years 1884–9 alone.

5 Wehler, , op. cit. pp. 208–15Google Scholar; Suchan-Galow, E., Die deutsche Wirtschaftstätigkeit in der Südsee vor der ersten Besitzergreijung 1884 (Veröffentlichung des Vereins für Hamburgische Geschichte, Bd. XIV, Hamburg, 1940).Google Scholar

6 Ibid.Hertz, R., Das Hamburger Seehandelshaus. C. Godeffroy und Sohn (Veröffentlichung des Vereins für Hamburgische Geschichte, Bd. IV, Hamburg, 1922), pp. 51–3Google Scholar; Schmack, K., J. C. Godeffroy und Sohn, Kaufieule zu Hamburg (Hamburg, 1938).Google Scholar

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8 On Samoan politics in the nineteenth century, see Davidson, J. W., Samoa mo Samoa: the Emergence of the Independent State of Western Samoa (Oxford, 1967), pp. 15–47Google Scholar; and particularly Gilson, R. P., Samoa 1830 to 1900: The Politics of a Multi-Cultural Community (Melbourne, 1970).Google Scholar

9 Wehler, , op. cit. pp. 208–10Google Scholar; Morrell, W. P., Britain in the Pacific Islands (Oxford, 1960), pp. 146–8, 190–2.Google Scholar

10 BA/MA (Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv, Freiburg) 625, Die Entsendung von Kriegsschiffen nach den Sudsee-Inseln, A.A. (Auswärtiges Amt) to Weber (copy), 3/3/1879, and A.A. to Adm., Secret, , 19/7/1879Google Scholar; Wehler, , op. cit. pp. 211–2.Google Scholar

11 Hertz, , op. cit. pp. 59–65Google Scholar; Wehler, , op. cit. p. 222Google Scholar; Morrell, , op. cit. pp. 224–5Google Scholar; Schmack, , op. cit. pp. 239–44, 256–76Google Scholar; Zimmermann, A., Geschichte der deutschen Kolonialpolitik (Berlin, 1914), pp. 17–20.Google Scholar

12 R.Kol.A. (Reichskolonialamt, Deutsches Zentralarchiv, Potsdam) 2821, Weber to A.A., no. 2919 of 19/9/1879, and A.A. to Munster, , 7/12/1879Google Scholar; ibid.Bismarck, H. to A.A., 21/12/1879Google Scholar, encl. A.A. to Bismarck, with minute thereon: ibid. A.A. to Zembsch, consul, 27/12/1879.Google Scholar

13 R.Kol.A. 2807, Holstein, to Zembsch, , 12/8/1880Google Scholar; R.Kol.A. 2927, Hansemann memo of 9/9/1880Google Scholar and minute thereon, Weber memo of 2/12/1880Google Scholar and minutes thereon, Kusserow memo of 31/12/1880 and Stirum directive of 26/1/1881.Google Scholar

14 R.Kol.A. 2827, Zembsch to A.A., no. 28 of 21/4/1881; ibid. Oertzen to A.A., no. 41 of 12/7/1881.

15 Accounts and Papers 1883, LXXXIII, 88Google Scholar; ibid. 1884, LXXX, 645. This was confirmed by Zembsch, to Bismarck, , no. 9 of 16/1/1883 in R.Kol.A. 2830.Google Scholar

16 Staatsarchiv-Hamburg, D.H.P.G. Archiv Bilanz-Berichte 1882–4.Google Scholar (I am grateful to Mr S. Firth for giving me these figures.) See also Oerteen, to Bismarck, , Feb. 1883Google Scholar, on the labour situation in Samoa in the German White Book, Deutsche Inleressen in der Siidsee I, copies of which can most easily be seen in Das Staatsarchiv, 42–3 (1884–1885), 342–7.Google Scholar

17 Morrell, , op. cit. pp. 250–8Google Scholar; Jacobs, M. G., ‘Bismarck and the Annexation of New Guinea’ in Historical Studies: Australia and New Zealand, v (1951), 18.Google Scholar

18 Ross, A., New Zealand Aspirations in the Pacific in the Nineteenth Century (Oxford, 1964), pp. 163–72, 176–82Google Scholar; Routledge, D. J., ‘Mr Lundon in Samoa’ in Historical Studies: Australia and New Zealand, vol. xi (1964).Google Scholar

19 On Weber's fears of losing the D.H.P.G. lands, see R.Kol.A. 2929, Oertzen, to Bismarck, , no. 16 of 10/2/1884.Google Scholar On Stuebel's own fears and suggestions, see R.Kol.A. 2830, Stuebel, to Bismarck, , nos. 42, 49, 61 & 67 of 31/7/1883Google Scholar, 31/8/1883, 1/10/1883 /12/1883; and Stuebel, to Bismarck, , 18/2/1883, reproduced in Das Staatsarchiv, 42–3, 323, 328.Google Scholar

20 R.Kol.A. 2830, Stuebel, to Bismarck, , no. 67 of 11/12/1883; R.Kol.A. 2831, same to same, no. 44 of 15/7/1884; R.Kol.A. 2832, same to same, no. 60 of 7/10/1884.Google Scholar

21 Details of the treaty are in F.O. (Foreign Office records, Public Record Office, London) 58/199, Churchward, to Granville, , nos. 23 & 24 of 11/11/1884Google Scholar & 17/11/1884; and in R.Kol.A. 2832, Stuebel, to Bismarck, , no. 69 of 11/11/1884.Google Scholar Stuebel had justified his idea of making Samoan wrongdoers work on the plantations a year earlier in his no. 67 of 11/12/1883 in R.Kol.A. 2830.

22 R.Kol.A. 2830, A.A. to Munster, , 31/1/1884; Das Staatsarchiv, 42–3Google Scholar, Busch, to Oertzen, , 29/9/1883.Google Scholar

23 R.Kol.A. 2831, Stuebel tel. of 21/11/1884, and minute thereon; ibid. Munster to A.A., tel. no. 192 of 5/12/1884, and minute thereon.

24 Ibid. Kusserow memo of 1/12/1884, and Bismarck, to Minister, , 11/12/1884Google Scholar; F.O. 58/199, Malet, to Granville, , tel. no. 34 Consular of 1/12/1884Google Scholar, and F.O. to Malet, , no. 29 Consular of 2/12/1884.Google Scholar

25 R.Kol.A. 2831, D.H.P.G. to Bismarck, , 9/1/1885Google Scholar, and draft despatch to Alvensleben, , Jan. 1885Google Scholar, enclosed in Kusserow memo of 19/1/1885; R.Kol.A. 2832, A.A. to Munster, , 26/1/1885Google Scholar, and A.A. to Stuebel, , no. 4 of 3/2/1885.Google Scholar

26 R.Kol.A. 2831, Stuebel tel. of 21/11/1884, and minute thereon; R.Kol.A. 2833, Stuebel tel. of 12/2/1884, and minute thereon; R.Kol.A. 2834, draft note to British government enclosed in A.A. to Munster, , no. 103 of 29/3/1885, and minute thereon.Google Scholar

27 F.O. 58/200, Churchward, to Granville, , nos. 5, 7 & 8 of 29/1/1885Google Scholar, 4/2/1885 & 9/2/1885; R.Kol.A. 2832, Stuebel, to Bismarck, , nos. 71, 75, 77 & 82 of 21/11/1884, 1/12/1884, 13/12/1884 & 31/12/1884; R.Kol.A. 2833, same to same, no. 8 of 3/2/1885.Google Scholar

28 R.Kol.A. 2832, Stuebel, to Bismarck, , tel. of 28/1/1885Google Scholar, and Bismarck, H. memo of 9/2/1885Google Scholar; ibid. A.A. to Stuebel, tel. no. 2 of 9/2/1885.

29 R.Kol.A. 2833, Stuebel, to Bismarck, , no. 8 of 3/2/1885Google Scholar, and minutes thereon; R.Kol.A. 2834, D.H.P.G. to Bismarck, and minute thereon; ibid. Kusserow memo of 20/3/1885, and minutes thereon.

30 Robinson, R. and Gallagher, J., with Denny, A., Africa and the Victorians: The Official Mind of Imperialism (London, 1961), pp. 143–4Google Scholar; Langer, W. L., European Alliances and Alignments (New York, 1931; Vintage Edition reprint, 1964), pp. 281–318.Google Scholar

31 F.O. 58/201, CO. to F.O., 9/3/1885, and F.O. reply of 14/3/1885; P.R.O. 30/29/120 (Granville Papers), Derby, to Granville, , 6/3/1885.Google Scholar

32 R.Kol.A. 2835, Krauel, to Bismarck, , nos. 14, 16 & 24 of 1/4/1885, 13/4/1885 & 22/4/1885.Google Scholar

33 Ibid. Minutes on same to same, no. 24 of 22/4/1885. A little later, Bismarck thought the firms' claims in Samoa ‘stretched too high’ and that in New Guinea ‘we have already more territory there than we can make use of’: see R.Kol.A. 2518, minutes on Bismarck, H. reports nos. 46 & 50 of 2/9/1885 & 6/9/1885.Google Scholar

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35 R.Kol.A. 2837, A.A. to Stuebel, A6 of 8/7/1885; R.Kol.A. 2947, Stuebel to Bismarck, no. 76 of 16/9/1885, and Kusserow to Bismarck, no. 68 of 18/11/1885; ibid. A.A to Stuebel, , A13 of 1/12/1885Google Scholar; Washausen, H., Hamburg und die Kolonialpolitik des Deutschen Retches 1880–1890 (Veroffentlichung des Vereins fur Hamburgische Geschichte, Bd. XXIII, Hamburg, 1968), pp. 115ff.Google Scholar

36 F.O. 58/205, Pauncefote minute on C.O. to F.O., 8/9/1885; R.Kol.A. 2518, Hatzfeldt, to Bismarck, , no. 351 of 8/12/1885, and minute thereon.Google Scholar

37 F.O. 58/210, Salisbury, to Malet, , no. 19 Secret of 9/1/1886Google Scholar; R.Kol.A. 3011, Hatzfeldt, to A.A., tel. no. 6 of 9/1/1886.Google Scholar

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39 R.Kol.A. 3011, Hatzfeldt to A.A., tel. no. 6 of 9/1/1886, ibid.; Alvensleben, to Bismarck, , no. 427 Conf. of 9/12/1885Google Scholar (rec. 27/12/1885); Ryden, G. H., The Foreign Policy of the United States in Relation to Samoa (New Haven, 1933), p. 299.Google Scholar

40 R.Kol.A. 3012, minutes on Stuebel, to Bismarck, , no. 7 of 7/1/1886, and on no. 26 of 2/2/1886.Google Scholar

41 R.Kol.A. 3011, Kusserow, to Bismarck, , no. 21 of 24/1/1886Google Scholar; ibid. A.A. to Stuebel, , A4 of 30/1/1886Google Scholar; R.Kol.A. 3013, same to same, A12 of 18/4/1886; ibid.Berchem, to Bismarck, , no. 8 of 31/5/1886, and minute thereon.Google Scholar

42 R.Kol.A. 3012, Krauel memo of 10/2/1886; ibid. A.A. to Hatzfeldt, , nos. 262 /3/1886Google Scholar & 19/3/1886; ibid. A.A. to Alvensleben, , tel. no. 14 of 25/3/1886.Google Scholar

43 Ibid. Minute on Hatzfeldt, to Bismarck, , tel. no. 94 of 24/3/1886Google Scholar, and A.A. to Hatzfeldt, , no. 327 of 29/3/1886.Google Scholar

44 R.Kol.A. 3014, Stuebel, to Bismarck, , no. 63 of 20/5/1886Google Scholar; F.O. 58/214, Powell, to Rosebery, , no. 16 of 28/5/1886.Google Scholar

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48 Salisbury Papers (Christ Church, Oxford), A64/5, Salisbury, to Malet, , 13/4/1887. The negotiations can be followed in F.O. 534/35 and R.Kol.A. 2875–2877.Google Scholar

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50 The text of the treaty can be found in F.O. 58/227, F.O. to CO., 27/4/1887, or in R.Kol.A. 2915. The insertion by Bismarck can be found in R.Kol.A. 2842, in the drafts enclosed to Alvensleben, A33 of 13/6/1887.

51 Ryden, , op. cit. p. 364.Google Scholar

52 BA/MA 623, Die Entsendung von Kriegsschiften nach Australien u. den Südsee-Inseln, vol. vi, A.A. to Adm., 29/6/1887, encl. A.A. to Becker (copy).Google Scholar

53 R.Kol.A. 2842, Bismarck, H. memo of 3/7/1887Google Scholar; R.Kol.A. 2843, Berchem, to Bismarck, , 23/6/1887Google Scholar, and minutes thereon; ibid. same to same, no. 6 of 28/7/1887; R.Kol.A. 2846, Rantzau directive of 1/8/1887.

54 BA/MA 625, Die Entsendung von Kriegsschiffen nach den Siidsee-Inseln, vol. III, A.A. to Adm., Secret, 7/8/1887.Google Scholar

55 Ibid. Heusner to Adm. of 8/9/1887 & 20/9/1887; R.Kol.A. 2848, Becker, to Bismarck, , no. 89 of 11/9/1887Google Scholar; F.O. 58/230, Wilson, to Salisbury, , nos. 29 /9/1887Google Scholar; Ryden, , op. cit. pp. 371–84.Google Scholar

56 Ibid. pp. 388–9. On Bayard's personal role in the Samoan affair, see also Tansill, C. C., The Foreign Policy of Thomas F. Bayard 1885–1897 (New York, 1940), pp. 1–185.Google Scholar

57 Stenographische Berichte über die Verhandlungen des Reichstages, 7. Legislatur-periode, IV. Session, vol. v, section 110, docs. 8, 14, 15, 17 & 18.

58 R.Kol.A. 2849, Rantzau, to A.A., 29/10/1887Google Scholar; ibid. A.A. to Becker, , A49 of 8/11/1887.Google Scholar

59 Bismarck, Graf Herbert von, Aus seiner politischen Privatkprrespondenz, edited by Bussmann, W. (Gottingen, 1964), pp. 464–5.Google Scholar

60 F.O. 58/240, Coëtlogen, to Salisbury, , nos. 41 of 10/9/1888Google Scholar, and 44 /9/1888; R.Kol.A. 2853, Becker, to Bismarck, , no. 84 of 17/9/1888.Google Scholar

61 BA/MA 625, Die Entsendung von Kriegsschiffen nach den Siidsee-lnseln, vol. iv, A.A. to Adra., 17/9/1888 /10/1888.Google Scholar

62 R.Kol.A. 2852, Kiliani (Hamburg) to Bismarck, , no. 146 conf. of 29/9/1888Google Scholar, and minute thereon; ibid.Rothenburg, to Holstein, , 4/10/1888Google Scholar; R.Kol.A. 2853, Rothenburg, to A.A., 16/11/1888.Google Scholar

63 R.Kol.A. 2859, Knappe, to Bismarck, , no. 1 of 4/1/1889Google Scholar; Ryden, , op. cit. pp. 418–9.Google Scholar

64 F.O. 58/245, Coëtlogen, to Salisbury, , no. 7 of 31/1/1889Google Scholar; BA/MA 625, Die Entsendung von Kriegsschiffen nach den Siidsee-lnseln, vol. iv, Fritze, to Adm., 23/1/1889Google Scholar; Stenographische Berichte 7, IV. Session, vol. 5, section 138, docs. 45 & 46.Google Scholar

65 R.Kol.A. 2855, Rothenburg, to A.A., 6/1/1889.Google Scholar

66 BA/MA 625, Die Entsendung von Kriegsschiffen nach den Siidsee-lnseln, vol. iv, Chief, of Admiralty Staff memos of 8/1/1889 & 20/1/1889.Google Scholar

67 Ibid. Minute on above memo of 20/1/1889.

68 Ryden, , op. cit. pp. 421–4Google Scholar; A. Vagts, Deutschland und die Vereinigten Staaten in der Weltpolitik (2 vols., London, 1935), i, 648–53Google Scholar; Wehler, H. U., ‘1889: Wendepunkt der amerikanischen Aussenpolitik. Die Anfange des modernen Panamerikanismus - Die Samoakrise’ in Historische Zeitschrijt, no. 201 (1965).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

69 F.O. 58/245, Herbert, to Salisbury, , no. 24 of 24/1/1889, and private letter of 25/1/1889.Google Scholar

70 On all this, see A.A. (Auswärtiges Amt Archiv, Bonn)/U.S.A. 5a, vol. 1, Arco, to Bismarck, , no. 8 of 7/1/1889Google Scholar and tel. no. 4 of 20/1/1889; Munster, to Bismarck, , no. 5 of 21/1/1889Google Scholar; Hatzfeldt, to Bismarck, (copy), no. 50 of 30/1/1889Google Scholar; Sternburg memos of 1/2/1889, 15/2/1889 & 25/2/1889; Borsen-Courier (copy) of 27/2/1889; Arco, to Bismarck, , no. 135 of 11/3/1889 and many others.Google Scholar

71 R.Kol.A. 2861, Bismarck minute on Adm. to A.A., Secret, of 4/3/1889; Herwig, H. H. and Trask, D. F., ‘Naval Operations Plans between Germany and the United States of America 1898–1913. A Study of Strategic Planning in the Age of Imperialism’ in Milildrgeschichtliche Mitteilungen, 1970–1972, p. 6.Google Scholar

72 Salisbury Papers, A60/41, Crowe, J. A. to Salisbury, , 15/6/1889.Google Scholar See also Denkwürdigkeiten des General-Feldmarschalls Alfred von Waldersee, 2 vols., edited by Meisner, H. O. (Stuttgart/Berlin, 1923), 11, 48Google Scholar; Taylor, , Struggle for Mastery, pp. 325–6.Google Scholar

73 F.O. 58/245, Malet, to Salisbury, , no. 22 of 19/1/1889.Google Scholar

74 For instance, Stenographische Berichte 7, IV, Session, vol. v, section 138, doc. 47.

75 It can be followed up, at length, in Vagts, , 1, op. cit. 669ff.Google Scholar

76 The text is in Accounts and Papers 1890, LXXXI (C.5911).Google Scholar

77 R.Kol.A. 2477, D.H.P.G. to Bismarck, , 23/3/1889Google Scholar, and minute thereon; ibid.Berchem, to Arco, (copy), private, 26/12/1889.Google Scholar

78 On this concept, see the two articles by Wehler, H. U. in his edited symposium, Imperialismus (Köln, 1970), pp. 83–96, 276–83.Google Scholar

79 R.Kol.A. 3068, Brauer, to A.A., 22/11/1889.Google Scholar

80 A.A./Südsee-Inseln 5, vol. vi, A.A. to Mumm, , tel. no. 167 of 5/11/1899Google Scholar. On the 1899 Samoan partition and German diplomacy, see my thesis The Partition of the Samoan Islands, 1898–1899 (D.Phil., Oxford, 1970)Google Scholar; and my ‘Anglo-German Relations in the Pacific and the Partition of Samoa, 1885–1899’ in Australian Journal of Politics and History, 04. 1971.Google Scholar