Deutscher Kolonialatlas und Illustriertes Jahrbuch, 1913 Atlas of Germany's Colonies and Illustrated Yearbook, 1913, edited by P. Sprigade and M. Moisel

Die Deutschen Schutzgebiete im Stillen Ozean

The German Protectorates in the Pacific Ocean

II. The Samoa Islands (Navigator's Islands)

SIZE : Since Nov. 14th 1899 respectively Match 1st 1900, the following islands belong to the German protectorate of Samoa : Sawaii (1,691 square km), Upolu (868 square km, seat of the government), Manono (8,5 square km), Apolima (4,7 square km), total 2,572 square km (= the size of the Duchy of Sachsen-Meiningen). The other islands of the Samoan group belong to the U.S.A., among them Tutuila with the excellent harbour of Pago-Pago; the German Samoan Islands have no harbour; Apia is only an open roadsted.

POPULATION : 1902 : 32,612 aborigines, 1906 : 33,478, 1911 : 33,554. Europeans 1903 : 381, among these Germans 192, 1907 : 455 whites, among them 248 Germans, 117 women, 1908 : 436 / 262 / 78, 1909 : 488 / 270 / 112 ; 1910 : 473 whites, 1911 : 504 / 284 / 98 adult women, 1912 : 500 / 294 / 98. In addition a population of mixed descent, about 996 heads, and 1,613 Chinese.

MORPHOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY : Sawaii and Upolu are mountainous (highest peak the Manga-Loa, 1,646 m) and volcanic. The rivers form many cascades, because of the terrasse-shaped structure of the islands.

CLIMATE : tropical (May to September southeast passate). Average annual temperature 25,70 degrees Celsius. Samoa's climate is healthy.

FLORA : lush vegetation; even steep cliffs are overgrown. Species of fern are frequent. Cultivated plants : coco palm, cocoa (of excellent quality) and, according to recent experiments, rubber.

FAUNA : of the mammals originally only bats. Imported dogs and cats, pigs, unfortunately also rats. Land and sea rich in lower life forms.

TRADE AND INFRASTRUCTURE : Export mainly of copra and fruits, also Kawawa roots, and recently of cocoa, rubber and of a little tobacco. Import of consumer goods and textiles, construction material, metal ware.

NAVIGATION On Apia's roadsted in 1907 were counted 83 steamers (only 1 of them German) and 31 sailing boats with a total of 59,000 tons. 1909 : 107 / 124,000 tons, 1910 : 118 / 112,000, 1911 : 109 (only 2 under German flag)/ 124,000 tons. Passage fee : Norddeutscher Lloyd until Sydney, Oceanic S.S. Co. of Sam Francisco until Pago Pago : 1st class 1,640 M, 2nd class 966,25 M, 3rd class 418,25 M, from Pago Pago to Apia 1st class 82 M, 2nd class 21,35 M..

POST & TELEGRAPH SERVICE : End 1912 : 8 post offices, among them 1 with local telephone service. 1911 : 242,000 letters, 4,570 postal money orders over a total of 1,031,477 M., 2,111 parcels, 28,976 newspaper issues, 109,684 telephone calls. Mail delivery all 4 weeks, time of delivery Berlin-Apia 33 days. Telegrams : by telegraph to Auckland or Suva, from there further by mail. Address as follows : Poste N.N., Apia, Auckland. Telegram fee per word to Auckland and Suva 3,10 M. For some time now it is planned to connect Deutsch-Neuguinea (Jap) and Samoa to the international telegraph cable network. This will be done, not by cable, but by radio stations, on Jap and Nauru presumably in 1913, in Rabaul and Apia in 1914.

ADMINISTRATION : seat of the governor Apia on Upolu. Until 1911 Dr. Solf was the governor; he is now under secretary of sstate in the Reichskolonialamt (Colonial Office). His successor since 1912 Dr. Schultz. District office on Sawaii.