sible. There is other evidence gone home; let that be produced. Or
let us have (as you propose) an inquiry; give to the Chief Justice and
the President an opportunity to clear their characters, and to myself
that liberty (which I am so often requested to take) of returning to my
private business.--I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.

VI

TO THE EDITOR OF THE "TIMES"

_Apia, September_ 14, 1892.

Sir,--The Peninsula of Mulinuu was claimed by the German firm; and in
case their claim should be found good, they had granted to the Samoan
Government an option to buy at a certain figure. Hereon stand the houses
of our officials, in particular that of the Chief Justice. It has long
been a problem here whether this gentleman paid any rent, and the
problem is now solved; the Chief Justice of Samoa was a squatter. On the
ground that the Government was about to purchase the peninsula, he
occupied a house; on the ground that the Germans were about to sell it,
he refused to pay them any rent. The firm seemed to have no remedy but
to summon the squatter before himself, and hear over again from the
official what they had heard already from the disastrous tenant. But
even in Samoa an ingenious man, inspired by annoyance, may find means of
self-protection. The house was no part of the land, nor included in the
option; the firm put it up for sale; and the Government, under pain of
seeing the Chief Justice houseless, was obliged to buy it.

In the meanwhile the German claim to Mulinuu was passed by the Land
Commission and sent on to the Chief Justice on the 17th of May. He ended
by confirming the report; but though his judgment bears date the 9th of
August, it was not made public till the 15th. So far as we are aware,
and certainly so far as Samoa has profited by his labours, his Honour
may be said to have had nothing else to do but to attend to this one
piece of business; he was being paid to do so at the rate of L100 a
month; and it took him ninety days, or about as long as it took Napoleon
to recapture and to lose again his empire. But better late than never;
and the Germans, rejoicing in the decision, summoned the Government to
complete the purchase or to waive their option. There was again a delay
in answering, for the policy of all parts of this extraordinary
Government is on one model; and when the answer came it was only to
announce a fresh deception. The German claim had passed the La