sion's awards are made. It is hoped that acceptable terms of settlement may be arranged without arousing any further friction between the two Governments. I am [etc.] RICHARD C. BUNDY. File No. 882.51/556. The American Chargé d'Affaires to the Secretary of State. No. 106.] [Extract.] AMERICAN LEGATION, Monrovia, April 30, 1913. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a complete transcript of of the minutes of the German merchants' claims commission' from and including April 3, 1913, until its dissolution after the awards were made on April 23, 1913. The awards amount to five thousand six hundred one dollars and seventy-seven cents ($5,601.77). * I am [etc.] * * RICHARD C. BUNDY. File No. 882.51/560. The American Chargé d'Affaires to the Secretary of State. No. 117.] [Extract.] AMERICAN LEGATION, SIR: It is reported to me that the German merchants who filed claims against the Liberian Government, for losses alleged to have been sustained due to recent disorders, are greatly annoyed over the outcome of the work of the commission charged with the adjudication of these claims. It appears that the merchants feel that the German Consul is responsible for their failure to obtain damages from the Liberian Government in substantial amounts. In fact, som of the merchants have in conversation expressed themselves to me in this sense, and have intimated their intention to disregard the awards of the commission. The Liberian Secretary of State has informed me that the Government has been approached, since the awards of the commission were made, by some of the German merchants who urge that they desire a private settlement of their claims. Of course, such settlements would inevitably involve far larger amounts in each case than were awarded by the commission. I understand that the Government has steadfastly refused to consider any terms of settlement not based on the actual findings of the commission. * It is not at all improbable that these claims will be brought to the foreground again in the near future. I have [etc.] RICHARD C. BUNDY. Not printed. UPRISINGS OF NATIVES ON THE SIERRA LEONE FRONTIER. File No. 882.00/478. The American Chargé d'Affaires to the Secretary of State. No. 110.] [Extract.] AMERICAN LEGATION, Monrovia May 15, 1913. SIR: I have the honor to inform the Department that it is being reported to me from various sources that there is a good deal of unrest among the Liberian natives who inhabit that portion of Liberian territory that is adjacent to the Sierra Leone-Liberia boundary. In fact, I am reliably informed that the paramount chief of this section, Mambu by name, was recently captured by a powerful rival chief called Bumbo-koli, and killed in a very barbarous fashion. From what I have learned of the matter it would seem that this recent trouble is an echo of the disorder fomented in this district by Cooper and Lomax more than a year ago, which culminated in the execution of eight chiefs of the action. It appears that it was through the support given by Messrs. Cooper and Lomax to Mambu that he succeeded in becoming paramount chief of the district. As a result he was exceedingly unpopular with the natives whom he governed, principally, it is stated, in his own interests. It is also claimed that a large portion of the domain ruled by Mambu originally belonged to the eight chiefs who were executed; and their relatives, one of whom is Bumbo-koli, swore vengeance. The Liberian Government desired to have Mambu and Bumbo-koli come to Monrovia and present their respective grievances, with a view to composing their difficulties and pacifying that section of the country over which they ruled. It is said that Mambu was on his way to Monrovia, in compliance with the request of the Government, when he was captured and killed. The foregoing is the bare outline of a situation which, in my opinion, will call for very energetic treatment on the part of the Government to prevent a native disturbance which might easily assume considerable proportions. This matter is further complicated by the presence in the disturbed area of Liberian commissioners representing the Government who have apparently allied themselves on opposite sides of this question. One is constrained to feel that the Government has been particularly unfortunate in the choice of the commissioners who are operating in the affected territory, *** and it is not unlikely that the case under discussion has in it the germ of more difficulties between the Liberian and Sierra Leone Governments. Two of the best Liberian lieutenants in the Frontier Force service are in the district with 100 men, but it appears that they are not able to cope with the situation. Major Young had expected to send Major Ballard into this section of the country as soon as he could leave River Cess, but now that Major Young's health has broken down it will undoubtedly be necessary for Major Ballard to remain at Monrovia as the administrative officer, and Captain Hawkins will perhaps go to the Sierra LeoneLiberia boundary. Captain Newton is in the Cavalla River district, where it looks as if conditions will require that one American officer be permanently stationed. The Sierra Leone boundary will require another, and the Kru Coast between Bassa and Sinoe will need the third. Indeed, it is asserted that the Kru Coast has only been subdued on account of the wholesome fear the natives have of Major Ballard and it is anticipated that as soon as he leaves that station and puts a Liberian officer in charge there will be trouble again. This leads me to express an opinion which I have entertained for some time, in which the Military Adviser and the General Receiver of Customs concur. In view of the failure of the Liberian Government to furnish proper material out of which to make competent officers, and, further, because of the actual scarcity of such material in the country, I feel that at least two more American officers will have to be obtained. If not, the three men already in the service will be overworked and not accomplish the task assigned them. I need not dwell on the severity of this climate on persons alien to the country. The job is too big for any three men in the world when one considers, along with all other factors, how little effective assistance Liberia herself is rendering. To attempt to disguise this truth is to defeat all proper measures of reorganization. It is hoped that this matter will receive some attention before Major Young goes on leave, and if the Liberian Government agrees to the engagement of two more American officers, and the General Receiver of Customs thinks the finances will warrant his becoming responsible for their salaries, it is likely that an effort will be made to secure them. Major Young has stated that he thinks he can obtain two good men to serve as first lieutenants for $1400.00 each per annum. If this additional help can be secured a very effective Frontier Force can be maintained, whether the Liberian Government furnishes any efficient material for officers or not. At an early date some working arrangement will have to be established for correlating the functions of the Liberian Frontier Force officers and the interior commissioners. Hitherto officers and commissioners have been one and the same person, but with the passing of the Frontier Force under American officers the old system has been discontinued and nothing has as yet been done to provide for the altered conditions. The situation can easily prove a fruitful source of vexatious questions. These problems, and many others that I might mention, cause me to deplore the necessity of Major Young taking a leave of absence at this time on account of his broken health. If it had been possible for him to have remained at work without interruption for a few months longer, a very orderly and systematic condition of affairs would have been evolved from what heretofore has been a chronic state of confusion and chaos. I have [etc.] File No. 882.00/482. RICHARD C. BUNDY. The American Chargé d'Affaires to the Secretary of State. No. 121.] [Extract.] AMERICAN LEGATION, SIR: I have the honor to report, for the information of the Department, that Captain Newton, one of the American officers, has just ar rived at Monrovia, and reports that the town of River Cess, on the Kru coast, was attacked on June 30, at 2 a. m., by a force of rebellious natives estimated at three or four hundred. River Cess was garrisoned by a force of about eighty Frontier soldiers under a Liberian officer. It will be remembered that this is the same town and district which Major Ballard has held in subjection for the last five or six months. When Major Young was compelled to take leave it became absolutely necessary to have Major Ballard come to Monrovia, and take over the administrative work Major Young had given up. I stated in my No. 110 of May 15, 1913, that "the Kru coast has only been subdued on account of the wholesome fear the natives have of Major Ballard, and it is anticipated that as soon as he leaves that station and puts a Liberian officer in charge there will be trouble again." This forecast has been literally fulfilled within less than five weeks after Major Ballard left River Cess. * It was by the merest chance that Captain Newton was at River Cess at the time of the attack. He had gone there for the purpose of paying the troops stationed at that post, and intended to proceed immediately to his own station on the Cavalla river. Apparently the natives did not know of his presence, which is regarded here as having saved the situation. * *The Kru natives have profound contempt for Liberian officers, and know of their lack of stamina and military skill. Contact with German merchants on shore, and German sailors and officers aboard ship has made them very untractable. The Liberian Government has actually never had more than nominal control over several of the large towns on the Kru coast. *** * *This cannot be remedied until the Receivership can get a revenue cutter. Once these towns are subdued and governmental authority well established there, they will contribute large revenues to the Republic. But this is a task of no mean size. The Frontier Force is at present far too small to undertake this work and for the time being will doubtless have to confine itself to the preservation of order as best it can. The present situation on the Kru coast again demonstrates the point I have called to the Department's attention in some of my recent despatches, that three American officers are not enough to deal with present conditions in Liberia. To keep order American officers are necessary on the English boundary, the French boundary, the Kru coast, and at one or two important points in the interior. Moreover, at least one American officer will have to be permanently stationed at Monrovia, to conduct the administrative work and prevent hopeless confusion and inefficient handling of funds. Obviously, this is too much for three men. Another serious question is likely to arise out of this last attack on River Cess. During the fight, I understand, the houses and stores of the foreign merchants were shot into by the Kru natives. I have not heard that any foreigners were injured; but the incident will very probably be used to make good the previous assertions of the German merchants at River Cess that their life and property are not safe at that place. I have [etc.] RICHARD C. BUNDY. File No. 882.00/486. The American Chargé d'Affaires to the Secretary of State. No. 134.] AMERICAN LEGATION. Monrovia, September 27, 1913. SIR: I had the honor to report to the Department somewhat at length in my No. 110 of May 15, 1913, concerning the disorder which existed among the native tribes that occupy Liberian territory adjacent to the Sierra Leone-Liberia boundary. I regret to inform the Department that from reports which have recently reached Monrovia it would seem that conditions have gotten worse in this section of the country instead of better. The specific causes which have led up to the present state of affairs are so obscured in a mass of conflicting reports from the Liberian commissioners operating in the affected district, which are conspicuous for apparent inaccuracies, petty jealousy, rivalry, spite and venality, that I seriously doubt whether the Government itself has a correct understanding of the situation. In a general way it seems that the root of the difficulty may be found in the untrustworthiness of the commissioners which the Government has appointed to look after its affairs in the boundary districts. The proper supervision of native tribes that dwell in Liberian territory contiguous to the Sierra Leone-Liberia boundary is one of the most pressing problems before the Republic, and is destined, if not speedily and satisfactorily solved, to involve the Liberian Government in controversies with the Colonial Government of Sierra Leone that may have far-reaching conse quences. The Liberian Government lives in constant fear of aggressive acts and encroachments upon its territory by the Sierra Leone authorities, and yet it seems to me that very little care is exercised to keep down contentions and disorders which could easily furnish plausible excuses for additional aggressions by officials of the Sierra Leone Government. In a recent conversation with the British Consul General, conditions along the Liberian side of the border were represented to me as being very grave. He stated that the whole population of a large and populous district was in revolt, and many chiefs with their retainers had fled into Sierra Leone for protection and safety. The Consul General unhesitatingly blamed the maladministration of Liberian officials for the disorders and sought to leave with me the impression that the situation was hopeless. However, he took great pains to deprecate the suspicion entertained by the Liberian Government, which apparently had come to his knowledge, that there were ulterior motives back of the strong representations which I understand he has been making concerning conditions on the boundary. As if to remove any doubt that might have lodged in my mind respecting the matter, he earnestly assured me that there was not the slightest desire on the part of the British Government to acquire any of the territory now recognized as Liberian. But he did not tell me, what I subsequently learned from the Secretary of State, that the Government was being urged to accept a proposition that would permit the disgruntled natives to throw off their allegiance to Liberia |