xpensive (it will
be noticed) even in money. The whole outlay was estimated at
twenty-seven thousand; and the revenue forty thousand: a sum Samoa is
well able to pay.

Such were the arrangements and some of the ideas of this strong, ardent,
and sanguine man. Of criticisms upon his conduct, beyond the general
consent that he was rather harsh and in too great a hurry, few are
articulate. The native paper of complaints was particularly childish.
Out of twenty-three counts, the first two refer to the private character
of Brandeis and Tamasese. Three complain that Samoan officials were kept
in the dark as to the finances; one, of the tapa law; one, of the direct
appointment of chiefs by Tamasese-Brandeis, the sort of mistake into
which Europeans in the South Seas fall so readily; one, of the enforced
labour of chiefs; one, of the taxes; and one, of the roads. This I may
give in full from the very lame translation in the American white book.
"The roads that were made were called the Government Roads; they were
six fathoms wide. Their making caused much damage to Samoa's lands and
what was planted on it. The Samoans cried on account of their lands,
which were taken high-handedly and abused. They again cried on account
of the loss of what they had planted, which was now thrown away in a
high-handed way, without any regard being shown or question asked of the
owner of the land, or any compensation offered for the damage done. This
was different with foreigners' land; in their case permission was first
asked to make the roads; the foreigners were paid for any destruction
made." The sting of this count was, I fancy, in the last clause. No less
than six articles complain of the administration of the law; and I
believe that was never satisfactory. Brandeis told me himself he was
never yet satisfied with any native judge. And men say (and it seems to
fit in well with his hasty and eager character) that he would legislate
by word of mouth; sometimes forget what he had said; and, on the same
question arising in another province, decide it perhaps otherwise. I
gather, on the whole, our artillery captain was not great in law. Two
articles refer to a matter I must deal with more at length, and rather
from the point of view of the white residents.

The common charge against Brandeis was that of favouring the German
firm. Coming as he did, this was inevitable. Weber had bought
Steinberger with hard cash; that was matter of history. The pre