The New York Times, May 7, 1899, p.7:
A NEW BRITISH DEPENDENCY?Treaty Said to Have Been Made with the Friendly Islands.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 6--A letter from Tonga, Friendly Islands, dated April 11, says that a treaty has been entered into between Great Britain and the islands.
Last December the German Vice Consul at Samoa made a demand on the Tonga Government for £25,000, the claims being for debts contracted by Tongans to German traders. Some of the accounts are thirty years old. After consideration, the Government repudiated these claims. The Consul notified the Premier that unless the full amount was paid Germany would send a large war vessel to seize Vavau, which contains a splendid harbor.
On March 7 the British warship Tauranga arrived and her Captain held an interview with King George Tbou II. It is said that the King was notified that Great Britain considered Germany's claim just, but did not propose to let her take Vavau or any other part of this group, so offered to pay the claims and protect the islands.
It is said not to be the intention of the British at this time to annex the islands, comprising the Vavau, Haapi, and Tonga groups. The letter says that the British and King George have merely formed a treaty of alliance, offensive and defensive, but the German claims will be paid when presented, and that the islands have virtually become a dependency of Great Britain.
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The New York Times, Dec 28, 1904, p.5:
BRITISH ANNEX TONGA ISLES.Practical Protectorate Existing since 1899 Gives Place to Control.
MELBOURNE, Australia, Dec. 27--Great Britain has assumed control of the legal and financial administration of the Tonga Islands.
The native chiefs have consented to this step.
Two British warships recently left Australia, and it was reported that their mission was to annex the Tonga Isles, better known as the Friendly Isles.
The islands continued up to 1899 to be a neutral region in accordance with the Declaration of Berlin in 1886. British interests, however, had long been predominant. Germany had the right to establish a naval station and a coaling station in the archipelago, but by the Anglo-German agreement of November, 1899, subsequently accepted by the United States, these rights, and also the claim of extra-territoriality in the islands, were withdrawn in favor of Great Britain. A treaty of friendship between Tonga and the United States had been signed in 1888.
The treaty with Germany practically established a British protectorate over the islands. The trade of Tonga amounts to about $1,000,000 a year.
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All of Tonga is
one time zone at GMT+13,
with no Daylight Savings time.
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Tonga News
Kingdom of Tonga: The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900.
Tonga acquired its independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.
CIA World Factbook: Tonga
Area of Tonga:
748 sq km
4x the size of Washington, DC
Population of Tonga:
110,237
July 2004 estimate
Languages of Tonga:
Tongan, English
Tonga Capital:
Nuku'alofa
Tonga Reference Articles and Links
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LOC: Tonga profile, .pdf
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