 The joint commission of Germany, the United States and Great Britain abolished the Samoan kingship in June 1899 and placed Manu'a and Tutuila under American control while Germany received ‘Upolu, Savaii, Manono, and Apolima.The official tri-nation "adjustment of jurisdiction" was signed in Washington, D.C. on 7 November without any mention of Samoan consent or opinion (Bevans 276); no Samoan chiefs signed the convention nor is there explicit indication that the Samoans were even aware of the impending dissection of their island group.Under this new government Matā‘afa Iosefo was named Ali‘i Sili ("Paramount Chief") of Samoa while the German Kaiser was declared Tupu Sili ("Paramount King") of Samoa.