of the german navy this is not the last time that i shall have to salute the merits of that service the defeat and death of and the burning of had thus passed off battle of i without the least advantage to but he still held the significant position of and was to make it good the whole was surrounded with a across the it was six feet high and strengthened with a ditch and the beach was against landing s land claim � the same that now over the village in the form of a � then appeared in a more military guise the german flag was hoisted and german sailors the at the � to protect german property and its trifling the king of much vigilance reigned and in the island fashion much wild firing and in spite of all desertion was for a long time daily the detained high chiefs would go to the beach on the pretext of a natural occasion plunge in the sea and swimming across a broad shallow bay of the join the on the side whole bodies of warriors sometimes hundreds strong departed with their arms and on the th of september for instance the day after s letter too and left with eight years of trouble in their and the whole people returned home in a body to hold a parliament ten days later it is true a part of them returned to their duty but another part off by the way and carried their services and s dear bought guns to on the th there was a of a different kind but yet sensible the high chief had been still detained in under anxious observation his people murmured at his absence threatened to take away his name and had already attempted a rescue the adventure was now taken in hand by his wife a woman of much sense and spirit and a strong and by her contrivance gave his the slip and rejoined his at this process of was of course by another of but the of european and military rule had made detested and with many and the force on is thought to have done little more than hold its own set it down at about two or three thousand i have no estimate from the other battle of side but admits they were not strong enough to keep the field in the open the political significance of was great but in a military sense the position had defects if it was difficult to carry it was easy to and to be hemmed in on that narrow finger of land were an posture for the monarch of the besides was scant of food and destitute of water pressed by these considerations extended his lines till he had occupied the whole of bay and the opposite point his men were thus drawn out along some three miles of irregular beach everywhere with their backs to the sea and without means of communication or mutual support except by water the extension led to fresh sorrows the men themselves in the houses of the absent men of the arose with english and americans interposed in a loud voice of menace it was said the firm by the confusion to up imperfect land claims i am sure the other would not be far behind the firm properties were eight years of trouble in in fences and houses were torn down ensued the german example at was followed with wherever an englishman or an american conceived himself to have a claim he set up the emblem of his country and the beach with the flags of nations all this it will be observed was going forward in that territory by treaty against the presence of armed the themselves looked on in wonder on the th trembling to against the great powers they had written for a of the sa and in conversation with the british replied that he recognised none so long as held the ground this was expedient but suppose it might prove awkward for the stores mills and offices of a great german firm thus of shelter by the act of their own on the morning of the th september just ten days after the death of under the name of to oa was crowned king at on battle of the he wrote to the british and american gentlemen i write this letter to you two very humbly and on account of this difficulty that has come before me i desire to know from you two gentlemen the truth where the boundaries of the territory are you will observe that i am now at a step nearer the enemy and i have stopped here until i knew what you say regarding the territory i wish to know where i can go and where the forbidden ground is for i do not wish to go on any territory or on any foreigner s property i do not want to offend any of the great powers another thing i would like would it be possible for you three to make remove from german property for i am in awe of going on german land he must have received a reply s of the principle at once for he broke camp the same day and marched eastward through the bush behind expecting attack sought to improve his position he refused his centre by the simple expedient of it eight years of trouble in was the two and were still held and fortified as i have said to the on a line from the to the little river the centre was represented by the of a boat across the bay from one flank to another and was held we may say by the german war ship decided am assured to make a on induce to in support and then fall upon and carry that and there is no doubt in my mind that such a plan 