The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1880-04-03
S;moa.

In the Weekly Alta Glfornia of February 2sth,
there is a letter from C,pt. J. J. Winants, who has
recently visited the S,moan Islands, aud who
gives a lengthy and extremely interesting state
ment of affairs there. The latter is well written,
and bears the impress # truth. 1t appears that
one year ago, a government called the Taimua
and Faipule. did exist in s Samoa, which was recog-
nized by and had treaties with the United States
and Germany. In the e.rly part Of 1879, the peo-
pie of a certain district aound and including Apia,
the chief port, became dissatisfied and rebelIious,
being melted thereto ty foreign influences. The
actual government wee slow to use harsh meas
ures in putting down the rebellion, which they
certainly could have doIe if no outside parties had
interfered. What followed is the strongest part
Of all. On the second Of July last. before hostili-
ties had commenced or a single shot had been fired
the three Consuls, representing the United States,
Great Britain and Germany. met together and de-
clared that no government existed in Samoa.
Thereupon the hbel party set up one Malietoa as
King, and the government at once resOrted to arms
to put down tie rebellion. In this they would
undoubtedly have succeeded but for outside inter
ference, which c,nsisted in the landing of an arm
ed force from tie German man-of-war Bismarck
which compelledthe government party to surren-
DER anu give up utl dIms SS- uiC illCl
pal chiefs were eken on board the war vessel and
compelled to sign papers consenting to the over
throw of the government and acknowledging NAL
ietoa as King.
The reasons fr all this, Capt. Winanis finds in
the scheming OF tie German and English Consuls,
and he hints that be American Consul (whO is the
notorious ex-clerIymau T. NJ. DIwson) was infu-
ence by German gold. The interest OF the Ger
mans. who are til. principal traders Tor Copra,
consists mainly uflands claimed.to have been pur-
chased from the natives. They found that the old
government would not pass upon their titles with
out full and complete examination. and this they
did not wish, for it was probable that many of
their titles wouldlhve been found to, be valueless.
The new government. their creature, would be
more accommodating. The English Counsul. in
acting in the interet OF Malieatoa, was influenced
by a letter to Sir Athur Gordon, in which Maliea-
toa offered to ced, the Islands TO Great Britain.
So that the English we're simply using the Germans
as a cats paw 10 pill the chestnuts out of the fire.
for. says Capt. Wi1anls, it is quite clear that the
English have an ey. to the final acquisition of this
group. The letter concludes as follows:
LAS to the efec of thu present political situa-
ton il Samoa. | en- say it is no mere opinion OF
mine. but is borne cit by actual facts. Mr.. ID. 5.
Parker. an American who has been interested IN
a MA for about Is gears. and who has been the
and. | mty say, the only American i'm
porter. has now left tae Islands in disgust and re-
iurned to San Frandsco, where. he may be seen at
nresent He declarts he has no wish to return I'M
iii he can do so will all the rights and privileges
.nioyed by the people of other nations. He pro-
moses TO await the iction of our Government. and
ace if il sustains on Consul in the course be has
taken"