Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1888-11-05
TANESESE TUMBLES.
The Samoan King DepoSed by
Friends Of MalietOa.
A GENERAL SHAKING UP.
A Revolution, a Battle and the Fall OF
the Government Make Things De-
cidedIy Lively in the Little
Kingdom just Now.


moan Islands, which at different times within
the last two years have threatened to get the
United States and Germany into a snarl,
have taken another interesting turn There
has been n revolution, battle has been
fought, a king has been deposed, and the in
terests of American merchants have been
placed in jeopardy. Letters received from
William S. Coppers, of the United States
steamship Adams, have placed The Sun in
possession of an account of these events. The
Adams was there at the time.
The Samoan Islands constitute one of the
most important groups in the Pacific ocean
The harbor of Pango-P Pango is the key posi-
tion of the Samoan group and also of Cen
trail Polynesia, and is valuable as the chief
stronghold for the protection of COM
merce in South Pacific waters. The is
lands are in the path of vessels from San
Francisco to Auckland, from Panama to
Sydney, and from Valparaiso to China and
Japan. They lie outside the track of hurri-
caneS and this helps to make them the most
valuable islands in the South Pacific. Half
way between Honolulu and Auckland, Panga-
Pango is an accessible coaling and supply sta
tion for steamers, and with the Pacific mail
steamers making it a port for coaling it
would necessarily become the chief CONNER
cial place in that part of Polynesia. That is
the view held by the Germans, the English
and the Americans all of whom are interested
in controlling the affairs of the islands.
The United States made q treaty with
Mannga, the chief man of the Samoan tribes,
in 1872. By that agreement the harbor of
Pango-Pango was ceded to the United States,
the condition being that the government at
Washington should become the Samoan pro-
tector. The general opinion Of the natives
was that it was best to have the
favor of this government rather than
get into the grasp of Germany or Eng
land. The Germans had been making
strenuous efforts to get the islands for them
selves. The natives wanted firearms very
badly, but the Germans would sell them none
except for land BY this means the Germans
acquired hundreds of thousands of acres But
they were unpopular with the Samoans, and
when the port of Pango-Pango was given to
the United States the Germans showed their
irritation so plainly that the natives disliked
them still more Last year things came to
crisis Malietoa was king and was friendly to
American interests The Germans didn't like
him. They had had man-of-war there, and in
August they brought squadron. The Ger
man consul and the German commodore inn
mediately began war upon Malietoa, and
government house. There was riot and
bloodshed, in spite of the joint protest of the
American and English consnls. The Ger
mans at last, with the help of the followers
of an insurgent chief, Tamesese, deposed
Malietoa. Then TameSese became king.
Germany's seizure of Malietoa's sovereignty
angered both the United States and the
British governments, and though the sub
ject has been discussed by several powers
there has been nothing final done to deprive
the Germans of the foothold they have
gained.
The reign of Tamesese and the domination
of the Germans have kept the islands in a
turmoil ever since the events of 1887. The
adherents of the deposed Malietoa never ac-
knowledged Tamesese as king, and last
August they gathered their strength to re-
volt against the new government. A body
of the Malietoans came in contact with some
Tamesesens at the end of August near Apia,
the capital city. The fight lasted an hour.
and there were four or five killed on
both sides. After that the Malietoans gained
III numbers and armament.
They supplied themselves with efficient
rules, and built forts, which officers from the
foreign war vessels in the harbor declared to
be impregnable to attack from their oppon-
II
were several small works. The Malietoans
received recruits daily. Their women Joined
them in preparing for battle. When the fol-
lowers of the deposed king numbered nearly
5000 they told the representatives of the for
eign powers that they were going in to lick
sTamesese and his supporters.
Then the Malietoans got ready for the
final conflict. The Germans had carried off
Malietoa the year before in a ship and put
him ON far away spot in the Pacific, much
as the English banished Napoleon to ST.
Helena. Malietoa's friends were therefore
unable to make him king again. They found
another man. Their choice was Mataafa.
They elected him at their fort Of Faleula.
That made a government in full opposition
to Tamesese, the king favoring the hated
Germans =. 49,.
On Wednesday, Sept II; party of 500 of
the Malietoans attacked the Tamesesens in a
fort at Matautu, near Apia. Some of the
bullets hit the vessels in the harbor. and one
of tfe;crew Of the German war ship Adler
was wounded in the mouth The crash of
musketfy was constant. The onslaught had
begun at l2:50 in the afternoon and from then
until p. m it ragged fiercely. A luH came
then: but the attack had spread 10 other forts.
and the fight was. soon as furious as ever.
The soldiers of Tamesese were driven into the
sea, some being shot down in the water. and
many taking refuge on reefs.
Meanwhile the Tamesese party had sent
for help, and when they had been driven to
the reefs the rc-enforcements came in boats
from Mulinu Point. Sharp firing followed
between the boats at sea and the party on
shore. Ii lasted fifteen minutes, but the dis
tance was too great for the carrying powers
Of the gunk, and little damage was done.
The Tamesese troops rallied at O'Clock, but
they were outnumbered and had to retire.