St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-17
Humility Is Very Good Policy
if Adopted by Both
Sides.

SAN FRANCISCO, req. lo.-I ho
Oceanic steamship Mariposa arrived to-
day from Australia, brings advices that
on Oct. II, the bark Noel, when IN lau-
tude 24,56 N. W., longitude % w,
sighted a bark rigged vessel under
reefed upper topsails and jig flying sig
nails of distress. She proved to be the
Clara, of Tonsberg. Her crew had de-
serted her two days previously. From
evidence taken at the inquiry into the
supposed murder Of j. S. Armstrong
government agent of Labor Schooner
Ariel by natives of Manoba, there is some
doubt as to whether he was actuaily
murdered. and he may now be alive
among the natives. The Mariposa brings
the first mail advices from the Samoan
island since Jan. 2, when the preceding
steamship of the Oceanic line LETT there.
The Mariposa left the island of Iutulia
on Feb. /, and brings the official report
of the United States consul and Ameri-
can naval officers of the action OF the
German naval force in Samoa since
the engagement Of Dec. 1S be-
tween the natives and the Germans
which were forwarded in to-nlght,S
mail to Washington. At the time Oh
the departure of the Mariposa the ne
cessity for the presence OF the Amer
ican men-of-war ordered to the scene is
claimed to have been urgent. as the
operations of the Germans were ui,
rected more against the American ana
English residents than against Mataata
and his forces. as in the case OF the lat-
fer chiettain, whom the Germans
AFFECT TO CALL A REBEL.
The German consul visited his camp
TO induce him to accept the German
rule while in the case of the American
and Englishmen, the right OF search OF
vessels and private houses in Apla was
embodied in an official proclamation.
Formal declaration of war against King
+ Mataafa was made by the German au-
thorities on Jan. 19, and martial law
established for the entire islands,. On
the same day, English subjects
were seized and taken on board
the German man-of-war. Instead OF
war being prosecuted against MaJaafa
and his followers, the Germans have
neglected them almost entirely and
have confined their operations against
American and English subjects. Early
in the month OF January, NUMBERS OF
Tamasese's men began desertlng.
There being mutiny by one of his most
prominent chiefs, who decided that
while it might be legitimate enough to
fight against their own people. yet they
we're not willing to join with the Ger
mans in fighting against the ma,
tives of Samoa. Apla renamed
ficers from the warships and the Ger
man consul made daily trips along the
beach in Apia, taking observations OF
the Mataafa boats, which were drawn
nm ON the beach. On the Sth of Janu-
ary large boat containing Tamasese's
soldiers came up from the coast, and
communicated with the German war
shin Adler. The same night several
deserters from Tamasese's side went to
the camp of King Mataafa at Masaigi,
and informed him that the rebels
INTENDED TO MAKE A RAID
on Apia on the following night, and
also assaulted the Mataafa party. The
Germans were to assist the rebels as
much as possible, and the American
and English residents were to be at
tackled equally with Mataafa's men.
The king at once Informed the Amer
lean and English residents i'll Apia of
this fact, thus giving them an opprtu-
nifty to prepare for an attack. Lieut..
F. f. Fillette, of the United States
marine corps, in charge OF the marine
guard at the American consulate, was
aroused by the sentry on that
night and informed that fire
was in progress in Mataafale. He
with four marines ran to the scene OF
the fire, about one mile away, and was
one of the first to arrive there. 1t was
feared that the residence of the Ger
man consul, DR.. Knappe, was in flames.
In a few minutes the fire had communi-
Gated to the German pOStOlflce at the
other end of the building. and, reaching
across the street, the flames attacked
the German consulate. A large force
of sailors from the United States ship
Nipsic was sent ashore to
FIGHT THE FIRE.
A few minutes later detachment
from the English war ship Royalist ar
rived. and half an hour afterwards a
large force of sailors from the German
war ships Adler, Olga and Eber ar
rived, each man carrying loaded rifle
with fixed bayonet. The American and
English sailors brought pumps and
axes. The fire in the meantime had
spread to the residence of Mr.. Schmidt,
the German vice consul, and the Staadt
Hamburg hotel. The American and
English residents (among the former
being United States Vice Consul Black
lock- fought the fire, which was
only destroying German property, until
they were nearly exhausted. The
American and English sailors worked
until overcome by heat, carrying water,
using axes and saving property belong
ing to the German Trading and Plant
ing company. The store of Grevsmuhl
IL Co., and the large store and residence
of All Sue, were destroyed, as we'll as
the court house, Jail, three small Ger
man dwellings,, several native houses
and a native church. While the fire
was in progress. Consul knappe de-
clared he thought the occurrence was
entirely accidental, due to the careless
ness of several black laborers, brought
from other plantations to work on the
German plantations, and who were
hanging about his about this time.s
Within five or six hours later, however,