St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-13
A NAVAL OFFICERS VIEW.
Chances Are Even Tn at There III as
Been Trouble,

NEW YORK, March IA Washing
ton special gives the following interest
ing interview with naval officer: .My
information u.s." says this officer, "that
the last official dispatches left Samoa
about the last of January and reached
Frisco abont Feb. Is or 16. These dis
patches were never transmitted to the
senate, which was looking for so much
light on the veXed question only two
weeks before. Other dispatches had
been before promptly sent to the senate,
and the query is natural, why were not
these last as promptly transmitted"
why were they not transmitted, do
you think?' asked the reporter.
well. l think that the milk lies in
the fact that Bayard maintained that the
whole problem could be solved in a
peaceful way. Germany had made
overtures to this government to have
convention in Berlin, where the
wrecked convention of Washington
could be healed. Bayard thought that
by accepting Germany's proposition he
had been successful as diplomat.
But, at the same time, he dismissed
Consul General Sewall for swearing to
the true condition of affairs in Samoa.
And, don't you see, it would not appear
very well for him to lay before
the senate particularly as those
certain dispatches had not been
called for) matters which would
show a still further aggression on the
rather serious wrongs" he continued,
''have been permitted to drag along
month after month, and the departments
seem to be satisfied that the American
officials protested Again, they knew
we had only one ancient vessel, while
the Germans had three well-manned
and equipped modern-built vessels; and
yet Mullan, in his single ship, was in
his glory, though not monarch of all he
surveyed. The Germans came in for
that. nay more. While all these out
RACES were being perpetraJed none Of
our vessels could be spared from their
snug berths in cosy harbors, either on
the Atlantic or Pacific, till Mullan sent
special mesSenge hundreds of miles
away, to Auckland, in order to request.
yea, demand, that he be supported by
the presence of other vessels; and it was
not till this action on his part that the
department seemed to wake up to learn
that all was not lovely and quiet in the
smooth Pacific"
But" said the reporter, admiral
Kimberly has been ordered there. and
when he arrives, some positive action
Inlay De expected
"Adiral Kimberly" was the reply,
will simply continue to do what Capt.
Mullan has been doing for mOnthS-pro-
are his orders, and he has received no
others. And | am of the opinion that
he has been too long in the ruts of dis
cIpline and naval regulations to do an
act without orders and prove himself
another Ingraham of Kosta fame"
Suppose that these reports as to the
Nipsic should prove to have some foun-
datiOn?"
''If the Germans have fired on unpro-
tected men, women and children and
destroyed or injured American life or
property, then l believe Dennis w.
Mullan has opened his battery On the
what they may. | know the man. My
own idea is, and I know that ground
thoroughly. for l was stationed in
the Pacific for many years,
that there has been very serious
trouble of some kind, all of which we
can learn in ten days. If anything has
betallen the Nlpsic, there is no possible
way for our people to communicate
only by small boat, which might be
chartered to go from Apia TO Tutuilla,
seventy miles away, a stopping place
tor the California steamers. ALI other
modes of conveyance are in the hands
of the Germans. So it would not sur
prise me if we should have no news for
at least ten days, and perhaps longer.
Yet the steamer next due in San Fran
cisco, say on Saturday next, may bear
some Intelligence. If, however, the
German ironclads now on their way to
Samoa reach there safely, then they
will bid defiance to our whole feeble,
disjointed and scattered navy. While
our people sleep on soft cushions, the
Germans are buffeting the waves to our
newly found Ell Dorado"