Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-17
NEWS FROM SAMOA.
German Aggressiveness Off
cially Repressed.
MARTIAL Law A DEAD LETTER
0vertures of Peace Made to, and
Rejected by, Misunderstanding
With the Mails.

With the Mails.
Associated Press DISPATCHES TO the HERALD. 7
ApIA, Samoa, February 26, via steam
ship Zealandia, San Francisco, March
16.-During the past month affairs here
have been practically at stsndstill.
The German authorities, consular and
naval, have been exceedingly quiet.
This state of inactivity dates back to the
arrival of the steamer Walnut with dis
patches for the German Consul, on jan
uary 23rd, and is no doubt the result Of
orders then received.
MARTIAL LAW A DEAD LETTER.
The declaration OF state of war in
the Samoan Islands soems to have been
dead letter, while the military occupa-
ton of Apia, which the declaration OF
martial law would seem to have implied,
| has no eXistance save in the maintenance
of q strong guard at the German Con-
sulate. The normal guard is still kept
at the American and English Consul
ates. In view of the facts that there
| have been no official retractions of these
declarations and of the numerous pTocla-
nations with which the town was flooded,
and consequently no sentiment of the
matter at issue, the German consul
| has made repeated overtures to Mataafa
looking toward an adjustment OF the
quarrel and the conclusion of peace, but
the terms proposed always embodied a
strong German interest in the future ad-
minietration of affairs, to which Mataafa
declares that he will under no circum-
stances consent.
ABoRTIvE NEGOTIATIONS.
The negotiations have, therefore, been
of no avail, and the Germain officials &C.
cupy the unenViable position of men
who have deeply compromised them
selves without seeing their way clear to
retreat, consistently with preservation OF
their dignity; while Mataafa, in the
midst of his warriors, rests secure in his
entrenched camp and awaits the arrival
of Admiral Kimberly, having full faith
in the support of the United States. His
picket lines extend down the coast foT g
distance of five miles, close espionage
being maintained on the road leading
from Apia to Laulii and Lutaamaa.
TAMASEsE ALMOST DESERTED.
Tamasese, with his forces now reduced
by desertion to about 600 warriors, still
occupies the large fort at Lutuamu.
Great numbers Of his former adherents
have Joined the standard OF Mataafa, or,
having grown weary of the war, have re-
turned to their own districts. There has
been no collision between the opposing
forces for long time. On February 8th,
however, a small detached party of
Malietoa men, which was reconnoitering
in the vicinity OF the fort, fell in with q
feraging party OF the enemy and sue
ceeded in killing one of Tamasese's great
est leaders and staunchest supporters
one Solo Futi, a ruler from Matauta, in
Savaii.
INTERMEDDLING WITH THE MAILS.
The Americans and Englishmen still
accuse the German officials of intercept
ing their mail matter and reading the
contents for the information of their
Government. The schooner which met
the steamship Alameda at Tutuila and
took on board the mails for Apia, was
met by the German corvette Olga when
mid way between Tutuila and Apia, and
the latter took all the official and private
mail matter, directing the schooner to
return to Tutuila and meet the Zealandia
with the mail intended for the United
States. All the mail matter taken by
the Alameda for Apia, therefore, was
first taken on board the German man-of
war before being turned over to the post
Office in Apia. The American mail
steamers do not touch at Apia, SO Ameri-
can mail matter must pass through
German hands before reaching the Sa-
moan capital. 1t is thought that here
after one of the American men-of-war
will meet the mail steamer at Tutuila.
H. B. NJ. S. CALLIoPE.
The Calliope, Captain II. 9. Kane, has
arrived from New Zealand to relieve the
Royalist. The latter sailed for Auckland
on the 4th instant. This change has
been source of untold satisfaction to the
English residents in Samoa.
CAPTAIN FRITzE TAKES WATER.
Early in the month Captain Fritze
made known the fact that the Consular
courts OF the Americans and English
were considered by him as open
for the hearing of causes de-
spite his proclamation OF martial
law; reserving to himself, however,
In6 administration OF the pOllC6, unuer
the regulations of January 18, 1885,
Thus, by acknowledging the ability of
these courts to perform their civil func-
tions undisturbed, he virtually abrogates
the necessity for the establishment OF
martial law.
SURPRISING THE PRESS.
The Samoan Times, an English news
paper, was suppressed by the German
Consul as dangerous organ. The editor
felt the pulse of the press censor on Feb
ruary 4th by the publication of single
sheet extra" and on the 9th the regu-
lar issue appeared.
BRANDEIs CALLED TO ACCOUNT.
On February 5th, the steamer Lubbock
left this port for Sydney, carrying with
her Brandeis, the ex-German artillery
officer and Premier of Tamasese, who
has for SO long time been the bane of
Samoa, and who has done much to pre-
cipitate the present crisis. 1t is ru-
mored that he has been ordered home to
explain his conduct in Samoan affairs to
the Government at Berlin.
MEN -oF-wAR ARRIVING.
On February II the German man-of-
war Eber, which had been sent to Auck-
land, ostensibly to communicate with
Berlin, returned to this port. The
ITp;fod Gtatoc afaoUa ahin Vo0dalio arrival