The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-03-17
NEWS FROM SAMOA.
The Germans Have Receded
From Their Position.
AstssfA's Array in Camp. Waiting
for the Americas Ssuadraa-He
Expects a,neriean support.
ES;opyrsghg. ss9. ay the Western sxss
S3afn<3 Press

Marrh l6 Daring the psst month at
fairs hare been practically Al a stand
still The German authorities al IN
consular xfai naval branches hay
been exceedingly quiet. This state q
inactivity dates hack 10 the arrival q
the steamer Walnut with ssespasche
for the German consul on January u
and Is no doubt the result a
orders then received. The seclaraiio,
Of state ~ war in III
Samoan islands seems 10 hav,
become dead letter. while militar,
eccupatien Of Apia, which the decfars
ton of martial law would seem TO hay,
implied. has no existence save III,
maintenance OF : strong quart at tn.
German consulate. 4 nominal ruar,
Is stlll kept At the Americas and Eng
lish eoslsGla1eS, III view OF the fact fhai
there has been no official retraetion ol
these declarations and of numerous
pEoclamatlons with which the towr,
was fiooaed, and consequently no set
/ tieTnent of the matter at issue.
The German consul has made ~,
| peated oyertures Ia Mataafa looking
toward adjustment Of the quarrel and
conclusion OF peace, bat the terms
/ proposed always embodied a strong
German interest in the future admin
/ isirasion ct affairs. 20 which Mafaasa
declares that he viii under no circnsn.
stances consent. The negotiations
have, therefore, been OF no avail. and
the German officials occupy the unen.
yiahie position al men who have
deeply compromised themselves with
out seeing their way clear to rrtraSt
consistently with the preservation of
their dignity.
Mataafa, in the midst OF his var
riors. rests secure in his intrenche.i
camp and awaits the arrival of A.i-
,niEai Kimberly, having full faith in
tie support of the United States. His
picket lines extend down the coast for
a distance OF five miles, close espionage
being maintained on the road leading
from Apia Ia Laula and Lutnamuu.
Tamasese with his fereeS. now re-
dueed by iesertion TO about 800 war
riors, still occupies the large fort at
Lutuamuu. Great numbers of his for
mer adherents have joined the stand
ard Of Masaafa, or. grown weary of
war. have returned TO their own dis
tricts.
There has been no collision between
the opposing for a long time. On
February :, however, small detached
party of Mataafa's men which was
reconnoitering in the vicinity of the
fort fell in with foraging party OF the
enemy and succeeded in killing one OF
Tamasese greasest leaders and
rtaunchest supporters, one Sole Futi.
a ruler from Matanta in Savaii.
On February : her majesty's ship
calliope, Capt. H. f. Kane, arrived
from New Zealand 90 relieve the Roy
alisf. The latter sailed for Auckland
on the 9Th inst. The change has been
a source OF untold satisfaction 10 Eng
iish residents in Samoa.
Early in the month Capt. Fritxe
made known the fact that the consu-
lar courts OF the American and Eng
lish consuis were considered hv him as
open for the hearing OF causes, despite
his proclamation of martial Law, re-
serving 10 himself. however. the aa-
ministration OF the police under the
regulations OF Jan. Is. iss9. This. by
acknowledging the ability of these
courts 10 perform their civil functions
nndisturbed. virtually ahrogates the
necessity for the establishment OF mar
tial law.
The Sanlcaa Tmes. an English news
paper, was suppressed by the German
consul as a dangerous organ. The
editor felt the pulse OF the press
censor on February by the pubEica-
sion of single-sheet extra" and on
the 9Th inst. the regular issue APP
peared.
On February the steamer Lubbock
left this port for sydney, carrying
with her Brandes. ex-GeFman arfii-
lery officer aud premier OF Tamasese.
who has for 50 long time been the
bane of Samoa and who has done
much 10 precipitate the present crisis
IL is rumored that he has heen
ordered home TO explain his conduct
in Samoan affairs to the government
nj Berlin.
On February 18th the man-of- war
Eber which had been sent 10 Auck-
land ostensibiy to communicate with
Berlin, returned to this port. The
United States steamer Nandaiia ar
rived on the evening ol February I'D,
having touched at Honolulu.
yhe arrival OF the Trenton was
anxiously expected, as i was hoped
that Admiral kimberly's instructions
would empower him to speedily ter
inmate the uncertainty.
as 10 the outcome OF the present strug-
gle Mataafa. firm in his belief of uIti-
mately receiving the support of ihe
nitet States government. has re-
iteratesl his determination to do
nothing uFtil the admiral'~ arrival.
fully aprTeciating The fact that in
dealing with Germany he must lie
seconded hy 4 nation whose power can
compel proper recognition of right and
Justice.
Tamasese, bis forces weakened by
Sesersion. sinks into secondary fae-
tor, and. indeed, has almost entirely
disappeared from the scene.
Americans and Englisl.uen sflll ae-
case German officials oi inierceptIng
their nasI matter and reading the con-
tents for the information OF their gov
ernmefsts. The schooner which met
The steamship Alameda 81 TatsIssa and
took on board the gnails for AIaa was
met bv the German corvette Olga
when midway between Iufnila
and Apia, and which took ali
the official and private mai matter.
Tntaila and meet the Zeaiandis wish
matt intended for the United States.
Ail the snail matter taken by the Ala
mesia for AEsa. therefore. was Just
taken oa bozrd tie German fnaIa-ssi-
war before being turned over 10 the
yostoihee iB Apsa- As the Mexican
mail steamers 90 not t0nch at Apis,
American mail matter must pass
through German hands before reach
ing the Samoan capital II = thought
that hereafter one os the American
Eaefs-ssf-waF wisi meet the mail steamer
al Tutgil2.
On the forenoon of February IL.
daring 3 hegyv aorthweSieriy Eale,
the American h2rkentine Goastifu-
tioa. CAptAsn Peer sDSIev, dra.Esed
her anchors asad struek on the west
eriv edge cs tic timer reef "a this
hag}snr. At the nrsz fIoN her E4alsier
wsSssrivpra into the cabin aflf her stern
,syusf sfel IA so that she isegsn 10 fsIl
sgf,Y,sss4 d iateiv 4rsi S0<aH turned
f,y.r ca he- ssaza ends assd sunk be-
s;tle the reel. sse hull besaE entirely
4ui,.aerxesI. s bs&s had been aa--
s.afehes Bg The Hsse8 Statss asai1-slf-
xag NiEss4e in rs4fs5sses sss . slEfaSs 81
ss5@:eass aud sssxceessa III lAHaasg The
Greg IL safety. She was o@nSA5 ny
N;x.ssolM- RieaaFs 0f Ssn Francesca,
ana Has freteAfed wish general esarssss
fssr AHA The seho0ners Aasazla alssi
+ Ta!na-s.se xere also srtcked.
NIX. EA1Es ceSFfDENf
ws S.wa.m ussseaitx gfI re