The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-04-08
THE SAMOAN TRAGEDY.
Local Feeling over the Intelligence
The News in the States.

The News in the States.
The news brought by the s. 5. Ala
media Of the total loss OF four warsnips,
with the narrow escape Of three others
from destruction, and OF the sacrifice OF
$50 lives in the fearful disaster, fell like
a thunderclap on this community. Al
though people were prepared to receive
exciting intelligence, after the sensation
produced by the false rumor OF an en-
gagement IN which the American ship
Nipsic was said to have been sunk by
the German ship Olga, nobody ever
dreamed Of such a thing as the almost
unparalleled naval casualty that proved
10 have happened. The reports promptly
issued by both daily papers were eagerly
snatched up, and there was constant
throng in front of the Hawaiian News
COmpanv's window, where photographs
Of the wrecked and stranded ships were
displayed.
NIessrs. John II. Patty, Henry +. Poor
/ and +. w. Wundenberg, Postmaster
/ General, together with Mr.. Ripley OF the
/ shipwrecked naval people, and others,
/ have their kindness hereby acknOw-
/ lodged in placing private letters from
/ Samoa and verbal information at our
/ disposal for making up the report OF the
/ calamity.
The /. s. S. Alert, II. B. VI. 5. Cor
/ mOrant, and the Government, Dipio-
matte and Consular flags were placed at
! half mast for the day.
a private letter from Samoa states that
/ before the fatal hurricane matters were
in a very critical condition at Apia.
/ Mataafa was strongly intrenched with
/ about 8 900 warriors behind the town,
and no foreign national party knew to
/ what the native evaporation and sus-
/ pense might lead.
/ This critical situation is gwen as an
. explanation of the national vessels ne
! gleCting to fly to sea with the rising OI
| the tempest. Neither the American nOl
/ the German naval commanders cared tC
! desert the town under the circumstances
and both were probably suspicious Of
| each others probable conduct in the
event of the other squadron's absence.
Admiral Kimberly, commanding the
United States squadron, had sometime
previously taken the responsibility o
closing all the saloons in Apia. This
wise precautiOn against disturbances be
tween naval sailors OF different nations
had, however, from its assumption o
authority by the American commander
IllduC IHltIIdilOIldl IEldIlOiIS Il Slllttt
tenser than before.
The Doctor and the cadets of the Van
dalia proceeded to San Francisco in the
Alameda, the remainder OF the party
waiting for passage by the Umatilla.
A high pontitical mass of requiem, IL
behalf OF those who lost their lives a
) Apia, will be held on Tuesday, 9 a m.
in the Roman Catholic Cathedral. Tht
public are invited. There will be ;
memorial service at ST. Andrews Cathe
dral on Wednesday, p. m. The lat
Captain SchOOnmaker and MIR. Arme
were regular worshippers with the SeconC
, Congregation of St. Andrews.
The news of the disaster was carrie'
to Auckland from Apia, by Ii. B. NJ. s
Calliope in three days and half, steam
ing eighteen knots an hour
Germany has ordered vessels from
Zanzibar to replace those lost at Samoa
Anxiety is felt for the storeship Mon
ongahela, that sailed for Samoa from Sal
/ Francisco on February DIST.
: 1t is believed at San Francisco tina
the Alert would leave Honolulu for Sa
mOa Immediately on getting the news.
, The Secretary of the Treasury ha
issued a permit to Spreckels Bros. t
carry more than the legal limit of pas
sengers, in order that the Mariposa ma
carry home the 800 shipwrecked men a
Auckland.