The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1889-02-05

| be black laD0rerS. Inc naUlYe SOL
der and chief asked for Klein's
opinion as to whether the Mataafa
men would be justified in shooting
back at the German sailors. He
writes: While l had a decided
opinion Of my own upon the subject,
l declined to take the responsibility
Of advising them any way upon the
subject" He, however, agreed to &C
company them back to Apia to take
the advice of the United States Con-
sui. They had not gone far in has
tening to Apia when they heard
heavy volleys of musketry, inter
spersed with irregular shots, coming
from the direction OF Vailele They
saw Consul Blackjack, who gave the
advice anticipated by the correspond
ent, viz, that he could give the chief
no advice whatever upon the subject,
and that whatever his people did in
the matter they would have to do en-
tirely without advice from him.
KLEIN NOT PRESENT AT THE MAIN FIGHT.
It was while Klein was at Apia
with the chief that fleet runners
came in with news of pitched battle
in which the Germans were routed
with loss of twenty-one killed in
Guiding one officer, and thirty-two
wounded including one officer. They
had been assailed on all sides by the
Mataafa men, and simply over
whelmed by numbers. Three of the
German slain were decapitated ac-
cording to the war custom of Samoa.
The accoutrements of many of the
dead sailors were appropriated by
the natives, including the sword of
Lieut.. Sieger, and also the swords of
wounded iieutenants. Klein's report
of the battle is very graphic, but
space will not permit its reprodue
ton here.
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS.
The note of the Captain of the
Adler to Capt. Mullan of the Nipsic,
mentioned in our own Samoan news
by the Alameda, stating that he was
going to Saluafata to stop the fight
ing" the correspondent says, was
regarded with much indignation
both by United States Vice-Consul
Blackjack and British Consul de
Coetlogon." The Captain of the
Adler did not notify the American
OF English Consuls or Captains of
the ships intended movements until
a few minutes before her departure
Consul Blackjack replied to the
German note by referring the Ger
man Consul to propositions made at
a Consular meeting on November
18th by the American and British
Consuls, which, if carried out, would
have placed not only German but all
other property in perfect security.
In the name of the United States
Consul Blackjack protested against
the German Consul's action in at
tacking the Samoans, thereby offer
ing them cause for revenge and
placing citizens Of the United States
and their property, as we'll as others,
in the gravest danger. This action
he regarded as most dangerous and
entirely in opposition to the under
standing between the three treaty
making Powers.
About 6:15 o'clock the Adler left
Apia, but the Nipsic having no steam
up did not get away till 1916 o'clock.
Klein accompanied the American
ship. They found the Adler and
Eber lying near Latogo, both vessels
cleared for action, all the guns in
position and ports down. The shell
ling of the native settlements began
as the Nipsic came to anchor, the re
suits of which have been previously
reported in this paper.
Half an hour after the Nipsic az
rived, Captain AIullan, with three
officers, went on board Of the Adler
for the purpose of demanding from
Consul Knappe his reasons for hay
ing assumed the right to stop the |
war. Consul Knappe replied that he |
would hold no communication with |
an American naval Captain. He
added a statement about letter he |
had prepared that morning to Ma
taafa concerning a settlement. After
further parleying Captain Mullan
asked Knappe:
"Why do you, the German Consul, |
representing but one OF the three
nations that made the treaty with
Samoa, take it upon yourself to stop
the fighting here without consulting
the American and English Consuls?"
II will answer to my government,
sir,n was the reply. "Our men were
fired upon first" the Consul added.
In further conversation the Ger
man Consul claimed that the sailors
were landed to protect German pro
perty. Captain MulIan conceded
their right in that regard, but asked
why the German forces had gone
there at the dead hour of night, and
why one German boat had landed
over one mile from German property
when it could have landed perfectly
well upon that property. To this
query the correspondent says neither
Consul Knappe nor Capt. Fritz made
any reply.
st 4 o'clock the Eber left for
Apia with the dead and wounded,
and half an hour later an officer from
the Adler came on board the Nipsic
with the information that the Ger
man shiDsintended to lombard I AN