Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-06
TAMASESFE. MALYTOA.

obtained a coaling station, and in return
agreed to help the Samoans if they became
involved with any foreign power. When
Chancellor Bismarck had settled his troubles
with the pope and the Russians and got his
army large enough to ''stand Off the
French, he concluded to acquire some island
territory and thought to begin by taking il
Samoa.
Accordingly the German consul at Apia,
the capital, assumed extraordinary powers,
which other consuls resisted. Then the Ger
mans, many Of whom are traders resident in
the islands, stirred up a rebellion against
King Malietoa, and drove him into the in
serior, placing Chief Tamasesee on the
throne. The king kept up desu.tory war
fare in the dense forests and wild passes of
the interior till he was captured and taken to
Germany. The people were in fair way to
submit, when the German consul placed his
flag above that of Samoa, proclaimed him
self guardian, and conferred on the rebel
chief the title of Maiietoa, which means to
the Samoans quite as much as Victoria to
the British or Cesar to the ancient Romans.
Then the mass of the people rebelled, and at
latest accounts a destructive guerrilla war
was raging through all the islands. AS the
American consul, Greenebaum, himself a
German by birth, had raised the American
flag over the public buildings and proclaimed
himself the protector of Malietoa, matters
began to look serious; but the Washington
government disavowed Greenebaum's action,
and soon sent another consul.
In August, 1887, four German men-of-war
anchored in front of Apia, and the consul
then demanded the payment of indemnity for
alleged wrongs to German traders, and failing
to obtain it practically took possession. There
was an interval of peace, during which the
Germans sent Malietoa back to the islands;
but the last summer found all in confusion
again. Mr. Harold NJ Sewan, the last
American consul, reported that the Germans
compelled all Americans to haul down their
Gags, except, of course, the one floating over
she consulate; and three American men-of-
war having arrived, the British feet being
also Represented, the British and American
consulates were regularly fortified and
manned by attachments from the feet, to
serve as points of retreat and defense for tho
traders of the two nations in case of trouble
The Germans continue to police the town,
and with their puppet king to rule such parts
of the islands as are not dominated by the
SO called ''rebelsn-really adherentS of the
legitimate king. -
10 the past summer several new and I'M
pleasant features were added. Secretary
Bayard conferred at length with the German
and British ministers at Washington, and
was disguised by learning that the British
had come to a full understanding with the
Germans and were to allow the latter full
sway in the islands on the ground that they
had the largest commercial interests there.
But soon after came information that the
Malietoa party were carrying all before them
and had practically annihilated the Tama-
sesee government, setting up thaS Of
Mataafa tadherent of Malietoa) in its stead
In the last battle they drove the surviving
soldiers OF Tamasesee on TO the German
vessels, and in firing killed German snd
wounded an Engllshman. Secretary Bay6rd
teen suggested u joint occupation, with one
sarshIp of each of the three nations to pro
teco their respective citizens, but the Ger
mans insist on complete control and the
English do not now oppose them.
Each successive steamer from the islands re-
ports the condition as growing more COM
pncated, and the danger to Americans