The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-03-18
AMERICANS ON GUARD.
The Latest Information by
Steamship Regarding
THE SITUATION IN SAMOA,
All Quiet, but the Trouble not Yet at
au End-AAxIons CItIzens-The
Feeling In Australia Among
ColonIsts of That Country,

APIA, SAMOA, PER STEAMSHIP ZERLAS
Ola, AT San FRASCIsco, March 49,
During the past month the German au
thorlties, both consular and naval, have
maintained a state Of inclvility, Thil
condition Of affairs dates back to the ar
rival Of the steamer Walnut, with dis
patches for the German Consul, on Jan
uary 2S, and is no doubt the result OF the
orders then received,
The declaration Of a state OF war In the
Samoan Islands seems To have become
q dead letter, while the military occupa,
ton Of Apia, which the declaration oil
martial law would seem 10 have implied,
has no existence save the maintenance
Of strong guard at the German con-
sulate,
AMERICANS ON GUARD.
A guard Is still kept at the American
and English consulates, in view OF the
facts that there has been no official re-
traction OF these declarations, and Of
numerous proClamations with which the
town was flooded, and consequently no
settlement OF the matter at issue. The
German Consul has made repeated over.
lures to Mataafa looking toward the ad.
justment OF the quarrel and the con-
clusion oi terms OF peace, but the terms
proposed always embodied a strong Ger
man interest In the future administration
OF affairs which Mataaia declares he will,
under no circumstances, consent 10.
Negotiations have therefore been OF no
avail, and German officials occupy the
unenViable position OF men who have
deeply compromised themselves without
seeing their way clear to retreat consist
ent with the preservation OF their dig.
nifty. Mataafa, In the midst OF his war.
riors, rests secure in his entrenched
camp and awaits the arrival OF Admiral
Kimberly, having full faith In the sup.
port OF the United States. His picket
lines extend down the coast for a dis.
tanCe oil five miles, close espionage being
maintained on the road leading from
Apia to Lauly and Lutumui.
DESERVING TAMAsEsR.
Tamasese, with his forces now reduced
by desertes to about 600 warriors, still
occupies the large fort at Lutumui. a.
great number OF his former adherents
have joined the standard Of AIataaia or
grown weary OF war, have returned to
their own districts. There has been no
collision between the opposing forces for
q long time.
On February s a small detached party
OF Malietoa men, which was reconnoiter.
ing in the vicinity Of the fort, fell IN
with foraging party OF the enemy, and
succeeded in killing one OF Tamasese's
greatest leaders and staunchest support.
ers, one Solo Futi, ruler from Matauta,
in Savay.
On February ., II. NJ. S. "Calliope,"
Captain II. j. Kane, arrived from New
Zealand to relieve the Royal, the latter
sailed for Auckland on the 4th inst.
This change has been a source OF untold
satisfaction to the English residents in
Samoa, as well as 10 their consular rep.
resentatiye. The Censure showered upon
Captain Hand, OF the Royal, by the
colonial press simply voiced the indig.
nant feeling Of his countrymen In
Samoa, whose interests he looked after
in dilatory and lukewarm manner,
and whose property he announced him.
self without authority TO protect.
NOT MUCH HARMONY.
There can be no doubt that the cor.
dial feelings and unity oil purpose which
characterized the relations between his
predecessor, Commander Pell, OF the
Wizard, and Her Majesty's Consul, had
no existence In the case OF Captain
Hand.
Early in the month Captain Fritze
made known the fact that the consular
courts-the American and English
were considered by him as open Tor the
hearing Of causes, despite his proclama.
ton OF martial law, reserving 10 himself,
however, the administration OF the
police under the regulations OF January
ls, 1883. Thus acknowledging the abil.
ity Of these courts to perform their civil
functions undisturbed virtually abro.
gates the necessity for the establishment
Of martial law and gives rather iarciCal
aspect to the arbitrary act on the part oi
the German commander.
Another fact providing that Germany
recognizes their original stand TO be un.
tenable Is found In the reissue OF the
Samoan Times, the English newspaper
which was suspended by the German
Consul as dangerous organ. The edi-
tor felt tho pulse Of the press censor on
February 4, by the publication OF single
sheet extra" and on the ninth the reg
ular sheet again appeared.
A CASE or BACK DOWN.
The revival Of the suppressed paper
has called for no comment from DR..
Knappe, the German Consul, which
eyinced a far calmer frame Of mind than
that displayed in his diCtatoral actions oI
three weeks ago. |Ir.
On February 8 the steamer LebeCk left
this port for Sydney, carrying with her
Herr Brands, the ex.German artillery
oficerand Premier OF Tamasese, who has
for 30 long q time been the bone oil con.
tention In Samoa and who has done
much TO perCipltate tue present crisis.
II Is rumored he has been orderen homo
to explain his conduct In the Samoan
affairs 10 the Government at Berlin.
On February l2 the German man.ot
Wsr Eber, which had been sent 10 Auck
land, ostensibly TO communicate with
Berlin, returned 10 this port. Her ar
rival and dispatches which she un'
doubtedly brought (the tenor Of which
Is unknown have In no wise changed
the condition Of affairs.
STILL DOUBTFUL.
Whether the German q Government viii
endOayor to maintain the position taker
by ils officials here or whether II hal
: l..,,n1 lunIeunlinna IN nnnnue l., .t,aI,