Connecticut western news., 1889-06-05
THE SAMOAN QUESTION.
America Gets All She Asks, but
 Comedies Practically Nothing.

America Gets All She Asks, put
 Comedies Practically Nothing.
 After the seventh plcnary sitting of the Samoan conference, held at Berlin, the Amer ican Commission was :b a position to cable to Secretary Blaine the definite acceptance by the German and English governments of the Washington proposals limiting the Ger man indemnity and eAmonn rights to levy import duties aud some of MT. Blaine s amendments to the clauses relating to the internal Samoan policy.
 After slight hesitation the German Com- missioners have invariably yielded whatever concessions America asked in the direction Of Samoan autonomy. On the other hnud. the Americans have conceded practically no tLing. adheriBg to their original claims. Some show of conciliation was made toward the close of the conference by the Americans leaving the appointment of the first resident Judge of the European community to Eng land.
 The general results of the conference do not afford the Foreign Office and the official press Q theme for congratulations. On the contrary, there is O visible irritation over the delay in the conclusion of the treaty negotia- tions Semi-official papers ask why, tue ref erences being practically concluded, the Washington Government postponcs the Glv- ing of orders to sign the treaty? The truth is that no especial honor will accrue to tue German Government from the results of the conference, so it does not wish tho matter to'b be kept before the public.
 The feeling in official circles is that, Ger. many having yielded everything demanded by the Americans the Gs 'crnmcnt at Wasll- fngton ought to assent to a prompt conclu sion of the matter.
 London Stands Aghast.
 The one absorbing topic of conversation in London is the apalling calamity in Pennsy[ vania The first reports which reached Lon don placed the loss of life at 1,50O, and al- though it was evident even from the meager details which the cable brought, that the cal amity must have been of unprecedented pro portions no one expected that the later dis patches would confirm this figure.
 When, however, with every successive tele- gram, the figures were raised from l, 300 to 3,5OO. then 5000, then to 10000, and esti- mates as high as l., 0O0 dead began to reach there, the full extent ofthc calamity came to be realized. On the streets. at the men were assembled together, the latest reports from the scene of the flood in Amer ica were discussed, and although at this time there are few who have even an inkling of the enormous loss of life indicated in later dis patches all stand aghast at the extent of the calamity. Naturally the greatest excitement prevails at the hotels where American tourists are stopping, and Q feeling of profound gloom has settled over the entire Amerlcap colony.
 Among the large number of Americans always to be found in London at this season of the year there are now several gentlemen and their families who hail from the stricken region. and these are the centre of anxious groups eager to learn something of the local ity in which this frightful disaster occurred, The neglect of the autho t to take pre- cautions against the occurrence of disaster. the danger of which seems to have been well understood, is severely criticised.