Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1889-03-22
AN EXPLANATION
Of the Samoan Difficulty Given by
the Arrival of Dispatches by
Steamer at Frisco.
The Opposing Factions in the Island
are Ready for War at
any Time,
But No Serious Complications Likely
to Arise Between Germany
and America.
The German officials Accused of In
tercepting and Reading Mail Di-
rected to Apia.
Direct From Samoa.

AP1A, Samoa, March End, 1889, per
steamship Sealande, at San Francisco,
March 18-During the past month the Ger
man authorities, both consulate and naval.
have maintained state of inactivity.
This condition of affairs dates back to the
arrival of the steamer Wainu with dis
patches for the German consulate, Jan. %.
Nod doubt as result of the orders then re-
ceived the declaration of a state of war in
the Samoan islands seems to have be-
come dead letter, while the military oc-
cupation of Apia, which the declaration
Of martial law would seem to have i'm
piled, has no meaning save the main
tenance of strong guard at the German
consulate. The guard is still kept at the
American and English consulates in view
of the fact that there has been no official
retraction of these declarations and of
numerous proclamations with which the
town was flooded, and consequently there
has been no settlement of the matter at
issue: The German consul made re
quarrel and conclusion of terms
of peace, but the terms proposed
always embodied a strong German interest
in the future administration of affairs, to
which Matafa declares he will, under no
circumstances consent to negotiate, there
man officials occupy the unenviable posi-
tiOn of men who have compromised them
selves without seeing their way clear to re-
tract consistently with the preservation of
their dignity. Matafa, in the midst of his
warriors, rests secure in his entrenched
nor 40 fhn nf
Kimberly, having full faith in the
support of the United States.
His picket lines extend down
the coast for a distance of five miles.
Close espionage being maintained on the
road leading from Apia to .Lanly and Lu-
duced by deserters about 800 warriors. still
occupies large fort at Lutumn. A great
number of his former adherents. who
joined the standard of Matafa, have grown
weary Of war and have returned to their
districts. Their has been no collision be-
tween the opposing forces for long time:
On February 8th small detached party of
militiamen, which was accommodating
in the vicinity of the fort, fell in with a
fOraging party of the enemy and succeeded
in killing one Of Tomases' greatest leaders
and staunchest supporters, one Solo Futi,
ruler from Motanta in Savoy. On Feb
TqaFy 2 her malesty'ss ship Cal!iohe, Capt. +
relieve the Royal, and the latter sails for
Auckland on the 4th inst. This change
has been the source of untold satisfaction
to the English residents in Samoa as well
as to their consular representative. The
censure showered upon Captain Hand by
dignant feeling of his countrymen in Sa.
mOa, whose interests were looked
after in dilatory and careless
manner and whose property he ANNOUNCED
himself without authority to protect. The
German man-Of-war Ebir, which had been
cate with Berlin, returned to this
port. Her arrival and dispatches which
she undoubtedly brought (the tenor
of which is unknown) have in
no wise changed the condition of affairs.
Whether the German government will en-
deavor to maintain the position. taken by
its officials here, or whether it has issued
instructions to concur in such ultimate set
Element as Admiral Kimberly may propose,
is mere matter of conjecture. Fully appre-
ciating the fact that in treating with Ger
many he must be seconded by the nation
whose power can compel proper recOgni-
ton of right and justict, Tamases forces,
weakened by desertion, sinks into second
ary factor and indeed, has almost disap-
peared from the scene.
INTERPRETING MAIL MATTER.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 16.-Americans
and Englishmen still accuse German Off
cials of intercepting their mail matter and
reading the contents for the information
of their government The schooner which
met the steamship Almeda at Tulvila and
took back the mail for Apia was met by
the German corvette Olga when midway
between TulYila and Apia and took all
Offici al and nrivata mai mavtpr and III.
rected the schooner to return to Tulvila
and meet the Sealandia with mail intended
for the United States. All mail matter
taken by the Almeda for Apia, therefore.
was first taken on board the German man
of-war before being turned over to the
pOstOffice at Apia. AS American mail
steamers do not touch at Apia, American.
mail matter must pass through German
hands before reaching the Samoan capital.
1t is thought that hereafter an American
man-of-war will meet the mail steamer at
Tulvi la.
Big Deal In Steel.
CHICAGO, March IA The most important