Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-05-05
SAMOAN AFFAIRS.
How They Are Being Put in
Shape in Berlin.
EVERYTHING GOES SMOOTHLY
England and America on the Same
Tack-One of Bismarck's
Tricks Sprung.
IAaeoclased Press Dispatches to the HERALD

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD
BERLIN, May 4.-The committee to the
Samoan Conference has prepared draf
of the proposal to constitute court t.
decide questions of land tenure in Sa
moa. The court is to consist OF one rep
resentstive of each of the interested
powers and two Samoans. Complica'
tons connected with the existing tenures
threaten to impede progress until the
committee relegates the settlement oil
the question to the proposed court.
Sewall and Brandeis have been present
daily at the sittings. Sewall proved the
untenable character of a number of Ger.
man land claims, and further showed
that the extent of land claims by
foreigners, as bought or coded, was
in excess of the area of the
islands. Brandeis gave evidence on
the validity Of German land titles, and
said that he desired to be heard in regard
to tie losses Of German planters. The
Com mit!ee declined to consider such
losses as involving the question of in
demnty. The English and American
1~.cgates express satisfaction at the pro-
gress already made, and all sides are
hopeful that the Convention will be con-
cluded in June. The attitude of the
English delegates will assist in the solu-
ton of the question. Before the Confer
between Berlin and London would tend
n tbrnu tho ho1 pooo tl,a
can policy, but later Developments war
rant the belief that the English delegates
had been instructed to Join with the
American representatives, in opposing
German pretensions to special rights.
The report that Sewall, Parker and
Buckingham are not recognized officially,
and are socially ignored is untrue. On
the contrary, they are well received
everywhere.
A banquet will be given by the Ameri-
can commissioners on Wednesday and
will be brilliant affair. There will be
present, besides all the members of the
Conference, the full diplomatic corps of
all countries having representatives at
Berlin.
The report OF DR.. Knappe, German ex-
Consul at Apia, was issued to-day. 1t is a
lame defense of his own conduct. In it DR..
Knapre charges the adherents of Ma
taafa With raidipg German planters, and
describes his efforts to induce the insur-
gents to abandon their positions, which |
encroached upon the plantations. He
says the disorders in Samoa were partly
due to American Indictment. The gen
eral tenor of the report and its publica- |
ton at the present juncture suggest a |
latent intention on the part of Bismarck |
te persist in his indemnity demands.
Appended to the report is the Ameri- |
can Consul's edict prohibiting the sup.
plying of spirits to sailors.
DR.. Knappe complains that toy flags
and handkerchief, on which are i'm
printed the American colors and the por-
trait of the President of the United States |
have been hoisted promiscuously over
the native houses since the outbreak OF
the civil war in Samoa. He also says
that American and British flags were
hoisted on plots of land pledged by the
rebels, in lieu of cash, in payment for
arms and ammunition. The Commander
of the British cruiser at Apia, he says,
declined to support the claims to the
land thus pledged.
The Samoan Conference sat to day |
from 4 until 5 80 o'clock. The land re-
port was the a,,h;aet uuuer consideration l.. !