The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-01-12
LATEST FROM SAMOA.
German Sailors Engaged Against
Mataafa.
Fifty OF Them Killed and wounded
Critical Situation at Apia-Sub-
jects OF the Three Powers
Called Aboard Their
National NRaseIa.

Samoan Times, the latest being that of
Saturday, Dec. 22d. This is thirteen
days before the Alameda called off of Tu-
tuila, but private letters received in this
city contain nothing exciting later than
the account of fighting in the paper re-
ferred to. These advices reveal a changed
situation of affairs precipitated by Ger
man warlike action.
On Monday, December 18th, the Cap
tain of the German corvette Olga init
mated to the Captains of the British and
American warships in Apia his intention
to 90 to Saluafata for the purpose of put
ting an end, in a peaceful manner, to
the war between Mataafa and Tama-
sese. This seemed to please the Eng
lishman and to satisfy the American.
At all events, neither of them gave any
sign OF opposition to the German plan.
The Olga steamed out and joined the
Eber already lying off the scene of
action. Their boats conveyed 200 of
Tamasese's men to position closer to
that of Mataafa. The Olga returned to
| Apia the same afternoon, her Captain
| for the first time paying an official visit
to the British gunboat Royalist, although
the latter had been in port fourteen days.
Whatever happened between the two
commanders is not known, but Capt.
Hand of the Royalist made no demon
stration subsequently further than to
keep up full steam on his ship.
At 2 o'clock in the morning of Tuesday
eighty sailors from the Olga were landed
at Matautu and forty more sent in boats
along the coast, the eighty men marching
| inland to meet Mataafa. At the German
firms plantation, Vailili, the shore party
were reinforced by all the imported
| labor, said to be New Britain men; so
| that Mataafa was between the 200 men
who came down the day before and the
| German sailors and foreign laborers.
Mataafa, knowing the danger of inter
| fering with German soldiers, retired in
| land few hundred yards at their APP
| proach. The Germans followed up and
| fired into Alataafa's people, killing a
! young man, the son of a chief. The
! chief getting terribly excited was only
prevented by his own people from firing
| into the Germans, but while struggling
against the formers efforts he himself
was shot and fell dead beside his son.
Mataafa's people could not stand this,
and by common impulse without orders
returned TIE fire. Their first volley
| killed six Germans and wounded others.
| Several of Tamasese's men fed and the
| laborers refused to fight, leaving the
! Germans to fight it out. Knowing that
this meant certain death against the vast
odds, the sailors beat hasty retreat to
their boats, Mataafa's warriors pursuing
| them some distance. Mataafa lost about
ten killed and thirty wounded, while the
| German loss is stated at twenty killed OF
died of their wounds. Among the dead
is Lieut.. Sieger. The Captain of the
U. S. S. Nipsic attended the funeral OF
this officer and nine men in Apia.
The Nipsic steamed to Saluafata on
the Tuesday on hearing that the German
warships were going to shell Mataafa's
stronghold. Capt. Mullan had commun.
ications with the German commanders
and entered his protest against their re-
ported project. His protest was moi
taken notice of, however, for the Olga
threw shells into the spot where Malta
ala was supposed to be but which he haC
vacated. Out of a party of five who
were cooking three were killed and two
wounded by bursting shell. Next day
Wednesday, the gunboat Adler shelleC
and burned Mataafa's late residence
That chieitain had, however, retired into
safer quarters.
The Times reports that Mataafa anC
Tamasese were anywhere back in the
bush, and as far as the safety of the for
eign residents of Apia was concerned
they were in a worse position than before
these "high-handed proceedings" were
taken. The Germans were circulating
report that Mataafa's men had free
first, but the paper after making en-
quiries from all sources denies the state
! ment.
After the men-of-war had returned OF
Thursday, the town of Apia was in fer
ment. Mataafa's men, who had floCkeC
into the town the previous night for sup
plies, evinced a determination to die OF
the battlefield rather than again become
| the slaves of Brandeis and Tamasese
On the other hand the Germans made
no secret of their intentions to crush Ma
taafa if they could. The British anC
American warships were made ready TO
action. A Calling gun from the NipsiC
was stationed on the veranda of the
United States Consulate. If the Ger
man warships should send men on shore
for the protection of their people, it wa;
believed the British and American yes
sells would do likewise. British Consu
de CoetlOgOn issued a circular advisins
British residents to send their wives anC
children on board the ROyalist or to the
Consulate. This was shortly after the
Olga began the bombardment of Matafa
gatele, which took place on Thursday
About thirty shots or shells were thrown
inland, after which men were landed
and burned the town. Correspondent
of the Times protest against Captain
Hand declining to assure protection II
property held by British residents only
by mortgage, one saying that protection
only to men having their all invested II
/ property or business amounted tono pro
lection at all.
a meeting of the three Consuls held a
the suggestion of the German came t
an abrupt termination. The German
Consul proposed as a basis of settlement
which he had also forwarded to Ma
! taafa-that Mataafa's people should bt
= disarmed and he surrender himself OF
board one of the German warships. His
life was promised 10 be spared if he sub
5 mitted, out no guarantee would be giveI
r for his liberation. This pro position die
not suit either OF the other Consuls, ST
that further consultation was useless
{ The bOmbardment of Matafagatele above
mentioned was in consequence of the
Mataafa party dsregarding proclama
ton from the German Consul to brin!
their arms on board German warshiI