Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-22
CLOUDS OF WAR.
What Is Not Known About the Samoan
Troubles.

There were no new phases of the Samoan
difficulties developed at the State department
to-day. In fact, the officials there seem to be
depending upon the newspapers just at present
for their information on that subject, and the
latest stories about the insult to the American
flag and other dangerous incidents are stamped
by them as sensational and unreliable
The latest news from London of confer
ence between Minister Phelps and Lord Sails
bury, furnishes both state and naval officers
with ample material for speculation and gos-
sip, but if anything official in the way of a
telegraphic report from Mr.. Phelps has been
received by this government it is being kept
very quiet as diligent inquiries at the depart
formation. 1t seems very likely. judg-
ing from the tone of officials, that
there has been considerable more done by the
department than has been supposed and init
nations are vaguely made that this govern
ment has really succeeded in its efforts to draw
continental attention to the action of Germany
IN CASE OF WAR.
''War?" exclaimed a naval officer to a-SrAR
reporter in discussing the matter, "why Ger
many doesn't dare go to war with us on this ac-
count! Its all the other European powers are
after to get Germany entangled. There are
too many cats around for that rat to make a
move. Yet, should Germany want to make a
stand on the Samoan matter victory over us
alone would be almost certain, judging from
the relative size and strength of the navies of
the two nations"
AS CoALING STATION.
There is an atmosphere at the State depart
ment that hints of satisfaction at the turn of
affairs. 1t is quite important that the United
States should maintain its hold on the con-
cessions made to this government in the
Samoan islands, it is said, for there is the only
coaling station belonging to the United States
in the Pacific. The coal there is all gone now
however, but with the right to the harbor con-
ceded to US once established beyond the reach
of foreign Intervention it would be
very easy to stock the station with coal from
the mines of New Zealand. At the latter place
our vessels have to coal at British stations and
it is thought safer to have one of our own At
Honolulu there is always supply of coal,
brought, also, from New Zealand.
EXPECTATIONS.
1t is expected that definite information will
be received from the islands in few DAYS. for
the Samoan mail will probably be in on Satur-
day or Sunday, containing dispatches in full
from the consul at Apia. The fact that moth
ing has been recently received by cable from
Auckland is thought to be an evidence that the
danger in the Samoan group is not SO bad as
might be thought. Auckland is the nearest
cable station 500 miles distant, and it is nec-
essary TO send news over by boats from Samoa.
AT AUKLAND,
naval officer stationed there for the purpose
sends the message by way of the China conti-
mental cable across Europe, and so on over to
this country. The average time occupied in
getting news in this way from Samoa is about
eight days. Mail comes from there in about
three weeks, or possibly longer. Samoa does
not lie in the route of the Australian
steamers, and the mail has to be sent
in a schooner several hundred miles west to
reach small island at which stop is made. It
is then taken aboard when a steamer comes
along, and thence to San Francisco, after which
Q week is taken in crossing the continent.
MARRIAGE LICENSES. licenses have