The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-02-16
ANNEXATION OUT OF THE QUESTION
Count Herbert BIsn1arck's Instruc-
tlons to tho Consul at ApIa.
cermany's Side OF the Samoan oues-
ton Officially Presented.
The Times Letters Under ExamIn-
alton by the Commission.

BERLIN, Feb. 15.-In the Relchstag TODAY
the white book In reference to the Samoan
matter was introduced II comprises "A doc
uments extending from December 8. 1886 10
February 8, 1899. Among the documents is
the report Of the German consul at Apla
dated Feb. "a, 1883, describing the endeavors
Of the Americans and Engllshmen to provoke
conflicts. A dispatch dated In September,
1888, deals with the revolt Of Mataafa and
the support given him by Capt Leary, U.
). N. A telegram from Count Herbert Bis
marck, dated Feb. /, 1889, TO the German
ministers at Washington and London directs
them to inform Secretary Bayard and Lord
Salisbury respecting the attack upon the
Germans Dec. 18th. and orders the minister
at Washington to complain to the United
States government that an American, Klein.
was prominent In the fighting The ministers
were further instructed 10 declare that Ger
many had adhered 10 her treaties and would
respect the rights founded thereon.
On Jan. 8th, Count Herbert Bismarck tele-
graphed the German Consul at Apia that on
account Of an agreement with the United
States aud Great Britain the annexation OF
odAuDh W 0CAhAduJ was OuL Ol Lnt question:.
A despatch sent to the German embassies al
London and Washington, Jan. 18th, states
the object OF military measures against Ma
taafa was to punish the murderers OF Ger
man soldiers and secure TO German subjects
the possession Of their property.
A document, dated Feb. 2, sent by Count
Herbert Bismarck TO Admiral Baron Won
Der Goltz, chief Of the German admiralty,
says: Germany Is not at war with Samoa,
but she regards Tamasese. as the rigntful
ruler, and Mataafa as rebel, against whom
and his followers retaliation must be en-
forced Any one standing by them Is pro-
moter Of the conflict between him and the
Germans, and must take the consequences" !"
Count Herbert concludes by declaring that
nothing Is changed Ia the legal position OF
foreign subjects In Samoa.
On November "a Prince Bismarck sent a
telegram saying that II the vindication Of
Tamasese was impossible, the utmost adj
vanees should be made to reconcile him with
Mataafa. December 3, DIR. Knappe reported
that the American commander at ApIa was
stirring the natives up against the Germans
December IL, Mr.. Blackjack complained that
drunken sailors from the German man-of-
war Olga committed outrages In Apia, enter
ing houses and S Swo1nding men and women:
| In January. 1889, Prince Bismarck notihed
DIR. Knappe that reprisals were necessary,
such as were conSOnant with the treaty with
England and America. The Chancellor
said: because Mataafa assaulted Tamasese
we shall interfere only by succoring Tamas-
esq.," Bismarck charged DIR. Knappe to
entreat other foreign c0nsuls TO combine to
restore peace. The white book ends with
a report from the German consul at Apia
which records that December 10, Mataafa.
in humble letter. sonrht TO open negotla-
tions with the consul, but would not snrren-
der himself, although pledges were given
that his life should be spared. In a subse-
quent letter, Mataafa promises 70 surrender
In the presence of the British and Ameri-
can consuls. The German consul declined
to entertain the offer.