Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-01-22
SHE WENT TOO FAR.
Germany 0yerstepped the Bounds
of Propriety 1T Samoa,
OUR WAR SHIPS ON THE WAY
Secretary whitney Thinks Three VIII
Suffice for the Present Congress to
Take n Hand-The incident De-
scribed-Not "A Casus BeIii.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22.-In an interview
as to the navy's attitude in the Samoan af-
fair, Secretary Whitney said that he thought
the time had arrived for our government to
establish and maintain definite line Of pol
icy with regard to the islanls Of ths Pacific
ocean.
He commended Capt Mu LENS conduct at
Latopga, aud said the United States steam
ship Nipsic has been instructed TO remain at
Samoa, where she will shortly be joined by
the Trenton and the Vandalia The former
vessel is now one week cut from Panama,
bound for Samoa, and the Vandalia left the
Mare Island navy yard today
Secretary Whitney has very emphatic
ideas on this subject, but under the circum.
stances he cannot 60 beyond the instructions
he has received from the president He says
the three vessels ordered to Samoa will prob
Ibly be sufficient TO protect the American
interests there in case of ON emergency.
In the meantime he looks for am early set
tlement Of the controversy by congress The
impression prevails in cabinet circles that
Germany has exceeded the bounds of pro-
priety in the matter, and, in the language of
a member of the cabinet, IAN issue should be
made with her at once
The opinion is expressed here that the
Americans who came under the fire of the
German guns were operating with the forces
of the king against the rebels, and that the
American flag has been improperly used to
shield the forces of the king against the
operations of the German naval officers. In
the rebellion against the existing government
of Samoa, the Americans have taken the side
of the government, while the Germans are
supporting the rebels
The facts, as far as known here, Show that
the German inter erence and the shelling of
Samoan towns was without justification
The matter VIII be thoroughly investigated
by this government, but nothing can be done
until more facts are known.
The German navy consists of about
40 vessels, many of which are
modern and supplied with Krupp guns of
large caliber and long range. The strength
of the navy is put down at $4,000 men. In
addition to this active force there i, a large
reserve of ships and men corresponding to
the Landwehr, and at the principal home
stations there are assembled numerous bat
teries of heavy guns of modern fabrication
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. -. On account of
the heavy fog in the bay Sunday the United
States man-of-war Vandaiia, after leaving
the Mare Island navy yard. anchored for the
night She has now left for Samoa.
Next to that of the Trenton, the Vandalia
carries the heaviest battery in the Pacific
squadron. She carries a sixty poundar
breech loading rifle on her forecastle, an
eight inch pivot muzze loading rifle for
ward of foremast and six nine inch Dahl
grens in broadside in waist. She also has a
three inch ride-a wicked little gun-on poop
deck, a twenty pound breech loading rified
howitzer and two Gatlings She also has a
Hotchkiss rlhed cannon To man the ship
and serve all these guns, the vessel carries
complement of 240 officers, crew and ma
rines. Seven of the officers of the Mohican.
who have not yet entered upon three years
cruise, were transferred to the Vandalia A
number of long time men were also sent to
the Vandalia- The Samoan Times. news
paper published at Apia, and which has
been impartial in its account of the events
on the islands, gives the following version of
the fight OF Dec IS:
ssAt O'Clock on the morning of Tuesday
eighty sailos from the Olga were landed at
Mataafa and forty more were sent in boats
along the coast, the eighty men marching on
land to meet Mataafa. At q German
farmers plantation the shore party were
re-enforced by all the imported labor
ers, 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 Ma
taafa. knowing the danger of interference
with the German soldiers, retired inland a
few hundred yards. The Germans followed
up, and fired into Mataafa's people, killing
young man, son of q chief. The chief,
getting terribly excited, was prevented by
his own people from firing into the Ger
mans, but while struggling against their
side his son. Mataafa's people could not
stand this, and by common impulse, with
out orders, returned fire. Their first voIley
killed six Germans and wounded others
Several Of Tamasese's men fed and the la
borers refused TO fight it out. knowing that
this meant certain death against vast odds
the sailors heat a hasty retreat to their boats,
Mataafa's warriors following them some dis
tance. Mataafa lost about ten killed and
wounded, while the German loss is stated at
twenty killed Among the dead is Lieut..
Sieger. The United States steamer Nipsic
steamed to Saluafata on Tuesday, on hear
ing that German war ships were going to
shell Mataafass stronghold Capt. Mullen
had communication with the German COM
manders and entered his protest against their
reported project His protest was not taken
notice Of, however, for the Olga threw shells
into the spot where Mataafa was supposed to
be, but which he had vacated
The Chronicle says that concurrent testi-
mony of the action of the Germans shows
that the Germans brought upon themselves
the fate that overlook them. as il was not
until tw0 Of Mataafa's chiefs were killed that
he ordered his men TO fire on the Germans
The marines wers only saved from exfer-
mination b. the prompt arrival Of their gum
boatR After their defeat the Germans boms
hnsisd ths village d Maafaeztsls although