Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-02-01
BAYARD ON SAMOA.
An Official Review of the
Situation Given.
THE DEPARTMENT POWERLEss,
But the Country Cannot be Ex-
pected to Stand the Latest
German AggressiOns.

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD
AUCKLAND, January 31.-Advices from
Samoa state that the German officials
have given notice that all vessels arriv-
ing there will be searched for articles
contraband of war. They have sup
pressed the Samoan Times. "A passen-
ger on the British steamer Walnut, who
visited Mataafa's camp, was placed un-
der arrest. but was subsequently released
in compliance with the demand of the
British Consul. A proclamation has
been issued placing the Apia police force
under German control. Mataafa's fol-
lowers number 5000. They are strongly
entrenched, and other Samoans are
rapidly joining them. Upon arrival of
the steamer Richmond, she was boarded
and searched by the Germans.
WASHINGTON, January 31.-Secretary
Bayard was this evening shown the dis
patches from Auckland, stating that Ger
many had given notice that vessels ar
irving at Samoa be searched for contra
band goods. He said the Department
to-day received dispatches from Consul
Blackjack, stating that war had been de-
clared against Mataafa and martial Law
proclaimed by the German Consul at
Apia. He did not know whether the
martial law referred to included all Sa-
moa, or only Apia. Reference was made
to criticisms of the Department of State,
and the Secretary said: "I would like
the gentlemen who have been criticis-
ing everything done by the State
Department to show one instance
in which 1 have broken the law, or
permitted it to be violated. 1 do not
know Of such an instance. There has been
great deal of misrepresentation and, in
time, my countrymen will see that the
State Department has done everything
| that could be done. 1 have yet to learn
that any American has been Injured, or
any of their rights, as defined by law or
treaty, have been taken away. Our pol
icy has been fixed and steady in the d.
rection of the preservation Of American
rights. The department cannot stop the
| fighting in Samoa. We cannot prevent
rival commercial companies quarreling
and fighting. 1t is not for us to try to
give every country stable government"
| A gentleman well acquainted with Sa-
moan affairs said tonight that matters
had reached a serious state, and he would
not be surprised to hear that conflict
had taken place between the Germans
and Americans. The natives had beaten
the Germans repeatedly and, according to
the Auckland dispatches, Germany now
proposes to whip them by preventing
arms being sent in. The newspaper
read by the Americans had been sup
pressed, and the Germans had
of Apia. The American residents con-
tributed TO the fund for the support of
the municipal police, and it was bad
enough to have them under the direction
of Tamasese, but under German control
it was infinitely worse. He said it might
appear unusual and a bold thing for us to
say that we would protect the independ-
ence of country so far away, but our
national honor and our obligations re-
quired we should come to it,"
BERLIN, January 31.-A white book on
the Samoan question will shortly be
presented to the Reichstag. The Ma
tional Zeitstng announces that friendly
settlement with America may be ex-
pected, based upon Pince Bismarck's
proposal for joint discussion. 1t is not
expected that the German military oper-
tions in Samoa will commence until after
sufficient reinforcements are sent to the
islands. At present there are at Samoa
three German warships, with an availa-
BILE landing force of 800 men.