New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-18
MATAAFA STILL STUBBORN.
PROSPECT OF AN OUTBREAK AMONG THE
SANOANS.

bAAlhDAAAfo'
AHA, samoa, July 1s.-The past two weeks have
been comparatively lively for the King, the Government
officials and the Consuls. There have been frequent
mcotings for consultation, and preparation has been
made rs far rs possible for the possibility OF war. men
at the head OF affairs were flying back and forth
aronnd the beach. with an air OF business quite foreign
TO this easy-golng place. Many contradictory reports
ard rumors were sent up from Male and Manono IN
regard TO tbs situation and condition OF affairs at those
| points. About the first Of the month Information was
! received that four boats from Leapas were waiting at
Fagaloa. They had come from thlir village on inc
| mposite side OF the island, and had sent back for their
guns to be brought over to them. Then with fasaio'
! they were going down to join Mainafa at MAIZE l"o
| days later these four boats passed Apia. gong uo""
the coast outside the reef. The following night q num-
Der Of boats full of men passed MulInuu Point, whcrc
the Government building arc. They were olo"i"e
horns and mailing n great noise, according to samoan
custom. several hundred armed warriors OF Malieuoa
party were posted al Mulinuu 90 Intercept the parry
| in the boats in case they came inside the rcei' OF w
protect the point II an attack was made. inc ooaUS'
however, did not attempt TO come inside Dut PaS0'
outside the reef. Next day more boats were seen pas
sing outside. These were people from Samusu'
Fagaloa and Lcapaa. A few days before this the am
munltlon stored in a magazine in the edge OF town w"S
removed, and placed for safeheeping In the store vi d
large wholesale house.
A short time after the boats passed down the coast
they were Joined by people from Manono ana some
paris OF Savaii. The report came TO Apla that there
were 400 armed men patodlng the village oi
Male, and that the coast road on cltner SLUG lr so'er"i
miles was guarded with sentries.
Manono has all along been actively engaged Ill
stirring up rebellion and has made repeated endeaVors
to induce some Of the ruling towns OF Malletoa as
ticts TO break away from the Government party
Mataafa constantly Tc.tcrates his assurances that he
desires pcace, and that he Is working for the gcOu Oh
sa. GA but his acts do not bear him out In MS utter
ances. He is surrounded by chiefs who nre well
known for their hostility to the present government
and who have ever been promoters Of political strife
and discord In samoa. That he is Influenced by them
is apparent in his refusal TO remove from Male as ne
has been advised to do. The consuls nave dlstri-
buted around the island the following proclamation
We The undersigned representatives of the three
great Powers, hereby make known TO ana inform tne
people Of samoa that there is only one government IN
Samoa, and only one King, Malietoa Laupcpa; accord,
Treaty Powers to break this agreement.
The government of Maletoa Laupepa Is very
strong. because It is supported by the three great
poweTs. Any persons febelling or melting 10 re
bellion will not succeed, but will only be brought TO
Thore are people making mischief BY spreading
false reports that one Of the greaht, Powers WiSnes r5 10
three Governments are as one in this matter. and only
desire the welfare Of Samoa, ana dlsappTOVe vi any
pcrson or persons who try to cause trouble IN samoa.
This is what we wish yOu all to understand, and obey
the laws Of the Government.
Tie King. acting on the advice Of the Chief Justice
and the President Of the Council, also issued a pro
clamation 10 the chiefs, faipules and people at Male
and other places to go to their homes, pay
their taxes and work for the good Of the coun-
try. These proclamatiOns were distributed
that of the King giving four days time to the people
TO return to their homes. Letters were written by
Mataafa in answer, saying that he and the pec-lo "lth
him desired two or three months to consider the WoruS
of the proclamation, lntimatinG that mischief and
- -. - -. ;f 4lo naoo1 vrnrp forpau tO cCnDlV
strictly with the Instructions of the proclamation
A letter from the consuls was sent, a day or two
later than the proclamation, TO Mataafa, requesting
him to leave Mallc; but this he again refused to do.
It IS reported that Mataafa advised the people with INN
to 60 to their homes, and he would go to his
home In Atua; but in this he was strongly oppoSef
by certain Of his chiefs.
Lack Of money and ammunition, a. well as the
presence Of the German gunboat Sperber in the harbor'
has probably contributed more than awning else 10
prevent rebellion. The Sperber only expected to re-
main here two weeks when she first arrived and then
go to sydney for a relief crew. She still remains
here, and it is thought the relief crew may be sent
from sydney TO Samoa.
The tax money Is coming In very slowly. 1t should
all have been in by the first of July. The district Of
Faasalcleaga. in Savaii, has paid about $4,000 into tho
treasury. A part Of the district Of Falealili has been
over with a talolo to the King and brought part OF
The tax. The district surrounding Apia has largely
paid also the village of Malie. Mataafa has paid his
taxes. Beyond this, l have not been able TO ascertain
that any other districts have paid
1t may be Of interest to Americans to see nov the
revenues of samoa are divided among the different
nationalitics in the matter of public salaries, as shown
in the following table
Baron Won FH'aeh' Iesi1' "a =. $1,000
! r R go" land 5000
=, I1ar,iS Goj,ctor of Customs 400
y 80, fie.,yaIter $50
a. . "d He,Ith and Orarautlne Oncer. 720
Total sl1, 800
SWEDEN.
r coscrc,,otz Chief Justice 10000
y a. III .norre chief Of Pole. 1,GS0
~ n, tLnSy CIhrlt supreme Court. 80. .....-. loo
4 - - a. 9,ddItIen Uncertain
poakccL" Moi $40
sHI,.il rasi,icnce fe,r 40 monthly). 20
Total ~'''O
ENGLAND.