The herald., 1893-08-05
COMMENCED ANDF|N|SHED
King Maliet0a Is Cock Of the
Walk.
Mataafa's Forces Put to Flight After
Hard Fighting.
Ghastly Orgies of tho Victorious War
riOrs-The Trouble Ended by tho
Intervention of tho Treaty
Powers.

Powers.
By the Associated Press.
APrA. Samoa, July 10 [per steamer via
San Francisco, Aug. 4.]-The long pre-
dicted war in Samoa has been COM
menced and is finished. The inverven-
tion of the three powers put decisive
end to the trouble. The first outbreak
Of hostilities occurred July yth, when
the royal forces started their march on
Malie, Mataafa's camp. They captured
an outpost aud disarmed the four men
in it, after which they were set at lib
erty.
Next day the war actually began, and
the first blood was shed. Mataafa's loss
is estimated at 80 killed and 20 wounded.
Fifteen heads were brought in triumph
to the king. Mataafa's forcea were scat
tered. Malietoa had carefully planned
his attack, and but for the accidental
discharge of gun, which precipitated
the conflict, Mataafa's forces would have
been exterminated.
Malietoa and his chief had become
impatient at what they considered the
indifference of the three powers and de-
termined to take the matter into their
own hands, and the advance upon Malie
was begun. One section of the kings
army was sent through the bush, with
orders to spread out and connect with
the second below Male. A. third sec
tion, accompanied by an armed feet of
Is boats, sailing close in shore, went
along the beach. According to the
plans, Mataafa was to be hemmed in on
all sides. The accidental discharge of a
gun brought the two forces into conflict
before the circle around Mataafa was
complete.
THE SCENE OF BATTLE.
At plantation belonging to German
firm. the followers OF Malietoa and the
adherents Of Mataafa met. Both lines
extended from the ocean beach three or
four miles into the interior. A. large de-
tachment of Mataafa's men wac sta.
toned ina cattle yard. As the kings
men advanced. the men on Mataafa's q
side recognized friends and called out a
cordial greeting. Hendshakes were in
dnlged in and kava exchanged, and it
seemed as if friendly relations were to
be re-established. One ferociors old
warrior, named Patu, urged the kings
men to back into ranks, when some-
body fred shot and the fight COM
menced. Firing became general and
deadly.
A RAKING FIRE.
On the sesbeach opposite the cattle
yard were posted number of the kings
men. Mataafa's men advanced to the
wall and were exposed to raking fire
along their line. Another detachment
of Malistoa's troops took advantage of
an opening inside of the wall to pour in
repeated and deadly volleys. The Ma
taafaites were forced to abandon the
atockyard, and az they got on the wall
at the rear they were greeted with an
other attack and were forced to retreat
to the shelter Of another stone wall,
little distance into the brush. Here
they made stand. and Malietoa's men
retired. When they attacked the place
the next morning Matasfa and his war
riors had fed to Malie.
1t ie estimated that Mataafa's loss wss
about 80 killed and 20 wounded. Fiji
teen heads were brought in triumph to
the king, it being the Samoan custom to
decapitate killed or even wounded ene-
mics. Among the heads were those Of
two women, but 1t is believed they were
killed by mistake, though they took an
active part in the fight.
MATAAFA'S RETREAT.
The royal party marched ON Mslie and
there met section which ought to have
prevented Mataafa's escape. But Ma
taafa and his followers had got away in
boats to the adjoining island of Manono.
On July 18th King Malietoa sent an
ultimatum to Mataafa, demanding the
surrender of himself and chiefs, the sole
condition being that their lives would
be spared. No reply was made to this.
INTERFERENCE OF THE POWERS.
On July 10th the british man-of-war
Katoomba arrived at Apia, bringing
Joint instructions from the powers that
the rebellion must be subdued. The
commanders of the British and German
warships and the consuls of the three
powers held consultation. 1t was de-
cided to demand Mataafa's surrender,
and the British and German warships
(no American vessel was there) sailed
for Manono. They arrived there early
on the morning of July 18th, and sent
word to Mataafa that If he did not sur
render, his camp would be shelled by
the ships, and Malietoa's warriors
landed. The Mstaafaites were weak in
number and were short of ammunition.
They would have been slaughtered had
this programme been carried out.
METAAFA sURRENDERs.
But quarter of an hour before the
time was up, Mataafa and his chiefs
boarded the Katoomba and surrendered.
The Katoomba and Buzzard had cleared
'or action and the men stood at their
yuns. The Sperbber had gone to the
,ther side of the island to prevent es-
,ape in that direction. The German
yessels returned to Apia, while the Ka-
oomba remained to disRrm the follow
,rs OF Mataasa.
Following is a copy OF letter sent by
he consuls to Matsafa, demanding his
"We, the three consuls OF the treaty
'overs, hereby give you notice that II