Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-04-13

| lively times in Samoa during the past
few DAYS. The United States and
British warships have shelled Ma
taafa's forces repeatedly. and sailors
have been landed in Apia to protect
property. Numerous casualties have
resulted on both sides. Admiral
Kautz and the commanders of the
British ships are anxiously awaiting
advices from their governments, and
| in the meantime the shelling proceeds
daily.
When Admiral Kautz arrived on the
| Philadelphia he spent two days in
making inquiries, and then called a
meeting of all the consuls and senior
officers of all the warships in the
harbor. AS result of the meeting
a proclamation was issued by the
American admiral declaring that the
so-called provisional government un-
der Mataafa can have no legal status
under the Berlin treaty. and. there
fore, cannot be recognized by the con-
sular and naval representatives. and
ordering Mataafa and his supporters
to quietly go to their homes and re-
spect the laws of the Berlin treaty.
Mataafa and his chiefs quietly left
and went to the western portion of the
municipality. and it seemed as if they
| were about to obey the commands to
return to their homes. The German
consul, however. issued a counter
proclamation in ting Samoan language,
which was distributed among the Ma
| taafans. The proclamation reads as
| follows:
"Notice to all Samoans: BY the
proclamation Of the admiral Of the
United States, dated March II, was
| made known that the three consuls
| of the signatory powers Of the Berlin
treaty, as well as the three command
ers of the men-of-war, had been unan-
| imous to no more recognize the pro-
visiOnal government composed of Ma
taafa and thirteen chiefs. l therefore
make known to you that this procla-
| nation is quite false. l, the German
consul general, continue to recognize
the provisional government of Samoa
until l have received contrary instruc-
tons from my government.
-"Rose German Consul General.
"Apia, March 10. 1892
The immediate result of this act
was that the rebels turned back and
prepared for war. declaring that they
VIVIAN hOb oDCN ulllInl OluCl
The neXt day Apia was surrounded by
Philadelphia and Porpoise, under
landed to protect the loyal natives
On Tuesday, Mataafa having failed to
obey the admirals proclamation, Flag
Lieut.. Miller was sent to deliver an
ultimatum. Everything looked ugly
1lr;f Oh, III, 80 1,
cts were landed in Apia to protect the
consulates. Quick-firing, machine and
small field pieces were also landed
Hostilities commenced on Tuesday
afternoon when half a dozen Malietoa
men were taken to headquarters and
bound. The whole of the outskirts Of
Apia We're shelled from the harbor,
seventy shells being fired before dark.
The next day body of 300 Malietoans
hsd their rifles returned to them from
the Porpoise and rendered good service
in clearing the brush. The rebel vii
lage Of Vaiaila was burned in order
to prevent the close approach to the
consulate
The German warship Fake at
tempted to leave port on secret mis-
sion when Admiral Kautz ordered her
Gftptilu ~ stay where he was ana De
ready to afford help to his countrymen.
The Fake remained
During Thursday matters were
quiet. About dusk the Americans
fired on body Of Mataafans, but no
one was killed.
Early Friday morning 200 rebels
rushed up to within thirty yards of
the consulate. The sailors behaved
splendidly and the natives were re.
pulsed One American sailor was
killed and one British sailor was shot
in both legs.
For several days the German war
ship Fake persistently kept in the
way so as to :lisccmmode the fire of
the British ships Finally Admiral
Kautz compelled her to move inside
the .harbor entrance out of the way.
On March % King Tanumafili Ma
lietoa was crowned king of Samoa at
Mulinu. The ceremony was attended
by United States and British repre-
sentatives. A processio nmarched all
through Apia headed by the band Of
the Philadelphia. The German Of
ficials were conspicuous by their alb
Sence.