The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-13
HOPEFUL VIEW Is TAKEN.
Washington Officials Believe situa-
ton Is Not Desperate.

Washington, April 12.-The acute sit
uation in Samoa gave rise to grave
apprehension among officials during the
early day in Washington, but the con-
clusion was reached as the depart
ments closed, that the situation is one
that will yield to sensible and cool
treatment if all the parties to the Berlin
treaty are sincere in an effort to pre-
vent further trouble. AS put by a
cabinet officer, the killing of the sail
ocs has not materially changed the
general problem, though it has un-
doubtedly. added to the difficulty of
dealing with the specific situation.
The only official news received touch
ing the last incident was contained in
Admiral Kautzs cablegram. The sec
retary said that no additional instruc
tions were to be sent by him to the
admiral The secretary of state, how
ever, has been told that he is at liberty
to forward any instruction to the ad-
mirai that he may deem necessary, but
that if he concludes to do 50, he must
act Immediately, as the mail steamer
leaves the nearest cable point for Apia
tomorrow.
The Philadelphia was shorthanded
\ for officers before the loss of Lieuten-
ant LanadGle and Ensign Monaghan,
and the department today promptly
Se-lA ltltSIdl)tllC OIueTS 10 MATT lS1dilu
to dispatch some officers to recruit the
force. Lieutenant Scheutze goes out
as executive officer. with Lieutenant w.
s. Hughes, Lieutenant Schofield and
Lieutenant Hetherington. Surgeon
Steel is ordered from the New York
navy yard to the Philadelphia. All of
these officers are expected to take the
mail steamer of the 18th inst. for Apia-
The diplomatic negotiations of the
low o+ ic,,1 ri 70
the encounter, as the official informa-
ton is too meager thus far to warrant
positive official action. There We're many
inquiries, however, and the state de-
partment and the British and German
embassies exchanged such advices as
they had on the subject. In the main.
ths diplomatic negotiations continued
to center around the high commission.
On this subject a breach is gradually
opening between Great Britain and
/ Germany, because of the refusal of
/ Great Britain to have the commission
leave San Francisco on the 18th.
! While the Germans are anxious and
/ our officials are willing that the start
should be made on the 18th, Great Brit
/ ain insists on proceeding with delibera-
| ton, allowing full time FOR instructions
10. the British commissioner by mail
and not by cable. This of course,
would make it impossible for the COM
mission to leave in body this month.
/ To overcome this stand by the Brit
! iSh foreign Office, a suggestion has been
made that the appointment of an UNI
pire. which is one of the points still in
/ dispute be settled after the commits
/ sion starts. If this is agreed to, the
commission can be away, though with
some branches of its instructions in
/ complete.
In the meantime they could be max
ing their preliminary examinations, the
! final directions being reserved until
/ complete instructions were in hand.
/ This German proposal does not meet
with favor among the British officials
! who have determined that the British
commissioner, Mr.. Eliot, shall not leave
until his functions can be exactly de-
fined.
The British admiralty has a number
of warships not far from Samoa in the
! Australasian islands, a special design
of small cruisers being used in that To-
cality. The chief naval station acces-
sible TO Samoa is on the China coast,
where the Asiatic squadron embraces
some of the largest warships in the
British navy. In number. armament
and TONNAGE, the British ships on this
station far exceed those of Germany
or any other power.
The chief German station near Samoa
is also on the China coast, at Kiao-
Chou. where Admiral Prince Henry is
in command.
Admiral Dewey's fleet at Manila is
the nearest assemblage of American
warships in Samoa The sail from Man
liza to Samoa is about fourteen days.