The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-11

fTdnclSCO, April I)-IneTc nave deem
lively times in Samoa during the past
few days. The United States and Brit
ish w~arships have shelled Mataafa's
forces repeatedly and sailors have been
landed in Apia to protect property.
Numerous casualties have resulted on
both sides. Malietoa has been crowned
king. Admiral Kautz and the COM
manders of the British ships are anx-
liously awaiting advices from their gov
Aernments and in the meantime the
Smelling proceeds daily.
: When Admiral Kautz arrived on the
Philadelphia he spent two days in
making inquiry and then called a
meeting of all the consuls n the SEN
ior officers of all the warships in the
harbor. As a result of the meeting a
proclamation was issued by the Amer
lean admiral declaring that the So
called provincial government under Ma
taafa could have nc legal status un-
der the Berlin treaty and, therefore,
could not be recognized by the consular
and naval representatives, and order
ing Mataafa and his supporters to
quietly go to their homes and respect
the laws of the Berlin treaty. 1t was
further ordered thai the people eject
ed from their homes be returned n
the power of the naval force, it was
stated, would be used against all who
d~isregarded the right of peaceably dis
posed people. The authority Of the
chief justice was upheld by the proc
lamation and the admiral closed by
saying he hoped there would be no Oc-
casion to use military power. The
proclamation was signed by Admiral
KautZ.
This proclamation was taken to Ma
taafa and read to him by Flag Lieu
tenant Miller. 1t was received in ST.
1ence and no answer was made. Ma
taafa and his chiefs quietly left and
went to the western portion of the mu-
nicipalfty n it seemed as if they were
about to obey the commands n re-
turn to their homes. The German con-
sui, however, issued a cOunter-procla-
nation, in the Samoan language, which
was distributed among the M~ataafans.
The proclamation reads as follows.
NOTICE TO ALL SAMOANS.
by tn. proclamation of the admiral
of the United States, dated Mcrch 18th,
it was made known that the rlTee con-
suls of the signatory powers of the
Berlin treaty, as we'll as the three COM
manders of men-Of-War, had been
unanimous to no more recognize the
provincial government composed of
Mataafa and the thirteen chiefs.
II therefore make known to you that
this proclamation is quite false. l, the
German cOnsul-general, continue to
recognize the provincial government of
Samoa until 1 have received contrary
Instructions from my government"
The immediate result of this act was
that the rebels turned back and pre-
pared for war, declaring that they
would not obey the admiraIs order,
and Woul reVen any food supplies
being brought into Samoa for the Ma
lietoan natives The next day Apia
was surrounded by Mataafa's warriors.
Forces from the Philadelphia and the
Porpoise, under L~ieutenants Brown
and Cave, were landed to protect the
loyal natives.
On Tuesday, Mataafa, having failed
to appear, Lieutenant Miller was sent
to deliver an ultimatum. He was not
allowed to see the chief, but delivered
his message and retired. Everything
looked ugly and British and American
b~luejackets were landed in Apia to
protect the consultates. Quick firing
machines and small field pieces were
also landed.
Hostilities commenced on Tuesday
afternoon, when half a dozen Malietoa
men were captured by the M~ataafans.
They were taken to headquarters and
bound. On Wednesday morning notice
was spread that if no answer was re-
ceived from Mataafa by 1 o'clock the
Philadelphia would fire one of her large
guns, followed by three one-minute
guns. Mataafa sent no answer. He
and his chiefs were buoyed by the Ger
man consul's proclamation and vague
talk that Germany would support
them; that it was the greatest nation
on earth, invincible in war, and thai
Great Britain and America would nev.
er dare to engage Germany. in conflict
Signal guns were fired and the for
eign population Of British n Ameri-
cans were taken on board their reSpec.
tive warships. Other ~ona
went on board sailing vessels in tht
harbor. One hundred and seventy-tvt
men and officers were landed and a
Admiral Kautz's request captain
Sturdy, of the Porpoise, assumed com
mand of the combined forces on shore
Flag Lieutenant Miller, of the Phila
delphia, assisting. Surgeons were lana
ed from both ships and Miss McCo.
and Miss Forth, missionaries, VoIun
teered as nurses: The Wnole may
population sought protection Dehln(
the American lines AS soon as tn
land forces were stationed, the Ph1la
delphia opened fire by throwing a shel
into the outskirts Of Apia. The Royal
list followed, but with 6-inch shells, ant
the Porpoise went down the coast
couple of miles and bombarded tn
village of Vaiusu, where large partle
of rebels were supposed to be. Tn
church was smashed by a shell and tn
house of the manager of the German
plantation damaged. The whole of tn
outskirts of Apia were shelled from tn
harbor, about seventy shells being fire,
before dark when the firing ceased
A shell from the Philadelphia which
was sighted for $500 yards, unfortu
nately exploded after it had gone onl,
LOO yards. 1t knocked over an out
building of the American c~onsulat
and damaged the veranda of the mai
building. One of the sailors wa
wounded in the leg.
About dusk the rebels made an at
tack on the Britishers at the Two
hotel. Their fire was returned, but
is not known how many We're killed
About 2:30 o'clock a, m. the native
made a rush on the guard at the II
wolf. Three British sailors were kille
and n wounded. The native loss
unknown. AT the request of the Brit
1sh a Maxim gun was sent from tn