The Holly chieftain., 1899-09-01
ONE SHOT MEANT WAR
BUT THE GERMANS WISELY REFRAIN
Eo FROM FIRING IT.

Ready Fer the Fray and Proved
Too Piseky and TactfaI For His
OpHosess-A story Of samoa.
val officers are aptly illustrated in an
article by Henry Collins Welsh In
Ainslee's Magazine. In which the writ
sr tells how Commander Leary
brought the German naval force in Sa-
moa TO terms soue years ago. He
says:
Ii was At the outbreak Of civil strife
that Captain Leary arrived At Apia In
the American warshIp Adams. DR..
knappe was then the German consul
At Apia, aud lie aud Commander
Fritze Of the German warsbip Adler
carried on Affairs with an imperious
hand. Feeling ran high between the
Germans on one hand and the Ameri-
cans and English on the other. The
Germans bombarded villages on vari-
Gus preteIts. fired upon unarmed na-
tives and gave open uid to Tamasese.
Captain Leary At that time WAS a
commander, and 1t WAS not long be-
fore he and Captain Fritze had some
On one occasion the Adler steamed
past the American ship with a native
chief bound to her foremast. The Ger
man saluted when he passed, but no
answer came back from the American.
Soon the German came to a standstill.
A boat was dispatched to ascertain
why the American had not answered
the salute. Commander Leary sent
the Teuton this characteristic reply,
The United States does not salute
vessels engaged In the slave carrying
trade
But an incident which best Illus
trates Commander Lcary's grit and de-
termination and which deserves to live
IN song aud story occurred In the wa
tiers near Apia on Nov. Is, 1883.
Strained relations came to crisis
then, and war between the United
States and Germany seemed inevita-
BILE.
On the day previous q message came
from Mataafa to inform Commander
Leary that the Germans had threaten
I'd to attack Matnafa In his strong.
bold on the morrow. Both Mataafa
and Tsmasese had intrenched them
selves In fortified places about seven
miles from Apin upon land under
American protection. Mataafa asked
for advice. and Commander Lenry told
him through the messenger to stand
his ground, that he would not allow
the German to make an attack upon
property under his protection.
Hrumms. the Adler was to lombard at
dawn. Captain Leary quietly prepar-
I'd TO foil the plan. Mt the same time
keeping his counsel By using some
hard coal he had aboard he was able
to get up steam without the telltale
smo.s that would have warned the
Germans Of bis action. Then he muf-
6ed his anchor chains with native
mats. and at In the morning all
hands were quietly culled to quarters.
A. day ybreaN the anchors of the Adler
were hauled up and with full steam
on the vessel made for the open sea.
Eotsslsssiy came up the Yankees an
chors. and TO the amazement of the
Adler the Adams was close upon her
heels. The German had to turn to
get out Of the harbor. and by the time
she reached the entrance the two ships
were close together. Again the Ger
man turned and then headed toward
the fort that was to be bombarded.
Commander Leary ran his ship be.
tween the German and the shore and
when about 800 yards from the Ad-
bsr gave the order:
Clear for actionr'
At once the decks were cleared. and
the guns were trained. The German
followed suit, and the two ships
steamed along the coast ready for the
fray.
A shot from either vessel meant war
between the two countries. When op-
posite the native forts. the Adler came
10 anchor, aud the Adams anchored
between the German and the shore.
6o close were the vetsels that no guns
could be Ard from the Adler without
pAssing over or through the Adams.
Then Commander Leary sent this note
70 the German commander:
Il have the honor to inform you
that. having received information that
American property in the Latogn VI
cinity OF Laulii. Lotoanuu and Solo
Solo Is liable to be invaded this day. I
am here for the purpose Of protecting
the snme."
For hours the men stood at their
guns but NO shot came from the Ger.
mans. He was ready to war upon the
Samoans, but war with the United
States was another matter.
At length the German started on 4
cruise along the coast. but he could not
shake Oh the persistent Yankee. Final