The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-04
G[RMANY'S attitude
On the Recent Events in
Samoa.
TAKEN WHOLLY BY SURPRISE
AZ the Action of the British aud Amerf-
can Naval Commander - Thinks
Their Instructions Did Not Cover Al
legged Causes for neutrality-suspicious.
ference. Between Representatives OF
the Three Power~-No Definite News
Received.

ueTeoCCS VI
the Three Powers-No Definite News
Received.
Berlin. March 3o.-The German gov
eminent was taken wholly by surprise
with the news from Samoa. The i'm
perial chancellor, Prince Hohenlohe. is
spending his birthday. which occurs to-
morrow, at Baden Baden, and h min
lister Of foreign affairs. Baron Won u
low, is enjoying a f~ortnight's vacation
in Holstein; but a we'll informed indi-
vidual says the government here is
| skeptical as TO Admiral Kaut's in
structions. He adds that the instruc-
tons for a bombardment We're based
on the British and American claims
hat Mataafa was contravening the
Samoan act: but, the correspondents
informant points out, the ~contraven-
ton was not specified and the govern
ment presumes that if the act was real
Iy infringed, Herr Rose, the German
consul, would also have protested. as
his government had Instructed him TO
strictly conform TO the act.
The assertion that Herr Rose pro-
| tested against the deposition of the
provisional government is doubted
here, as it is claimed Herr Rose was in
structed not to identify himself with
Mataafa more closely than the repre-
sentative of the other powers.
There is considerable curiosity in this
| city as to the effect the outbreak will
nave upon the attitude of the United
States and Great Britain, but the view
remains that the final settlement will
be in no way changed by the joint ac-
ton of the three cabinets.
The semi-official Post comments
calmly upon the new situation and says
that Germany will remain neutral.
A brief dispatch from Apia, Samoa,
lated March 10Th, says: The lombard
ment continues. In pursuance to mill
tary orders the whites have evacuated
many houses. The chiefs of the TanuS
party who were exiled to other islands
have been brought back from Upola-
The firearms n ammunition taken
from the Tanus people in January W
been returned.
London, March 30.-The foreign Of
flee has received official dispatches con-
firming the dispatches of the Associat-
ed Press from Apia, announcing the
outbreak of hostilities there.
NOTHING DEFINITE KNOWN AT
WASHINGTON.
Washington, March 3O.-The serious
condition of affairs in Samoa engaged
the attention of officials throughout
the day, and there We're conferences at
the White house between the president
and Secretary Hay and at the state
department between the secretary and
the British ambassador n Baron
Speck o ~Sternberg, first secretary
of the German embassy; but out Of it
all not a word of additional news was
s cnntrih1lrAd from official SnIlrpp Tho
only authoritative statement came
from the navy department., giving a
brief dispatch from Admiral kautz.
This threw no light OIL the latest out
break, and, owing to the tangle as to
dates, it served only to further involve
the official mystery. In view Of the
fact that the fighting was widespread
and long continued M that the for
eign offices at London and Berlin and
been officially advised of the affair, it
was regarded as somewhat strange
that the state and navy depar&ment
should be entirely without information
on a bombardment by an American
admiral. Up to the close Of office hours
it was stated that nothing had come
from any of our representatives in
Samoa, dealing with the outbreak of
hostilities. The calls of Sir Julian and
Baron Sternberg were mainly for infor-
nation, for at neither Of the embassies
had their been a report Of the occur
renee, or Instructions up to the time
of the calls.
Admiral Kautz acted within his in
structions. 1t is believed that he con-
cluded, after a consultation with Cap
tain Sturdee, of the Porpoise, the SEN
ior British naval officer and the Unit
ed States n British consuls, that a
state of anarchy existed which called
for action. The fact that the edicts OF
the chief justice were disregarded and
ur0pa iDnora6 o1+ta.Dh cr.erasnnd hN
the representatives Of the two govern
ments made such a course imperative
There is no doubt, with the facts o
at hand, that Admiral Kautz viii be
sustained by the United States govern
| ment.
The dispatch from Admiral Kautz re-
ferred to above is as follows:
Auckland, March 25.
Secretary of the Navy, Washington:
The situation is improving since the
~cablegram Of the 18th via Sidney
Wales. KAUTZ."
AS will be observed, it contains nc
details concerning the reported trouble
at Apia. Even the date on which /
was dispatched from Apia is not given
but it is presumed that IL left Samoa
on the 23rd, the date Upon which tn,
steamer which conveyed the press dis
patches from Apia to Auckland sailed.
The dispatch of the 18th, to which
Admiral kautZ refers, was not giver
Out at the time Of its receipt here, anC
ever now Secretary Allen declines q
make il public. 1t is known, howev
that it reported the admirafs arriva
and gave a brief resume Of the thei
existing situation, which must have ap
peared somewhat grave at that time, a
the admiral reports that il improved
during the period.
DISPATCH TO BRITISH FOREIGN
OFFICE.
Washington, March 30.-The British
embassy here has received advices from
Samoa in the shape OF a dispatch Il
the British foreign office from it's rep
resentative there. IL is under date O
March 10Th and is>a brief report on tn
collision between the two native fac