Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-03-30
AMERICA AND ENGLAND.
Acting in Concert in the Samoan
Controversy.
WARsHIPs SHELL MATAAFAEs.

They Defied the Consu1s' warning and
Attacked the ConsuIates-Encou
aged by German Casualties
Among British and American Sailors
Apia, Samoa, via Auckland, N. g.,
March S0.-The troubles growing out
of the election of king of Samoa have
taken a more serious turn and resulted
in bombardment of native villages
along the shore by the United States
cruiser Philadelphia, Admiral Kautz,
commanding, and the British cruisers
Porpoise and Royalist. The lombard
ment has continued intermittently for
eight days. Several villages have been
burned, and there have been number
of casualties among the American and
British sailors and marines. AS yet it
is impossible to estimate the number
of natives killed or injured.
AS Mataafa and his chiefs, CONSTITUTE
ing the provisional government, con-
tinued to defy the treaty after the ar
rival of the Philadelphia, Admiral
Kautz summoned the various consuls
and the senior naval officers to con-
ference on board the Philadelphia,
when the whole situation was careful
1y canvassed. The upshot was res
olution to dismiss the provisional gov
eminent, and Admiral Kautz issued a
proclamation calling upon Mataafa and
his chiefs to return to their homes.
Mataafa evacuated Mulinuu, the
town he had made his headquarters,
and went into the interior.
Herr Rose, the German consul at
Apia, issued a proclamation, supple
menting the one he had issued several
weeks before, upholding the provision
al government. As a result of this
the Mataafans assembled in large force
and hemmed in the town.
The British cruiser Royalist brought
the Malietoa prisoners from the islands
to which they had been transferred by
the provisional government.
The Americans then fortified Mu-
linuu, where 1000 Malietoans took
refuge. The rebels-the adherents OF
Mataafa -barricaded the roads within
the municipality and seized the British
houses.
An ultimatum was then sent to
them, ordering them to eyacuate, and
threatening them, in the event of re-
fusal, with bombardment to COM
mence at / o'clock on the afternoon Of
March Is. This was ignored, and the
rebels commenced an attack in the
| direction of the United States and
British consulates about half an hour
before the time fixed for the lombard
ment The Philadelphia, Porpoise and
Royalist opened fire upon the distant
villages. There was great difficulty in
locating the enemy. owing to dense
forests, but several shore villages were
soon in flames
A defective she'll from the Philadel-
phia exploded near the American con-
sulate, and the marines outside mar
rowly escaped. A fragment struck the
leg of Private Ridge, shattering it so
badly as to necessitate amputation.
Another fragment traversed the Ger
man consulate, smashing the crockery.
| The Germans then went on board the
German cruiser Fake.
During the night the rebels made a
hot attack on the town, killing three
British sailors. A British marine was
shot in the leg by a sentry of his own
party, another was shot in the foot.
and an American sentry was killed at
his post.
The bombardment continuing, the
inhabitants of the town took refuge on
board the Royalist, greatly crowding
/ the vessel.
Many people are leaving Samoa. the
captain of the Royalist urging them to
go, so as not to interfere with the mil
Itary operations.
The Porpoise has shelled the villages
east and west of Apia and captured
many boats
The Americans and British are fight
| ing splendidly together, but there is a
bitter feeling against the Germans.
Two men, British and a German
subject, have been arrested as spies
The bombardment of the jungle was
for time very hot.