The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-01-24
The Situation in Samoa
Very Critical.
ENGLAND AND AMERICA
United Against the Arbitrary Action OF
the German Consul The Latter
Forcibly Elected From n Court
Room-Our Government 10 Hasten
warships TO the IsIands-German
and British Ministers at the State De-
partmenfs.

and British Ministers at the State DE.
partments.
Wellington, N. T., January LIT is
reported that owing to the trouble at
. Samoa, growing out of the election of !
a successor to the late King Malietoa, |
three British warships will proceed |
there and that one American warship !
will start for the islands from Homo
lulu.
London, January ia special dis
patch from Auckland, N. T., says the
British and American consuls were
compelled to force the doors Of the
supreme court at Apia, Samoa, in
which the German consul had estab-
lshed himself, and to put him into the
street.
All parties at Apia, the special dis
patch continues, unite in condemning
the German consul for the fighting
which has taken place between the
rival kings. 1t is pointed out THAI
in violation of all agreements, the CON
sui accompanied Mataafe's forces when
the claimant invaded the town and en-
couraged the opposition to Malietea
Tai us.
When the British n American con-
suls were informed as to the situation
they adjourned the court and loci ed
the building. The German consul then
demanded the keys, which We're re-
fused him. He then broke open the
doors, removed the locks and replaced
them with others. He afterward
brought the German municipal presi-
dent into the and the latter
went upon the balcony and shouted
to the British and American marines
assembled on the square: Il am the
supreme court. Il am the chief JUS
tice."
The crowd replied with jeers and the
British consul demanded the keys Of
the building which were refused. A
ScOtchman named Mackie thereupon
climbed on top of the building and
hoisted the Samoan flag, while the Brit
iSh and American consul and a num-
Der of marines invaded the building,
forced the doors open and pushed the
German consul into the street.
Then the two consuls formally and
legally, according to the special dis
patch, opened the court and issued a
warning against any further interfer-
ence with it's Jurisdiction, threatening
to arrest and imprison any one at
tempting to do so.
Matters, the dispatch concludes, are
now quiet and the German consul re-
mains in his consulate.
Aukland, N. T., January 19.-Further
particulars regarding the disturbances
at Samoa show Mataafe's followers
numbered about 5000 men and thai the
adherents of Malietoa Tanus were only
about 1000 in number. There was two
hours fighting between the rival forces
during which several of the warriors
were decapitated.
The American consul issued a prOcla-
nation claiming that the Berlin treaty
had the same force as a law of congress
and that an insult to the supreme
court of Samoa is, therefore equivalent
to an insult to the government at
Washington
Washington, January 1.-THE navy
department has prepared orders for the
cruiser Philadelphia to proceed to Sa-
moa at once to represent the United
States interests there. If any vessel
more quickly available can be found,
one of Dewey's fleet for instance, it
will be ordered at once to Samoa to
answer the urgent appeal of the Unit
ed States consul there. The ommand
er of the. Philadelphia will act in con-
formity with the instructions of the
United States consul, so far as these
Instructions are in line with the treaty
of Berlin, which the United States con-
tends must be literally enforced until
amended.
1t would take the Philadelphia about
sixteen lays to make the run fro m San
Diego to Apia, touching at Honolulu
for coal. One resource open to the
navy department is to send the Oregon
to Samoa. She left Callao on the 18th
instant and should reach Honolulu
about the 9Th of February, where she
can be intercepted with orders sent by
the dispatch boat IroquOis now at a
Francisco. The big battleship Iowa is
due at San Francisco just about the
same date that the Oregon is due at
Honolulu so that the Pacific coast will
not be left entirely without naval
force.
The immediate effect of the publica-
ton in the morning papers of the news
from Samoa was to bring to the state
department Sir Julian Paunceforta,
the British ambassador, and Baron
Speck Won Sternberg, the secretary of
rules laid down for the government Of
diplomatic intercourse neither Secre-
tary Hay nor the two diplomatic repre-
sentatives named would say anything
Whatever as to the nature of the con-
versations that took place between
them. The deepest concern is felt by
all three parties to the agreement al
the outlook. The common belief is
that the German representatives in
Samoa, in acting in the arbitrary man
ner they did completely exceeded their
instructions from their government. It
is quite certain that they exceeded the
authority with which they were clothed
by the treaty of Berlin and it is ex-'
pected that the German government
will unhesitatingly ondemn their ac-
tiOns as soon as it has become officially
advised as TO what actually happened.
The authorities feel that the great
est element of danger lies in the pos
sibility of trouble before Rafel and
Rose can be restrained by advices.
1t was stated at the department of
state today that dispatches had been
received from United States Consul Os-
born at Apia, but as to their nature
the officials had nothing to say be-
yond that they went to confirm the
news dispatches printed this morning.
Admiral Kautz the commander of the
Pacific station, is now on board his
flagship, the Philadelphia, and it was
stated at the navy department that he
would that ship to Same.
Berlin, January 19.-The news from
Samoa has been received with fore
boding. The Lokal says: "All this,
aouhtIeSs sipnf6eSf an aDpreciable