The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-04-13
ACUTE SITUATION

In Samoa. but 1t is Believed That it
VIII Yield to Sensible and Cool
Treatment.
WASHINGTON, April 12.-The acute
situation in Samoa gave rise to grave
apprehension among officials during the
early day in Washington, but the con-
clusion was reached as the departments
closed that the situation is one that will
yield to sensible and cool tratment II
all the parties to the Berlin treaty are
sincere In an effort to prevent further
trouble. As put by a cabinet officer,
the killing of the sailors has not ma
terially changed the genera. problem,
though 1t has undoubtedly added to the
difficulty of dealing with the specific
situation. g.E
The only official news received touch
Ing the last Incident was contained in
Admiral kGutz's cablegram. The sec
retary said that no additional instruc-
tions We're to be sent by him to the ad-
miral. The secretary Of state, however.
has been told that he is at liberty to
forward any Instructions to the admiral
that he may deem necessary, but that
u SoiitiuleS " w SU, lie IIluSt ACT lii
medlately. as the mail steamer leaves
the nearest cable point for ApIa to-
morrow.
The Philadelphia was short-handed
for officers before the loss OF Lieutenant
Landslide and Ensign Monaghan, and
the department to-day promptly sent
telegraphic orders to Mare Island to
dispatch some officers to recruit the
force. Lieutenant Scheutze goes as an
executive officer, with Lieutenant W. s.
Eiuges, Lieutenant Schofeld and Lleu-
tenant Hetherington. Surgeon Steel Is
| ordered from the New York navy yard
to the Philadelphia. All of these off,
GERS are expected to take the mail
steamer on the 18th instant for Apla. \
The diplomatic negotiations for the
day were not directed particularly to
the encounter, as the official informn-
ton Is too meagre thus far to warrant
positive official action.
There were many inquiries, however,
and the state department and the Brit
ish and German embassies exchanged
such ndvices rs they had on the subject
In the main the diplomatic negotiations
continued to center around the high
commission. On this subject q breach
Is gradually opening between Great
Britain md Germany because of the
commission leave San Francisco on the
10Th. .H..r
Commission Delayed.
While the Germans are anxious ard
our officials are willing that the start
should be made on the 10th, Great Brit
ain insists on proceeding with dellber-
alton. allowing fun time for instruc-
tIons to the British commissioner by
mail and not by cable. This, of course,
would make It Impossible for the COM
mission to leave In Il body this month.
To overcome this stand by the British
foreign office Il suggestion has been
made that the appointment OF an UNI
plre. which Is one of the points still in
dispute. be settled after the commits
sioners start. II this Is agreed to the
commission can get away. though with
some branches OF its instructions in
complete. The remaining features. In
Guiding that ms to how decision shall
be made, and In what case an umpire
shall be called In. would be forwarded
to them later. In the meantime they
could be making their preliminary eX-
amlnatlons, the final decisions being
reserved until complete Instructions
were in hand. This German proposal
has not been met with favor among tho
British officials, who have determined
that the British commissioner, Mr.. Eli
oft, shall not leave until his functions
can be exactly defined.
Lieutenant Freeman, killed In Snmon,
is given In the British naval list as
Lieutenant Angel II. Freeman, the
senior lieutenant OF the cruiser Taur-
anga. the next to Captain Stuart In
command Of the vessel An chief fieu-
tenant he was executive officer OF the
Taurangn. The British admiralty has
n number OF warships not far from
Samoa In the Australasia islands, n
special design OF small cruisers being
used In that locality. The chief naval
station accessible to Snmon IN on the
China coast. where the Aslntic sound
ron embraces some OF the largest war
ships In the British navy. In number,
armament and tonnage the British
ships on this station far exceed those
OF Germany or any other power. The
chief German naval station near ,Samon
also !s on the China coast, at Kiao