Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-04-13

the Porpoise assumed command of the
combined forces on shore, Flag Lieut..
Miller OF the Philadelphia assisting.
Surgeons were landed from both ships
and Miss Mccoy and Miss Forth, mis-
slonaries, volunteered as nurses. The
whole native population sought pro-
lection behind the American lines. As
soon as the land forces were stationed,
the Philadelphia opened fire by throw
ing a shell into the outskirts of Apia.
The Royalist followed with 6-inch
shells and the Porpoise went down the
coast a couple Of miles and bombarded
the village of Vaisn, where large par
ties of rebels were supposed to be.
The church was smashed by a shell
and the house of the manager OF the
German plantation was damaged. The
whole Of the outskirts of Apia we're
shelled from the harbor about 20
shells being fired before dark, when
the firing ceased A shell from the
Philadelphia, which was sighted for
$500 yards, unfortunately exploded
after it had gone only LOO yards. It
knocked over an outbuilding of the
American consulate and damaged the
veranda of the main building. One OF
the American sailors was wounded in
the leg.
About dusk the rebels made an at
tack on the Britishers at the Tivoli
hotel Their fire was returned. but it
is not known how many were killed.
About 2:30 a. N. the natives made a
rush on the guard at the Tivoli Three
British sailors were killed and one
wounded. The native loss is I'M
known. At the request of the orlLish
a Maxim gun was sent from the Phil
adelphia to the British consulate and
with it some men to work it. The
next day body of 800 Malietoans had
their rifles returned to them from the
Porpoise and rendered good service in
clearing the brush. The rebel village
OF Vaiala was burned in order to pre-
vent close approach to the consul
late. The German warship Fake at
tempted to leave port on a secret mis-
sion when Admiral Kautz ordered her
captain to stay where he was and be
ready to afford help to his countrymen.
The Fake remained and during Thurs
day matters were quiet. About dusk
the Americans fired on body of Ma
taafans, but no one was killed.
Early Friday morning the rebels
rushed up to within 80 yards of the
consulate. The sailors behaved splen-
| didly and the natives were repulsed
One American sailor was killed and
one British sailor was shot in both
legs. Maj.-Gen. Cutliffe of the British
army, assisted in directing operations
| at the consulate. There is intense
feeling against the Germans here and
they are accused of spying and giving
information to the rebels. Fighting
by night is an entirely new departure
IN Samoan warfare and everything
points to German teaching. One Mar
quardt who had been drilling the ma
tives, was arrested. He was sent
on board the Fake under pledge of
the German commander that he will
not be allowed to land. A half caste
named Taylor has been arrested as a
| spy and is in irons on the Porpoise.
II. j. Moors, an American, is confined
to his store under suspicion of being
a Mataafa sympathiZer. Saturday and
Sunday were quiet. The Tivoli hotel
has been mined in case it becomes nee
essary to blow it up and two German
lights from the shore is the signal to
shell it.
The porpoise has daily made cruises
along the coast, bombarding native vii
lagos. Some of them have been des-
trOyed. Captain Sturdee does as little
killing in these expeditions as possible
The destruction of houses and boats is
! his object. The houses of white resi-
dents are being looted in the vicinity
of Apia.
The Associated Press correspondent
had an interview with Admiral Kautz.
He spoke quite freely on the situation
and considers he was grossly insulted
by the German consul general issuing
his counter proclamation. The admiral
takes the stand that the Berlin treaty,
which he is instructed by his govern
ment to uphold, does not make any
| provisions whatever for a provisional
government. His instructions are to
carry out the treaty in accordance with
the views of the majority of the con-
sular representatives The admiral is
very Wroth with the German consul,
and blames him entirely for the pres
ent attitude of the rebels, as the ma
tives were obeying his command to re-
tire to their homes when the German
proclamation was issued. The fact
that, with all his correspondence and
protestations to the admiral, the Ger
man consul did not consider it neces-
sary to forward copy of his procla-
nation to the admiral has not in
creased good feeling between consul
and admiral