Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-01-21
MORE COMPLICATIONS.
United States and Germany Quarreling
Over Samoa.

United States and Germany Quarreltng
Over Samoa.
A sensational dispatch comes from
Auckland, New Zealand, under date OF
January 1S. 1t relates to affairs in
Samoa, where the Americans and
Germans had been quarreling for sew
eral years, until some time back, when
an amicable agreement was reached.
The quarrel now, it seems, is over the
right to succession to the throne. The
Americans and British are backing one
candidate and the Germans the other.
Chief Justice Chambers of the supreme
court, which was instituted by general
treaty agreement, is an American.
The treaty provides that his decisions
are final, and this makes the attitude
of the Germans all the more aggrava-
ting. The dispatch which brings the
news of trouble is as follows:
Samoan advices just received here
say that Chief Justice Chambers, on
December 81, declared Malietoa Tauns
to have been elected king, in SUCCESS
ion to the late King Malietoa. The
chief Justice also announced that Tam.
asese had been elected vice king.
Chief Mataafa was disqualified.
The consuls of the United States and
Great Britain and the captains of the
German warship Fake, and the British
warship Porpoise, met the German
consul, who refused to recognize Ma
letoa Tanus, and declined to cooperate
in the dispersal of the Samoans, who,
thereupon, assembled in large numbers
ut Mulinu, armed themselves and sur
rounded the municipality. Malietoa
Tanus and Tamasese mustered about
1000 men, well armed, but supplied
with defective ammunition. The Brit
ish and American consuls endeavored
to avert hostilities but they commen-
ced on January l. Malietca Tanus
and Tamasese fought bravely; but 500
of their followers were captured.
Then, disheartened and outnumbered,
the TWO chiefs sought refuge on the
British warship, and their followers
sought protection under the guns of
the Porpoise.
Mataafa's loss was 81 killed and
wounded, and Malietoa Tanus lost IL
men killed and wounded.
The foreign residents were placed
under the protection Of detachment
of men belonging to the British ship,
and Chief Justice Chambers and his
family went on board of her.
The followers of Mataafa looted and
burned Apia, destroying the planta-
tions, and pillaged considerably in the
country.
The consuls later decided to recog-
nize Mataafa and his chiefs as a pro-
visional government pending the re-
ceipts of instructions from the powers.
Afterward DR.. Dafael and the Ger
man consul closed the supreme court,
declaring that the power was vested in
them. The British and American con-
suls then appealed to the captain of
the British war ship Porpoise, who
landed a force of blue jack cts, and
Chief Justice Chambers, under their
guard, took his seat. The British and
American flags were hoisted over
Chambers's house and the courthouse.
Mataafa held aloft from the develop
ments. The provisional government
wrote seize Malietoa and take Tamase.
81 off Porpoise by force if necessary,
deprive them of their titles and de-
sert them. Chambers is residing on
the Porpoise. The British and Ameri-
can consuls have protested against any
infringement of the Berlin treaty.
British residents have taken refuge in
their consulate, and the American
residents have taken refuge in The
mission.
An American warship is urgently
needed here.
LOOKING FOR TROUBLE.
The navy department has prepared
orders for the cruiser Philadelphia 10
proceed TO Samoa at once to represent
the United States interests there, says
q Washington dispatch of Thursday.
The Philadelphia is due at San Diego
next Sunday from Acapulco. Mean-
while if any vessel more quickly avail
able can be found, one of Dewey's
fleet, for instance, it will be ordered al
once to Samoa to answer the urgent
appeal of the United States consul
there.
The commander of the Philadelphia
will act in conformity with the instruc
tions of the United States consul 50
far as those instructions are in line
with the treaty of Berlin, which the
United States contends must be liter
ally enforced until amended. Itwould
take the Philadelphia about 16 days
to make the run from San Diego to
Apia, touching at Honolulu for coal.
One resource open to the navy de-
partment is to send the Oregon to
Samoa. She left Callao on the 1lth
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
San 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.
While the attention Of the public