The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1899-04-07
THE SAMOAN AFFAIR
II Suddenly Assumes Prop~tisss
Of q Starting Nature

OF q Sta1u1n& NaturS
MstnsfS BeesUes DeAs.<-UpAesS ~
6erran Consug-CSass TOwps
Observation-Disclosures
10 SeSale Troubse.
Apia, Samoan Islands, March %, win
Auckland, NJ z, March ae--The
| troubles growing out Of sse election OF
. King of Samoa have taken more Sc
rious turn and resulted in the bonn
bardment of native villages along the
shore by the United States cruiser Phil
adelphia, Admiral Kautz commanding,
and the British cruisers Porpoise and
Royalist. The bombardment has con-
tinued internationally 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 il impossible to
estimate the number OF natives killed or
injured.
| Pr0vtsional GovernmeDs DisHt.sea-
As Mataafa and his chiefs, eonstTtut-
| tinued to defy the treaty after the ar
rival of the Philadelphia, Admiral
Kautz summoned the various consuIs
and the senior naval officers TO a confer
ence on board the philadelphia when
| the whole situation was carefully can
vassed- The upshot was resolution to-
dismiss the provisional government,
and Admiral Kautz issued procIama-
ton calling upon Mataafa and his chiefs
| to return to their homes. Mafaafa
evacuated Nulinuu, the town he had
made his headquarters, and went into
| the interior.
UpkeId BY GeY.s.n CessuI
Herr Rose, the German consul at
Apia, issued proclamation supple
menting the one he had issued several
| weeks before, unfolding the provisional
| government. As result Of this the
Mataafa1s assembled in large force and
hemmed in the town. The British
cruiser RoyaJist brought the MaIietoa
prisoners from the islands TO which
they had been transferred By the pro-
visiona1 government. The Americans
then fortified MuTinuu, where $4,000
Malietoans took refuge. The rebels
the adherents of Mataafa-barrIeadef
the roads within the municipality and
seized the British houses.
MsIfpua Bombarded.
An ultimatum was then sent 60 Them
ordering them to evacuate- and threat
ening them, in the event Of refusal.
with bombardment to commence at
one o'clock in the afternoon Of March
Is. This was ignored. and the rebels
commenced an attack in the direction
of the United States and British con-
sulates about half an hour before the
time fixed for the bombardment- The
Philadelphia, Porpoise and goyaIist
opened fire upon the distant villages.
There was great difficulty in locating
the enemy. owing to the dense forest;
but seteraI shore villages were soon in
flames.
BombarbmeBf Continues
Berlin, March 31.-A brief official dis
patch from Apia, Samoa, dated March
20. says:
THE bombardment continues. In pur-
suance to military orders tie whites have
Tanus party, who were exfIed to other fs~
lands. have been brought back from UpoIu.
The firearms and ammunition taken from
Tanus on January have been returned"
Opinion sn wasbfnEtop.
Washington, March Gothic news
from Samoa that the United States
cruiser Philadelphia and the British
cruisers Porpoise and EoyaIist had
bombaried the towns held by Nataafa,
who has thus far had the official sup
port of the German government. came
with startling suddenness to officials
here, and displaced for the time being
the attention given to the fighting
around Manila The Smelling of Ma
taafa was looked upon as of secondary
Importance, but the deepest intsTestat-
taches to the attitude of the German
government At first appreheusions
were felt that grave International COM
pHcations might ensue. But those most
intimately familiar with the latest Of
fetal exchanges between Washington.
London and Berlin did not take such
gloomy view of the outlook.
Conmissioa to settle TreubIe-
Washington, April Ia joint high
commission to settle the entire Samoan
trouble has been practically agreed
upon by the United States, British and
German governments Lord SaIishury's
absence from London alone delays the
formal acceptance by Great Britain
though IN his absence Sir Thomas San
derson and Mfr. vi1liers, who are UNDER
stood to be specially familiar with the
Samoan question, have approved the
plan for commission. The United
States has informally expressed its ap-
prevail, and the formal acceptance, It is
learned from the highest quarter, will
follow speedily. As the proposition
emanates with Germany her approval
OF course is assured This high com
mission, it is felt, affords a pacific soIu-
ton to the whole trouble at the moment
when Samoan affairs begin to look the
most threatening.
h Hene Again.
Washington, March 29.-The special
train bearing President and Mrs
Mckinley. Postmaster-GeneraI Smith
and members Of the presidential party.
reached its destination here at exactly
i've o'clock Tuesday afternoon. They
were met at the depot by Acting secre-
tary Of War MeikIeiohn, Gen. Corbiu-