Arizona republican., 1899-04-17
AS SEEN BY GERMANS
Their Story of fhe Trouble
in Samoa.
The Events of Last Month Described
In a Letter Just Received in
WaShiRgtOn-Not an Order by
kaufZ. But a Re minder.

Washington, April ia correspon-
dent in this city for leading German
newspaper has received an interesting
private letter from Apia, concerning
events there in March, as viewed en-
tirely from the German side of the
question. The letter was written by a
prominent German and begins with
complaint that no regard whatever is
shown by the British and American
forces toward the Germans. The bonn
bardment had been announced to be-
gin on Wednesday, March IA, at 1 p.
M, but no notice, says the letter, was
given the Germans and the German
consul-general is still waiting for the
official communication of the lombard
ment.
The commander of the German war
ship, Fake, was notified by an officer
of the Philadelphia only a quarter of
an hour after fire had been opened.
Numerous whites living in the vicinity
OF The town had no opportunity to take
any measures for their personal safety
and were not aware of what was going
on until shrapnel exploded in their
neighborhood 1t is due, continues the
letter. only to merciful Providence
that no whi.es were killed or wounded.
OF course, the anti-German element in
Samoa are already now eagerly at
work to make the German consul re-
sponsibIe for everything on the ground
that he, by refusing to participate in
the proceedings of the Americans and
English, encouraged Mataafa's men to
resistance. This charge is easily re-
futed.
The state department has been no
titled that the German government
raises the question of legality Of all
that has been done at Apia since the
middle of March. This is an intina-
ton that it wishes to restore the status
at that date, when, according to the
state department records, the provis-
ional government erected, through the
efforts of the German officials, Rose
and Raffel, controlled everything, a
state of affairs found by Admiral kautz
to he in absolute violation of the Berlin
treaty
If there is to be any attempt to re-
vert to preceding conditions the United
States government will insist that it be
to a period anterior to this date, and
that the only status to be recognized
be that existing at the beginning of
February, at the moment when Chief
Justice Chambers, in the exercise, as it
is asserted, of his unquestioned func
ton under the treaty of passing upon
all questions as to the succession to
the throne of Samoa declared Mataafa
ineligible and MaIletoa Tanus to be
king.
1t is said at the navy department
that the newspaper reports from
Samoa are undoubtedly in error where
they describe Admiral Kautz as 1ssu-
ing preemptory orders to the COM
mander of the German cruiser Fake. !
The officers are confident that he did
no such thing, but that he confined |
himself to a reminder to the German
commander OF the perlious state of
affairs at Apia, in support of his sug
gestion that the German vessel re-
main to aid in rspressing the disorder. |
If this assumption on the part of the |
navy authorities is correct then one of |
the most Irritating Ito the Germans) |
features of the whole affair at Apia |
disappears.