The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-04-13
SAMOAN ISLAND DIFFICULTY
THE 1MBUSCADING OF AN 4NGLO-
 AMERICAN FORCE.

inls Conclude Tint the Situation Will
 Yield to Sensible and Cool Treatm ent
 A Cabinet Officer Says That the
 General Problem is Not Materially
 Changed Details of the Ambuscade-
 The Beheading of the Dead.
 Washington, April 12-The acute sit uation in Samoa, growing out of the of ficial advices that a British and Amer icen force had been ambuscaded and several members killed by the followers of the rebel chief Mataafa, gave rise to grave apprehension among officials dur ing the early day in Washington, but the conclusion was reached as the de- partments closed that the situation is one that will yield to sensible and cool treatment, if all the parties to the Ber- lin treaty are sincere in an effort to prevent further trouble. As put by a cabinet officer, the killing of the sailors has not materially changed the general problem, though it has undoubtedly added to the difficulty of dealing with the specific situation. The only official news received touching the last incl dent was contained in Admiral Kautz' s cablegram. The secretary of the navy said that no additional instructions were to be sent by him to the admiral.
 The secretary of state, however, has been told that he is at liberty to for ward any instructions to the admiral that he may deem necessary, but that if he concludes to do so he must act immediately, as the mail steamer leaves the nearest cable point for Apla to- morrow. The Philadelphia was short handed for officers before the loss of Lieutenant Lansdale and Ensign Mon- aghan, and tho department to-day promptly sent telegraphic orders to Mare Island to dispatch some officers to recruit the force of Lieutenant Scheutz, who goes out as executive offi- cer with Lieutenant s. Huges, Lieuten- ant Schofleld and Lieutenant Hether- ington. Surgeon Steel is ordered from the New York navy yard to the Phila- delpha. All of these officers are ex- pected to take the mail steamer on the 18th inst. for Apia.
 Diplomatic Negotiations.
 The diplomatic negotiations of the day were not directed particularly to the encounter, as the official informal ton is too meagre thus far to warrant positive official action. There were many inquiries, however, and the state department and the British and Ger man embassies expected such advices as they had on the subject. In the main the diplomatic negotiations con- tinued to center around the high con1- mission. On this subject a breach is gradually opening between Great Brit ain and Germany because of the refu- sal of Great Britain to have the com- mission leave San Francisco on the 18th.
 Brituin Proceeds With Deltberntion.
 While the Germans are anxious, and our officials are willing that the start should be made on the 18th, Great Brit ain insists on proceeding with delibera- tion, allowing full time for instructions to the British commissioner by mail and not by cable. This, of course, would make it impossible for the com- mission to leave in a body this month. To overcome this stand by the British foreign office, a suggestion has been made that the appointment of an um- pire which is one of the points still in dispute, be settled after the commission CTS start. If this is agreed to, the com- mission can get away though with some branches of its instructions incom- plete. The remaining features, includ- ing that as 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- an1inations, the final decisions being re- served until complete instructions were in hand This German proposal does not meet with favor among the British officials, who have determined that the British commissioner, MT. Elliott, shall not leave until his functions can be ex- actly defined.