Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-06-06
THE SITUATION N SAMOA
No Conflict with the Rebels Since
the Ultimatum Issued by
Admiral Kautz.
1ANU THE LAWFULLY RECOGNIZED KING.
lie and His Chiefs Are Carrying on
All the Functions of IL Good and
Stable Goyernmcnt-ln the Mean
time Rebels Are strengthening
Positions and Making Cartridges.

time Rebels Are strengthening
Positions and Milking Cartridges.
Apia, Samoa, May 10, via San Fran
cisco, June 5.-When Admiral Kautz
issued his proclamation of April 25, di-
recting Mataafa and his following to
keep beyond certain defined limits
around Apia, the prescribed district
covering an area IL miles long and six
miles broad, followed by IL notification
to Mataafa that unless the rebels were
outside the prescribed limits in "a hours
fire would be opened upon them wher-
ever they could be reached, this ulti-
1natum brought an immediate and I'M
conditional compliance with the adj
mirals directions.
From that time up to date there has
been no conflict with the rebels. Capt,
Sturdee, of II. NJ. S. Porpoise, accom-
panied by Rev. William Huckett, OF the
London Mission society, as interpreter,
paid the rebel camp at Falenla visit
the day following and. in order to
avoid mistakes in the future, went over
taafa chiefs, who promised to keep the
peace until the commission had had
time to act.
The district which the rebels have
evacuated is quite large enough to sup
ply food to the Malietoans in Apia, and
thus one of the great difficulties OF the
naval authorities has been overcome.
Since the rebels went to Falenla a
strong patrol of 700 or 500 men daily
make the rounds, seeing that all is
quiet and that no footing or damage
is being done by the Malietoa follow
ers. Several cases of looting have been
reported, and where it has been posi-
BILE to find out the offenders they have
been severely punished. The damage
caused by the friendlies has, however,
been very small in comparison with
that caused by the Mataafans; not one
twentieth part. The large fort at
Lotopia has been destroyed by the
Malietoans, and it is reported that Ma
taafa is highly enraged at this, claim
ing that in the event of his wishing to
return to the same after the commits
sion has made known its decision he
ought to have been allowed to do So.
In the meantime he is building forts
inland of the town of Falenla, and his
followers stoutly declare that even II
the commission are unanimous against
him he will never acknowledge Tanu
as king and will fight it out to the bit
ter end.
These assertions may be only talk,
but as far as we can judge here the
question of the kingship does not seem
to lie within the scope of the commits
sion. Tanu has been publicly crowned
by the American and British authorl-
ties here and has been saluted with
royal honors by both the Philadelphia
and Tauranga, on the occasion OF his
coronation and of his formal visit at
the warships since the armistice has
been in force. His chiefs and Tamasese,
the vice king, are carrying on the gov
eminent in way that performs all the
functions of good and stable govern
ment and they are in possession. Tanu
is king de facto as well as de jure-and,
in addition, there are now in Apia $500
male adults carrying 2,7oo rifles in Apia
supporting him. This means that alb.
solutely half of Apia is at present sup
porting the king of Apia. Mataafa is
likely to be a disappointed man, and al
! though personal friend of his who had
an interview with him few days age
says that Mataafa is preparing to ac.
( cept the inevitable at the hands of a
unanimous commission, he will never
submit to minority, even though that
minority be the two greatest nations on
the earth Farcical no doubt to most
people, but serious indeed to the few
| white residents of these islands.
In the meantime the rebels are
strengthening their positions, sending
out messengers for their sympathizers
to come and join them. and are busily
engaged manufacturing cartridges
Deserters from the Mataafa camp say
that on the occasion of the Fake las
visiting Saluafata. some of the rebe
chiefs went off to the ship ant
asked for supply of ammunition, but
that the same was refused them t.
their great disgust. The loyalists, OF
the other hand, are terrifying their in
trenchments around Apia and are being
daily drilled and instructed by officer
from the different warships. A four
inch gun had been taken from n. M
S. Torch and is now mounted at Muliun
in such position as to command tn
whole of the western portion of TIL
municipality. The great question is
will the commission order the disarma
ment of the natives2 II they do not it i
the opinion of almost every white resi-
dent that these islands will no longe
be safe to live in and many declare tina
if the natives are to retain their rifle!
never mind what other solution of tn
Samoan question is made, they canno
and will not live here with their wive!
families and property at the mercy c
the next lot of rebels.
, Thanks TO magnificent weather.
splendid supply of water and fires
, meat daily, the troops are in the bee
; of health and officers and men alik
now that they are accustomed to til
islands and to their work, are all lool
: ing splendid.
1t is the intention of Admiral Kau'
to leave here three days after this wri
ing He sees that the commission wi
S be long time over its labors and Thu
e during that time nothing will be dol
e by the war vessels. The Badger al
S the Brutus are both here in America
: interests and the Newark is expected
n three weeks at least, and therefor
e there is no need for him to wait here