The San Francisco call., 1899-04-13
Diplomats, However, Believe
That It Can Be Ami
cably Adjusted.
NAVAL OFFICERSSENT
Washington Authorities Say That
Enough Ships Are at Present
in Samoan Waters.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

WASHINGTON, April 12.-The acute
situation in Samoa gave rise to grave
apprehension among officials during the
early day in Washington, but the con-
clusion was reached as the departments
closed that the situation is one that
will yield to sensible and cool treat
ment if all the parties to the Berlin
treaty are sincere in an effort to pre-
vent further trouble AS put by a Cab
met 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 touch
ing the last incident was contained in
Admiral Kautzs cabIegram. The Sec
retary said that no additional instruc-
tions were to be sent by him to the
admiral. The Secretary of State, how
ever, has been told that he is at liberty
to forward any instruction to the ad-
miral 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 Apia
tomorrow The Philadelphia was
shOrt-handed for officers before the
loss of Lieutenant Lansdale and En-
sign Monaghan, and the department
to-day promptly sent telegraphic orders
to Mare Island to dispatch some officers
TO recruit the force. Lieutenant
SchuetZe goes out as executive officer.
with Lieutenant w. S. Hughes, Lieu
tenant Schofield and Lieutenant Heth-
erington. Surgeon Steele is ordered
from the New York navy yard to the
Philadelphia. All of these officers are
expected to take the mail steamer on
ths 18th inst. for Apia
The diplomatic negotiations of the
day were not directed particularly to
the encounter, as the official informa-
ton is too meager thus far to warrant
positive official action. There were
many inquiries, however, and the State
Department and the British and Ger
man embassies exchanged such advices
as they had on the subject In the
main, the diplomatic negotiations con-
unued TO center around the high COM
mission. On this subject a breach is
gradually opening between Great Brit
ain and Germany, because of the re-
fusal of Great Britain to have the com
mission leave San Francisco on the
18th.
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-
ton, 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 body this month.
To overcome this stand by the British
Foreign Office suggestion has been
made that the appointment of an UNI
pire, which is one of the points still in
dispute, be settled after the Commits
sioners start. If this is agreed to, the
commission can be away, though with
some branches of it's instructions in
complete. In the meantime they could
be making their preliminary examina-
ti0ns, the final directions being reserved
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, Mr.. Eliot, shall
not leave until his. functions can be ex-
actly defined.
The following German official view
was given to the Associated Press:
after Germany and the United
States had arrived at an understanding
that the commission could have left
San Francisco on the 18th, England
raises new difficulties of such compIi-
Gated nature that they cannot be dealt
with geographically
Germany feels justified under these