The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-17
Interesting Letter Written BY German to
Washington Friend.
BRITISH OFFICIALS SEVERELY SCORED
Accused of Fomentins the Trouble
and I<nntx said 10 Have Given No
Notice of Bombardment.

in March. as viewed from the German side
OF the question. The letter was written by
prominent German and is OF interest in
that 1t gives, for the hrst time, the German
view OF the state Of things now existing
In the Samoan islands. The letter begins
with a complaint that no regard whatever
is shown by the British and American
forces toward the Germans. The bonn
bardment had been announced to begin OH
Wednesday, March II, at / p. m, but mo-
notice, says the letter. was given the Ger
mans and the German consul general Isl
still waiting for the official communication
OF the commencement OF the bombardment.
The commander OF the German warship
Fake was notified by an officer OF the
Philadelphia only quarter OF an hour az
ter the fire had been opened, The numer-
Gus whites living in the vicinity OF the
town had no opportunity TO take any meas
ures for their personal safety and we're
not aware OF what was going on until
shrapnel exploded in their ncighborhood.
1t is due continues the letter, only TO a
mercifu providence that no whites were
killed or wounded
In vsitelc, on a cocoa plantation belong
ing TO the German Trading and Plantation
company on the afternoon Of March IT,
Eve shells fell and burst around the house
One struck through the roof Of tho veranda
and rent asunder tho floor jus; on the spot
where scarcely a minute before. the man
ager OF the plantation had stood with an
overseer
The same afternoon three bombs were
thrown ON the Voca mountain. south OF
Apia, where the French mission has
school Of native children. one she'll falling
down close to the house OF TIC fathers. an
other exploding in the immediate vicinity
Of the house ot the sisters, On March Is.
she'll fired from the Philadelphia exnlod
81 too soon and a ~ pound plecc of It
was thrown into the building % the Ger
man consulate, wrecklng a part OF il.
This event, it is stated, brought the firing
parties to use little more care.
On March rs, part al the town aud
grounds in the rear were searched By an
Anglo American party, strengthened by
about a hundred "Friendlies," under the
command OF Captain Sturdee Of the war
ship Pcrpoise The expedition landed in
the Matut quarter OF the town before tue
house Of wealthy French merchant ard
after few aimless volleys the Tanu men
occupied the house of the Frenchman and
lish officers. doors and windows and, the
letter asserts. helped ihensseivas freely 10
whatever they wanted from the store.
Then the place was searched, though in
vain, for MAtaata warriors.
The letter follows up this statement with
bitter and sarcastic pcrSppl attack on
Captain Sturdee. IL theN proceeds to
enumers,e the reasons that led TO the
establishment OF the provisional goyern-
mont which. Il is said. was 20 remain In
existence until an agreement was made
regarding the future conditions of Samoa
had been brought about,
The letter continues. I'm the meanwhile
the provisional government, under the able
leadership Of Mataata. had maintained
such order ana security as under no former
government EVERYBODY felt sure Of his
life and property. the cocoa production In
the country begun again and there were
signs OF prosperous times coming back to
the white traders Nobody who represent
al Maiieioa wanted change of condi-
Ions. The British consul and his aide,
Mr.. sturdee. Of course. protested. who IN
erdor to give vent to their dissatisfaction
md to demonstrate the alleged insecurity
maintained a strong guard In the British
consulate and did not give shore leave TO
tire crews Of the warships, not TO speak OF
other ridiculous measures.
ON March 3, the Philadelphia, under Ad-
the provisional government was sealed.
He did not think 1T TO try TO get a
Just picture Of the Samoan situation by
extending his Inquiries as far as possible,
Chief Justice Chambers, who, through his
partial Judgment is principally responsible
for the present troubles. English Consul
Maxse and CAPTAIN Sturdee were his
crown witnesses. The great many Ger
mans. we'll informed on the conditions
OF the country, and more particularly the
German consul general, being not consld-
cred The American consul did MOI deem
II worth while TO give the matter serious
thought and compaeenIly acauieseed In
the proposals OF MaXse and Sturdee
On March II conference OF the consuls
with the admiral took place on board the
Philadelphia, when the German consul
protested With due energy against the
plan Of the admiral 10 eSpsl and com
pletely dissolve the provisional govern
ment and use TO this end the whole force
OF men of war. In vain the German rep-
resentatiye explained TO him the country
was In a condition az perfect tranquility
and that there were no reasons why they
should not quietly wait for the decision of
the treaty powers. On March . Admiral
Ksutz issued his proclamation and did not
state in the Samoan text that all consuls
were agreed as TO the proceeding against
the provisional government The German
representative. firmly opposed 10 having
the German warship Fake participate in
the impeding hatchery, issued a counter
proclamation. The Matgafa men we're not
allowed the least time for consideration.
They evacuated Mulinuu. the seat a the
provisional government. on Monday.
March 3. but were already fred upon when
they on Wednesday had not yet left the
territory OF the municipality. In order
20 frighten the Mataafa men stIll more. all
the Tanu men, though very little Inclined
TO fght against their own people, were
armed by the English with rites aud plenty
OF ammunition.
Among the victims OF the present eight
arr also brave marines and II is pity 20
gay that II not all. yet most Of them have
lost their lives through the bullets Of
thrir own comrades That such things
may happen is only too easily explained
ofhcers and crews In consequences OF the
continued guard and patrol service, over
exercised and nervous lost the rest nee
esssry for the handling Of firearms n a
leaf Hisiles In the night, II an animal
r'pves. Immediately the guns and arms are
Cred IN short, there is an Incredible
waste 81 ammunition. OF course, as was
n he expected the anti-Gsrman eiements