The record-union., 1899-01-20

German representatives in Samoa, act-
ing in the arbitrary manner they did,
completely exceeded their instructions
from their own Government. It is quite
certain that they exceeded the author
ity with which they were clothed by
the treaty of Berlin, and it is expected
that the German Government will un-
hesitatingly condemn their actions as
soon as it has become officially advised
as to what has actually happened.
The authorities feel that the great
est element of danger lies in the pos
sibility Of trouble before Raffel and
Rose can be restrained by Government
advices. It is not conceivable that
they would undertake to carry out the
threat reported to have been made by
them to forcibly board the British gum
boat Porpoise, for even though the lat
ter might have to reckon with the Ger
man gunboat Fake, lying in her i'm
mediate vicinity, it is felt here that her
Captain would resist such an attack
to the last extremity
THE PHILADELPHIA AT SAN
DIEGO.
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 19.-The United
States flagship Philadelphia, with Rear
Admiral Kautz on board, arrived here
this morning from Acapulco. All well
on board.
Admiral Kautz landed to-day at Cor
onado from the Philadelphia, and was
shown the dispatch ordering his vessel
to Samoa. He said no such orders had
yet reached him, and that if they did,
it was doubtful if the vessel would be
sent on the long voyage, in
view of her present condition, which he
would make known to the department.
Her sides, he said, and bottom are very
foul, and need cleaning and repainting
very badly, as the speed of the ship is
reduced at least two knots thereby.
But if, however, the department in
sisted on her going, she would have to
go first to the drydock at San Fran
cisco. This, he said, shows the ad-
vantage Of a naval station and drydock
at San Diego, which would be a great
benefit to the navy
AN INSULT TO THIS GOVERN
MENT.
AUCKLAND On. ~, Jan. 19.-Furth-
er particulars regarding the disturb
ances at Samoa show that Mataafa's s
IL.
and that the adherents of Malietoa
Tanu were only about LOCO. There
was two hours fighting between the
rival forces, during which several war
riors were decapitated.
The American Consul issued a pro-
clamation claiming that the Berlin
treaty had the same force as a law of
Congress, and that an insult to the Su-
preme Court of Samoa is, therefore,
equivalent to an insult to the Govern
ment at Washington.
FOREHODING NEWS.
BERLIN, Jan. 19.-The news from
Samoa has been received with forebod-
ing.
The ''Lokal Anzeiger'' says: "All this
doubtless signifies an appreciable quar-
rel. and with the unceremonious course
which the Americans have affected
lately toward US, it may easily take a
serious turn. The Samoa condominium
has always involved a lurking danger y
The "Vossische Zeitung" says: 'vrhe
situation will become even graver when
the American warsf1fp arrives at Apia.
It is said that the Washington Depart
ment Of State has instructed the United
States Consul General there, L. w. Os-
born, not to trust the German Consul.
Evidently the United States, who are
least interested in Samoa among the
three Powers, do not mean to respect
Germany's paramount interests. Ger
many will have to show firmness. all
the more so as our position Is made
the worse by the evident desire of Eng
land to help the United States, so as
to retain the latter's friendship"
BERLIN ACT NEEDS RADICAL
AMENDMENT.
LONDON, Jan. 20-The "Times" in
a special article this morning with re-
gard to affairs in Samoa, after point
ing out that When the Central Amer
lean ship canal is completed, the PCS
session of Pago Pago harbor, incompar-
ably the safest in the entire Pacific,
will become a world-important ques-
tion," says:
The decision of Chief Justice Cham
bers that the Berlin Act disqualified
Mataafa must be accepted with con-
siderable reserve, for that Act express
ly reserves to the Samoans the free
right to elect their King and to choose
their form of Government This right
has been well recognized by the three
Powers. The only obstacle to Mataafa' S
election appears to be the promise
wresad from him before he was per-
mitted to leave the Marshall Islands to
renounce participation in Samoan poll
itics. This remuneration evidently
owed its origin to Germany, yet Ger
many now champions Mataafa No
body acquainted with the islands can be
surprised that the islanders uphold
Mataafa.
The astonishing thing about the
whole business, apart from the German
VOLTAGE, is that Great Britain should
consent, while the throne was vacant,
to allow such a firebrand to be thrown
among the smoldering embers of Sa-
moan disaffection.
"The part the United States have
played in the matter must be consid-
cred in connection with President Nc
Kinley's last message to Congress. 1t
must not be forgotten that these ISL
ands We're SO long ago as 1872, a cher
fshed object in the eyes of American ex-
pansionists; and even now Samoa is a
word to conjure with throughout many
Western States. The present situation
will not be devoid of benefit 1t serves
to convince the three Powers that the
Berlin Act requires immediate and rad
ical amendment, in default of which
Samoa will always be liable to become
the prey of civil war and a source of
anxiety to the signatory Powers. 1t
may even be, as was nearly the case
ten years ago, the theater Of hostilities
between two of their number"
Twentieth Infantry.