The record-union., 1899-02-05

BERLIN, Feb. 4.-The German Gov
eminent claims to have received advices
from Samoa which dispose the Minis
tiers to in no wise acquiesce in the view
that the German representatives are
entirely to blame for the recent
troubles.
A high Foreign Office official said:
Our representations from Samoa this
week narrate in detail the events pre-
ceding the bursting of the term in con-
sequence of the royal election. We
begin to see more clearly into matters.
There has been for some time past Sc
rious friction between Chief Justice
Chambers and DIR. Joannes Raffel, the
German President of the municipality
Of Apia, and Herr Rose, the German
Consul at Apia, arising from mutual
recriminations as to the conduct of Off
cial business and personal differences.
Mr.. Chambers appears to have been
engaged in promoting agitation in ia
vor of the VI a'isioa party. If this is
confirmed, we shall ask for an expla-
nation, as such conduct is a direct con-
travention of the Berlin treaty, which
expressly provides that the Supreme
Judges shall not NEEDLE with national
elections, but shall remain strictly neu-
trail on such occasions. 1t seems, how
ever that Mr.. Chambers Joined in the
intrigues Of the English missionaries,
who feared that Protestant interests
would suffer by the ascension Of the
Roman Catholic Mataafa
''The German Government does not
go to the length of claiming that Mr.
Chambers did so act, but II the reports
are confirmed we shall ask for an ex-
PLANTATION. Possibly, on the American
side, facts may be adduced tending to
show that our representatives also ex-
ceeded their proper powers. If COM
plants are made they will be impair
TALLY and amicably settled. No formal
requests or complaints have yet been
made by either Government and there
is evidently a desire on both sides to
settle the whole difficulty in a friendly
way.
Respecting the latest incident, it
seems undeniable that Germans created
a disturbance, smashing windows, ETC.,
but we fail to see how Mr.. Chambers
deemed it his duty to place the offender
under his jurisdiction, instead of ieav-
ing him to the consular Jurisdiction, as
the Samoa Acts prescribed. This action
on the part of Mr. Chambers will also
need an explanation. The incident,
however, is trifiing. Our reports indi-
cate that. generally speaking, order
now reigns at Samoa"
The correspondent of the Associated
Press spoke to the United States En-
bassador, Andrew D. White, on the
subject, and he said the above state
ment tailed with his own Information.
Mr.. White added that he had not re-
ceived fresh instructions from Wash
ington, and he had no doubt that the
troubles would be amicably adjusted by
the three Powers interested
The establishment Of a company to
lay a direct cable between Germany
and the United States seems now def
marks has been furnished by num-
Der of banks and private capitalists,
including the Duke of Ratibor. The
German Government is understood to
be favoring this and other cable enter
prises, and the Reichstag will be ask
ed to make various appropriations in
return for presumption privileges.
There were forty -eight trials for lese
majestic in January. and sentences to-
tsllng seventeen years in prison were
inflicted. A socialist paper calculates
that $500 years of imprisonment have
been pronounced in the German courts
for lese majestic during the past ten
years.