The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-04-18

cent participation Df the United states
and British forces ln the troubles al
Samoa has been written b. Benjamin
Craig, a District boy, u his relatives II
this city Ben j. Just eighteen years
ODD. and d IN the service as musician on
The United States flagship Philadelphia,
under Admiral kautz His letter Is dated
Page Page. samoa, March 8. 1885, ana y
"a the form Of q diary. He says.
we arrived here after an uneyentful
trip. excepting some very hot weather,
and were eleven days In making the dis
lance from Honolulu. We came here
early this morning, but leave this after
noon, 50 We can get to Apia early to-
morrow. The natives here are very sore
on the Germans That Is why We came
here. ia order 20 find out whether they
were on the German side or with the
Americans and English. But they hate the
Dutch like the mischief We expect d
lot Of trouble when We set 10 Apia-
Left Pago Page az 6 y. m, March .,
and arrived at Apia next morning, March
.. Monday. finding two British men-ot-
war and one German. Another BRUSH
ship is expected 10 arrive in week from
sydney. y ;. ". You would not see
haTDor II you were 10 come here. You
can only discern a couple Of huts along
the beach. and that is all
THE Germans want 10 put fellow by
the name Of Mataafa on the throne, but
We. The Americans and the British, won I
let them DO 1t because We want TO pul
the son OF the late King Malietoa up Re
being the rightful ruler. Mataafa Is not
q native at all, but South Sea islander.
Before we got here | suppose the Ger
mans furnished Mata2fa and MS IoIo"-
ers with arms and ammunition, ana now
they are in the hills kicking up the deViI.
There is d Tumor about the snip thdt the
marine guard is 10 land tomorrow, Iues-
day. 7th. but II is not thought TO be true.
The rightful King, Malietos, Is on boaid
the British gunDOat Porpoise' ana Ma
taafa is now out on the point. and We can
see MIN and his men plainly from our
shin. II Is now shutdown. and the guard
has not landed yet. although the Eng
fish marines are ashore anu nave oeeh
there since December
Nothing happened until this morning,
saturday. the 18th. The British cruiser
Rovalist 20; up anchor and left the har-
Ter 10 20 20 the point and get Mataafa
10 come out to our ship for conference
Ia be held this afternoon. The conference
was held. but the Kings were not mere.
Sunday. l2-The ROyalisL left for Page
PagO this morning.
Monday, 13-The marine guard landed
this afternoon. composed OF twenty
marines and thirty blue-jackets from our
shin. and went TO the point. Mataafa left
the point last night, and as We cannot
see MIN and mis- followers they must b.
in the Jungle. More marines from the
English ships landed at the same time.
The Germans have not sent any men
ashore. The Americans and English are
great friends
Might Monday, l3-The American and
English Consuls have prepared slSnai 10
be used tonight If they want more men.
We expect them TO call for the rest OF
the elIard before morning. AT dark a
white light was hoisted on Flagstaff al
American Consulate. and if red hght
yoes M before morning IL will mean theJ
U-anr more men. | have just sounded
,,at,oo' on board. and as | finish the RED
light is sent up, and thirty more marines
are sent 0shoIde. The Royaiist Ii eA-
pected tomorrow.
Out with the Scouts.
"ruesday. l4th-Division OF marine guaIu
returned 10 ship at a. m Al W. d. -,
The full guard of marines, loItS -Ioui L.
ana eighty-four bluelackets' uhoeI olio %
tne naval officers. went ashore 10 drlNe
- raI,sIs our Of the town. Il went along
his lime, We marched along the south
-. bain.. busIer with the scouts. We
,rba scents, had lust forded stream four
feel deep, about ~ yards ahead OF Inc
,,9in command, hat when the ofhcer III
command saw that ne had 10 get wet II
ne wanted 10 cross he had us 90 Dach'
That WAS about noon. and we were Just
coming back 10 the ship 10 dinner Whth
The guard was ordered To stay behind anu
guard the American Consuk Well, We
were lust getting settled down nicely
when about D. IN. company OF blue
Jackets came to relieve Us, so We could go
aboard again and set our equipments ana
return 10 the Consuls again. But when
We go. on board the Captain of our ship
would not let the marine officer take all
Of the guard. but Only half OF them. OF
course ! was unlucky enough 10 be tho
unfortunate one. 10 stay aboard ship.
expect however 10 so in a couple of days,
because the bugle- is not very strong ana
can't keep Up march any length OF
time The British Captain wanted to
shell the town to-day. but our Admiral
said No our marines are on the south
point. while q naval Lieutenant and TWEEN
Iy-two men are on The north point, with
TWO thrct-inCh field guns. our marines
went on the north point last night We
expect trouble any minute.
The cruiser POrpOlSt Is playing her
s-archlightS all around the town, and We
have one light trained between our men
ana the mainland on the north side of the
harbor. and another Is trained on the
Con~uIs house on the south side. So you
see We can keep light where the rebels
Will have 10 cross 10 get 10 our men, ana
then We could turn the big guns on them
from the ship.
Wednesday, March l5-our ship opened
fire on the north side of the little bay al
lie D. m. Both British cruisers cleared
for action at same time and manned all
guns ~ 80 nifty men went ashore under
a naval Lieutenant. and landed on the
south shore. Twenty marines went ashore
u relieve that number. There was luli
iu The ming for about ten minutes, and
then Il was resumed. Al Las PoTpoise left
l#rbor 20 chase the natives out. At 80
British cruiser Royals, opened fire on the
town. A. 20 Porpoise opened batteries on
th' north side OF small bay AT 2.50 the
firing continues from all OF the ships.
with the exception of the German cruiser
Fake which is keeping very quiet. At 2.40
the marine officer az the Consuls sent
word 90 the Captain that he would Ike
20 have the rest OF the guard from the
snip sent 10 him. but he was refused. AT
2.5j one of our marines was brought from
the consulate wounded, lower part Of his
Lex b.low the knee almost shot on /,
was one 81 our own shells that did the
work We Were firing with six-inch gun
behind the Consurs house and fired too
low. and the shell burst right over the
house, part OF il piercing the roof ana
tearing up the flooring IN one Of the
rooms. A. SD the Porpoise returned from
the north point and anchored right in the
mouth 81 the harbOr. Company b re-
turned at .. IN. and left again al go.
Anglo American Alliance.
when the Porpoise left for the point
our band played God Save the Queen
and their band played the star Spangled