Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-12-02
ONE SHOT MEANTWAR
BUT THE GERMANS " SELY REFRAIN
ED FROM FIRING 1T.

The Yankee Commander Lcnry Was
Ready For the Fray and Proved
Too Pluc>y and TnctfuI For His
OppOnent-A story of sumon.
The pluck and grit of American ma
val officers are aptly illustrated in an
article by Henry Collins Welsh in
AinSlee's Magazine, i'll which the writ
er tells how Commander Lcary
brought the German naval force i'll Sa-
moa to terms some years ago. He
says:
1t was ut the outbreak of civil strife
that Captain Leary arrived at Apia in
the American warShip Adams. Dr.
knappe was then the German consul
at Apia, and he and Commander
Fritze of the German warship Adler
carried Oh affairs with an imperious
hand. Feeling ran high between the
Germans on one hand and the Amcri-
cans and English ON the other. The
Germans bOmbarded villages on vari-
GUS preteXts, fired upon unarmcd na-
tives and gave open aid to TamaScSc.
Captain Lcary at that time was a
commander and it was not long be.
fore he and Captain FritZe had some
lively intcrchanges of compliments
On one occasion the Adler steamed
past the American ship with Il native
chief bound to her foremast. The Ger
man saluted when he passed, but no
answer came back from the American.
Soon the German came to a Standstill
4 boat was dispatched to ascertain
why the American had not answered
the salute. Commander Leary sent
the Teuton this characteristic reply
THE United States does not salute
vessels engaged in the slave carrying
trade"
But an incident which best illus
trates Commander Learys grit and de-
termination and which deserves to live
in song and story occurred in the wa
terS near Apa on Nov. II, 1883.
Strained relations came to n crisis
then, and war between the United
States and Germany seemed inevita-
bic.
On the day previous a message came
from Mataafa to inform Commander
Lcary that the Germans had threaten
ed to attack Mataafa in his strong
hold on the morrow. Both Mataafa
and TamaSese had intrenched them
selves in fortified places about seven
miles from Apia upon land under
American protection. Mataafa asked
for advice. and Commander Leary told
him through the messenger to stand
his ground, that he would not allow
N To 10
property under his protection.
According to the German pro.
gramme, the Adler was to lombard at
dawn. Captain Leary quietly prepar-
ed to foil the plan, at the same time
keeping his counsel. BY using some
hard coal he had aboard he was able
to get up steam without the telltale
smoke that would have warned the
Germans of his action. Then he muf-
fled his anchor chains with native
mats, and at 4 in the morning all
hands were quietly called to quarters.
At daybreak the anchors of the Adler
We're hauled up and with full steam
on the vessel made for the open sea-
Noiselessly came up the Yankees an
chOrs. and to the amaZement of the
Adler the Adams was close upon her
heels. The German had to turn to
get out of the harbor. and by the time
she reached the entrance the two ships
were close together. Again the Ger
man turned and then headed toward
the fort that was to be bombarded.
Commander Leary ran his ship be-
tween the German and the shore and
when about 800 yards from the Ad-
ler gave the order:
Clear for actionr'
AT once the decks were cleared, and
the guns were trained. The German
followed suit and the two ships
steamed along the coast ready for the
fray.
shot from either vessel meant war
between the two countries. When op-
pOste the native forts. the Adler came
to anchor, and the Adams anchored
between the German and the shore.
so close were the vessels that no guns
could be fired from the Adler without
passing over or through the Adams.
Then Commander Leary sent this note
to the German commander:
nave llp nOuOf 10 INFORM you
that, having received information that
American property in the Latoga vi
cinity OF Laulii, Lotoanuu and Solo
Solo is liable to be invaded this day,
am here for the purpose of protecting
the same"
For hours the men stood at their
guns. but no shot came from the Ger
mans. He was ready to war upon the
SamoanS, but war with the United
States was another matter.
At length the German started on
cruise along the coast, but he could not
shake off the persistent Yankee. Final
ly he renOunced his designs and re.
turned to his anchorage in Apia bay.
To her anchorage came also the Ad-
ans, and Commander Leary had won
the game.
he Natural.
One of the Surest ways to be awk-