Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-07-29
ONE SHOT MEANT WAR
BUT THE GERMANS WISELY REFRAIN
ED FROM FIRING 1T.

SS hON
The Yankee Commander Leary Was
Ready For the Fray and Proved
Too PIucky and TactfuI For His
Opponent-A Story of Samoa.
The pluck and grit of American ma
val officers are aptly illustrated in an
article by Henry Collins Welsh in
Ainslee's Magazine, in which the writ
er tells how Commander Leary
brought the German naval force in Sa-
moa to terms some years ago. He
says:
1t was at 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 on affairs with an imperious
hand. Feeling ran high between the
Germans on one hand and the Ameri-
cans and English on the other. The
Germans bombarded villages on vari-
Gus preteXts, fired upon unarmed ma
tiyes and gave open aid to Tamasese.
Captain Leary at that time was
commander, and it was not long be-
fore he and Captain Fritze had some
lively interchanges of compliments.
On one occasion the Adler steamed
past the American ship with native
chief bound to her foremast. The Ger
man saluted when he passed, but no
ans wer came back from the American.
Soon the German came to q standstill.
A 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 Leary's grit and de-
termination and which deserves to live
in song and story occurred in the wa
ters near Apia on Nov. 10, 1888.
Strained relations came to a crisis
then, and war between the United
States and Germany seemed inevita-
bic.
On the day previous message came
from Mataafa to inform Commander
Leary that the Germans had threaten
ed to attack Mataafa in his strong
hold on tie 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
the German to make an attack upon
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 telltaIe
smoke that would have warned the
Germans of his action. Then he muf-
fed his anchor chains with native
mats, and at in the morning all
hands were quietly called to quarters.
AT daybreak the anchors of the Adler
were 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 300 yards from the Ad-
Ter 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.
A shot from either vessel meant war
between the two countries. When op-
posite 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:
Il have the honor to 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 q
cruise along the coast, but he could Dot |
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.
In hn