The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-04

cisco, June 3)-When Admiral Kautz is:
sued his proclamation of April % di-
recting Mataafa and his followers TO
keep beyond certain defined limits
around Apia, the prohibited district,
covering an area of twelve miles long
and six miles broad, followed by no.
LITIGATION to Mataafa that unless the
rebels were outside the prescribed linn
its within twenty-four hours. fire would
be opened upon them wherever they
could be reached. this ultimatum
brought about an immediate and uncon-
ditional compliance with the admiral S
directions.
From that time up to date there has
been no conflict with the rebels. Cap
tain Sturdee of H. NJ. S. Porpoise, ac-
Companied by the Rev. William Huck-
ell of the London Mission society, as
interpreter. paid the rebel camp at Fa-
leDla visit the day following, and in
order to avoid mistakes in the future,
went over the boundary line with sew
eral Mataafa chiefs. who promised to
keep the peace until the commission
had had time to act
The district which the rebels have
evacuated is quite large enough to sup
ply food to the Malietoans in Apia and
thus one of the great difficulties of the
Looting Is Prevented.
Since the rebels went to Falenla a
strong patrol of 700 or 500 men daily
make a round, seeing that all is quiet,
and that no looting or damage is being
done by the Malietoa followers. Sew
eral cases of looting have been reported,
and where it IS possible to find out the
offenders they have been severely pun
ished- The damage caused by the
friendlies has. however, been very small
in comparison with that caused by the
MataafanS, not one-tWentieth part.
The large fort at Lotopia was de-
stroyed by the Malietoans. and il is re-
ported that Matafa is highly enraged at
this. claiming that in the event of his
wishing to return to the same after the
commission has made known its deci-
Sion. he ought to have been allowed to
do so. In the meantime he is building
forts inland of the town of Falenla,
and his followers stoutIy declare that
even if the commission are unanimous
against him. he will never acknowledge
Tanu as king. and viii fight fight it out
so the bitter end.
Won't Recognize Tanu.
These assertions may be only talk.
but as far as we can judge here, the
question of the kingship does not seem
TO lie within the scope of the commits
SlOL <Adliu has Dttii BuDilNiS NIOMiCu
by the American and British authori-
ties here. and has been saluted with
royal honors by both the Philadelphia
and the Tauranga on the occasion of
his coronation. and of his formal visit
at the WarshipS since the armistice has
been in force. Hhis chiefs and TamaS-
csc. the Vice-king. are carrying on the
government in way that performs all
the functions of a good and stable gov
eminent. and they are in possession.
Tanu is king de facto AS well as de
jure, and in addition. there are now in
Apia $500 male adults. carrying 200
rifles supporting him. This means that
absolutely half of Samoa is at present
supporting the king at Apia. Mataafa
is likely TO be a disappointed Gnan and,
although a personal friend of his who
had an interview with him few days
ago, says that Mataafa is prepared to
accept the inevitable at the hands of a
unanimous commission, he will never
submit to minority, even though that
minority be the two greatest nations on
the earth. This is farcical no doubt to
most people, but serious, indeed. to the /
few white residents of these islands.
Strengthen Their Positions
In the meantime the rebels are
Strengthening their positions. sending /
out messengers for all their sympathiz- |
ers to come and join them. and are bus |
1iy engaged IN manufacturing cartfldS- !
es. Deserters from the Mataafa camp |
say that on the occasion of the Falk !
last visiting Salufata that some of the ,
rebel chiefs went of to the ship and 1
asked for a supply of ammunition, but /
that the same was refused them, to |
their great disgust
The loyalists. on the other hand. are
being daily drilled and instructed by /
officers from the different warships a 1
four-inch gun has been taken from II. /
NJ. S. Torch. and is now mounted at /
Mulium, in such a position as to COM
mand the whole of the western portion
of the municipality
The great question is, viii the COM
mission order the disarmament of the
natives2 If they do not. it is the opin-
ion of almost every white resident that
these islands will no longer be safe to
live in, and many declare that if the
natives are to retain their rifles never
mind what other solution of the Sa-
moan question is made. they cannot and
will not live here with their families
and property at the mercy of the next
lot of rebels.