The Portland daily press., 1899-03-30


Apia, Samoan Islands, March 23-via
Auckland, N. H., March s9.-The trou-
bles growing out OF the election Of king
of Samoa have taken more serious turn
and resulted In a bombardment OF native
villages along the shore by the United
States cruiser Philadelphia, Admiral
Kautz, commanding, the British cruisers
Porpoise and Royalist. The lombard
ment has continued intermittsntly for
eight days. Several villages have been
burned and there have been q number of
asualties among the American and Brit
ish sailors and marines As yet it is i'm
possible to estimate the number of natives
killed or injured.
As Mataafa and his.chieis, constituting
the provisional government. continued
20 defy the treaty altar the arrival OF the
Philadel phia, Admiral Kautz ST mmoned
the various oonsuls and the senior naval
officers to conference on board the Phil.
adelphia, when the whole situation WAS
carefully canyassed The upshot was
resolution to dismiss the provisional gov
ernment, and Admiral Kautz issued a
pTOCIhmdllOu ChiIhS upoh oaN
his chiefs to return to their homes.
Mataafa evacuated Mulinuu, the town
he had made his headquarters, and went
Into the interior.
Herr Rose, the German consul at Apia,
issued proclamation, experimenting the
one he had issued several weeks before,
upholding the provisional government
As d result of this the Mataafans as
sem bled in large force and hemmed in
the town.
The British cruiser Royalist brought
the Malietoa prisoners from the islands
te which they had been transferred by
the provisional government
The Americans then fortified Muiinuu
where 1000 Malietoans took refuge The
repels-the adherents Of Matsafa-barri-
caned the roads within the municipality
and seized the British houses
An ultlmatum was then sent to them
ordering them to evacuate anu threaten
ing them In the event of refusal with
bonn bar dment, to commsnce at O'Clock
on the afternoon March 10.
This was ignored ard the rebels COM
menced an attack in the direction of the
United States and British oopsulates
about half an hour before the time fixed
for the bonn bArdment.
The Philadelphia. Porpoise and Royal.
ist opened hre upon the distant villages
There was great difficulty in locating
the enemy owing to the dense forests,
but several shore villages were seen In
flames.
A defective shall from the Philadelphia
exploded near the American consulate
and the marines outside narrowly escaped
A fragment struck the leg OF Private
Rudge, shattsring 1t SO badly as TO ne
ces sltate amputation. Another fragment
trayerst the GsrmSn consulate, smash
ing the crockery The Germans then went
on board the German cruiser Fake.
During the night the rebels made a
hot attack ION the town, killing three
shot In the leg by sentry OF his own
party. while an American sentry WAS
killed at his post.
The bonn mbardment continuing. the In
habitants of the town took refuge on
oard the Royalist, greatly crowding the
vessel.
Many people are leaving Samoa. the
captain of the Royalist urging them to
go so as not to interfere with the military
operations.
The Porpoiss has shelled the villages
east and west of Apia anu captured many
boats.
The Americans and British are fight
ing splend!dly together, but there is a
bitter feeling against the Germans.
/. Two men, British and German sub
ject, have been arrested as spies.
The hombardment of the jungle was
for time very hot.
The British cruiser Lauranga, which,
1t is understood was standing to annex
the Longa islands Ga section of the
Friendly Islands IN the faciho) was n
tercepted at Suva, capital OF the Fl il
islands by order of the home goyernme mt.