The San Francisco call., 1899-02-12

This is the King who was deposed years ago
ard exiIed Through German influence he
was allowed to return to Samoa on the
promise that he would not at. any time.
cain the throne. The recent war was
started by him in a contest with the ate
King MaIietoa's son, Tanu:
nothing to obtain their object. Later
on the captain and Consul We're delib
erately fired at by the rebels, but hap
PLY without effect; they both had =
close call, though.
The mission house and grounds were
guarded by an armed force from. the
Porpoise, under Lieutenant Gaunt, and
an anxious time that officer must have
had rru1f11g the two hours firing that
ensued before darkness set in. The
rebels respected the blueiackets; and
they were not yet willing to rush the
loyal troops, and thus put an end to:
the struggle. While:this fighting in tbs
main street was proceeding a body :ot
MataafanS, about 1000 strong, Whici,
had taken UP position about mic
day at Tanufamanono, about. a NILS
and a quarter inland of Apia, on the
main road across the island advanced
toward Apia, driving before them
the Malietoa natives. "
By nightfalr this party had come TO
MALTA, about a quarter of a mile from
their rebel comrades, but darkness. pre-
vented them effecting a junction, and
thus saved a great slaughter. During
the afternoon those residents. who live
between Tanufamanono and the home
of the late r. L. Stevenson were COM
pletely cut off from Apia, and had the
melancholy privilege of sitting on their
verandas, hearing the fighting, seeing
the smoke of battle and burning
houses in the immediate foreground,
and further out the warships lying at
anchor in the harbor, and yet unable
to communicate or be communicated
with
For the safety of the British. consul
late a guard had been posted there
early on Sunday morning and the resi-
dence barricaded with sandbags,. and
there Mrs. MaXse, with United. States
Consul General Osborn and Mrs Os-
born, remained during the fighting.
1t is stated that during the lighting
Mataafa's party lost thirteen killed and
fourteen wounded, and that the Kings
party lost four killed and eight wound
ed; but the Kings .party was greatly
outnumbered and poorly, armed.
Totally inadequate to beat back the
rebels, under cover of darkness the
loyal natives, about 1900 escaped in
boats to the Porpoise. under whose guns
they sought shelter: There they stayed
all through the night. under a most dis
agreeable storm, and the greater part
of next day. when they were taken
mostly on board the Porpoise and some
300 on the German ship Fake.
Beyond this act the German captain
has absolutely refused to act in con-
cert with or aid the British captain to
preserve life or property or to stop
bloodshed. Subsequently these es-
capes were delivered up to the Mataafa
de facto Government upon conditions
9Qrpn6 hptUApr fha
Government of Mataafa and the. three
Consuls. Their arms and ammunition
were kept on board the Porpoise.
King Tanu and Tamasese (who was
to fill the office of vice King) were de-
manded by Mataafa of Captain Sturdee,
but the denial was emphatic and they
still remain on the warship. A humane
and courageou action of the captain,
and one which rebounds to his credit
Malietoa's party being defeated and
on board of the warship, negotiations
were opened between the Consuls and
the rebels, and by proclamation Of
January 4, owing to the urgent neces-
sity for the protection of life and prop
erty the Mataafa party, who. are now
in de facto possession of the Samoan.
Government, are recognized 20 be the
provisional government of =. Samoa
pending instruction from the three
treaty powers, the executive head to he
the President CDR. RafeD. Moth
ing in the proclamation. shall
be taken as modifying or alb
rogating the rights and priv
iieges of the three treaty powers, either
individually or collectively, or of their
consular representatives. as now exist
ing.
The first act of this Provisional Cow
ernment was, however, in. distinct
breach of the proclamation and also a i.
breach of the Berlin treaty and an in
suit to the flags of Britain
and the United States The.
court by the proclamation of
December % had been taken under
the protection of the United States and
Great Britain, after an agreement TO
put it under the protection of the three
powers had been made. which agree
ment the German Consul afterward
refused to carry out.
On January 6, by public notice, the
Provisional Government made known
that the Supreme Court was closed and
-, Io,-.o