The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-05-27
TIE LAST SAMOAN BATTLE
MATAAFA FORCES REPTLSED by
MALIETOA MEN.
Three of the Latter Were Killed-Then
Followed the Negotiations Ending in
a Truce.

The Samoa Weekly Herald gives the
following account of the last fighting
there and the truce that followed
Some alarm was caused by a good
deal of shooting behind the town early
in the evening of April %. 1t was said
to be uue to an attempt of the rebels to
rush the Malietoa forts. The rebels re
treated when the Malietoas opened
J fire.
Sunday. April %. about zoo Malietoa's s
went out in the direction of Lepea.
where the rebels have a strong fort A
general engagement took place, the
Malietoa natives storming the fort and
chasing the rebels but owing to the
night coming on and the want of am
munition the Malietoa natives had to
retire They We're supported by strong
detachment of British bluejackets. who
held the rear in case of a retreat. but
were not called upon. The result of the
| lighting as far as we can learn was that
/ three MalietOa men We're wounded on
the other side, it is impossible to give
anything definite and they may never
be rightly known, but from eye Witness
es we are informed that several were
seen to fall, and as the Maletoa's have
now good guns and plenty of ammuni-
tion and are led by trained officers. they
should soon be in a position to follow
up the rebels and finish up the war.
considering that the rebels must be get
ting short of ammunition.
The following is the correspondence
between Admiral Kautz and Captain
Stuart and Mataafa. leading to the
truce. The naval officers sign with their
full title and description of their COM
mands. Mataafa signs May your ex
cellencies live, I am Mataafa'
APIA. Samoa, April %, 1899.
To High Chief Mataafa and all other
chiefs acting with him:
Whereas we have received official in
formation from our respective govern
ments that a commission representing
the three signatory powers, will sail
from San Francisco in a few days for
| Apia, with power to adjust existing diff
fiCulties in Samoa, we therefore, in the
interest of peace, direct that you ana
your people keep beyond the following
| limits, to wit: A line drawn from Fale-
ula the western limit, in a southern di-
rection to the Tuasiv, and on the east a
line drawn from Laulii i'm a SOutherly
direction to the Tuasivi.
By complying with his order you will
avoid conflict with our forces. A prompt
compliance with the conditions herein
set forth will be required.
TUASIVI, April "a, 1899.
To His Excellency the. Admiral and
Commander in Chief of the United
States in the Pacific.
To His EXcellency the Commander in
Chief of the British Forces.
| rejoice and thank you very much
for the advice I have received from
your eXcellencies in the letter / have
received today, with Tumua ma Pule
ltuau Alataua Aiga ma le Vaa o Fo-
mott.
Therefore ! write with respect to your
eXcellenCies l wish to follow good ad-
vice, such as this is. But excuse me,
Will not contend if the representatives
of the three signatory powers certify TO
me that you are one with them the
American, English and German con-
suls and also the captains of the men
ot-War OF the three signatory powers.
APIA, Samoa, April 25, 1899.
| We have received your letter of yes
terday and regret that you seem to have
no appreciation of the generous propos-
ition made to you and that you oblige
us to use force
We now give you notice that if you
and your people are not outside the
limits prescribed in our letter of the
23d instant, we will open fire on your
forces wherever they can be reached IN
samoa, after a. m, April 26.
TUAS1VI, April 20, 1899.
write with respect to your excelleu-
| cies and 1 thank you for the advice you
have again given me today.
Though the three conSuls are not Join
ed with you as l had expressed yester-
day, nevertheless l will do today au-
cording to your desire for the good and
the peace of Samoa.
We will begin this morning to all re-
tire beyond the prescribed limits of
Faleula and Laulii
Deign to excuse us if tomorrow morn
ing we have not completed our with
drawal on account of the great distance
to have communication with one an
other.
Your eXcellencies, we have good hope
in your sincerity that there will be no
more difficulties in the future