The record-union., 1899-06-07
Great Britain Absolutely yetoes Any Propo-
sition to Recognize Mataafa,
the Commissioners That They
Have Power to Establish a Gov
eminent, With or Without a

|tary of State has received the following
cablegram from Bartlett Trip, the
United States representative on the
Samoan Commission:
''Api, (Samoa), May 81, via Auckland,
N. a., June. 6.-Mataafa is disarmed.
Over 1,50O rebels have surrendered.
TRIP
NEITHER CLAIMANT RECOGNIZED
'Apia (Samoa), May 81 via Auckland,
On. ~, June 6.-Malietoa and Tamasese
visited the members of the Samoan
Commission on board the United States
transport Badger, and Mataafa visited
them the following day. Neither claim
ant was recognized as King.
Mataafa blamed the Europeans for
the trouble here. The Commissioners in
formed him that they had power to es-
tablish a government with or without
King. Mataafa thought the Samoans
should have King, but expressed will
ingness to disarm his followers and to
leave the matter in the hands Of the
commission.
The Germans acted for the first time
in many months with the representa-
tives of the other Powers, and have Off
cially sent a guard ashore.
societies have submitted their views to
the commission, and the latter, by proc
lamation, fixed May 9th as the date for
the natives to surrender their arms
Mataafa, however, asked for an extern
sion of the time until to-day, when he
surrendered 1,S0O guns on board the
Badger. The MahetoanS are now also
diSarmed.
The United States cruiser Philadel-
phia, flying the flag Of Admiral Kautx,
sailed ON May 1st, and the British and
German Consuls, Maxse and Herr Rose,
proceeded to Europe May Dist.
The Queens birthday was celebrated
with great rejoicing, about 5000 men of
the Malietoa party attending the festiv-
tiles at Mehnuu in the presence of the
British Consul and naval officers The
procession visited the graves of the
British and Americans and then march
ed to the graves Of the Germans who
were Slain in the battle of Fagalt in
1879. The Americans fired a salute
over the German graves.
The natives are gaining confidence
and are freely submitting their griev-
ances to the commission
The natives brought here from other
Islands at the time of the disturbances
will be returned to their homes, and
all the warships will probably leave Sa-
moa at an early date
The Chief Justice, William L. Cham
bers, Will continue the sittings of the
Supreme Court. DR.. Wilhelm Solf, the
newly arrived German President of the
Municipal Council here, has not yet
assumed his duties
The Commissioners are reticent, but
it is understood they are considering a
reduction of the cost of administration,
as esta blished by the Berlin treaty, and
the number of officials may be reduced
The residents of Apia express dissat-
isfaction at the indications given by
the commission that the rebels will not
be punished and that they will also be
paid for arms Illegally imported. They
consider this a, bad precedent, but it is
admitted this is too early to criticize
the action of the Commissioners.
The American engineering staff has
arrived here and will proceed to erect a
naval jetty and coal stores at Page
Page.
Judge Mullan, the former American
Consul, has arrived here to conduct the
compensation claims and to defend Ma
taafa. But the commission has init
mated that no notice will be taken of
the claims beyond recording them, and
1t is possible the commission will ask
each Power to compensate it's own citi-
zens or subjects, as the case may be.
BRITISH OBJECT TO MATAAFA.
AUCKLAND IN. 70, June 6.-At the
Queens birthday celebrat ton in Samoa
it was officially announced that Great
Britain would absolutely veto any prop
osition that Mataafa should ever be.
come King