The record-union., 1899-05-26
Held Their First Sitting at Apia on the
Sixteenth Instant.
Will Return to Their
Homes if So Ordered by the
Commission, but Will Never
Recognize Malietoa as King
Indications Of Further Trouble
Kingship is Maintained.

APIA Samoa, May II, via Auck-
land On. ~, May 25.-The Samoan
Commission, consisting of Bartlett
Trip, former United States Minister
to Austria-Hungary; Baron Won Speck
Won Sternberg, representing Germany,
and C. H. Elliott, C. B., of the British
Embassy at Washington, representing
Great Britain, arrived here on May
18th. It's first sitting took place May
10th. The Commissioners We're en-
gagged all that morning in comforting
with the Chief Justice. William l..
Chambers. Nothing was disclosed re-
garding the deliberations, but it is re-
ported that they Will uphold the action
of Admiral Kautz, the American naval
commander.
Mataafa sent the Commissioners q
letter of welcome, and expressed hope
that they would satisfactorily end the
troubles in Samoa 1t is understood
Mataafa will obey the unanimous or
der of the commission, though it is
doubtful whether he will order his fol-
lowers to disarm, unless the Malietoans
are first disaImed. The Mataafans will
disperse to their homes if ordered to
do so, but they will never recognize
Malietoa as King, and doubtless there
will be further trouble in the future
if the kingship is maintained. Only
one or two cases are known of the
wounding of natives by the shell fire
of the warships, and as they have not
realized the strength of the Europeans
they may go to greater extremes II
war arises again
The rebels remain outside the lines
indicated by the Admiral, and have
strongly fortified a new position, While
the loyalists are being drilled and have
fortified Mulinuu A considerable num-
ber of loyalists have been brought by
the warships from other islands. Half
the male adults of Samoa are await
ing action on the part of the commits
sion, in order to support Malietoa.
The Ge.sl1ans are preparing compen-
sation claims. 1t is understood one
German firm claims 100000. and that
other German subjects claim $4,000.
The British Consul, E. B. S. Maxse,
invited them to put in their claims,
and it is understood the commission
will adjudicate them.
Replying to questions submitted to
ciated Press, Mataafa said it was the
head chiefs and not himself who began
the war, adding that they did so be-
cause they were angered at power be-
ing taken from them by violence, and
also because they were made angry
by the Chief Justices unjust decision.
Mataafa claimed that he had upheld
the treaty, and said his orders through
out were not to fire upon the Euro
peans, and that but for this order the
whole party of blue jackets could have
several times been shot down by large
bodies of natives concealed in the bush
ARMISTICE NOT DISTURBED.
BERLIN, May pa dispatch re-
ceived here from Apia, Samoa says
the armistice was not disturbed by
the arrival there of the commission,
and that letters We're being exchanged
with the view of disbanding the rival
forces
REAR ADMIRAL KAUTZ COMING
HOME
WASHINGTON, May 25.-The fol
lowing cablegram has been received at
the Navy Department, dated Apia,
May 16, 1899, via Auckland:
Secretary Navy. Washington:
Badger arrived on May 18th. The
Philadelphia will leave so as to reach
San Francisco about June 25th Com
mission may desire to return on the
Badger. KAUTZ"
Admiral Kautz will return to the
United States with the Philadelphia
The flagship will be replaced at Apia
by the cruiser Newark, which is as
adaptable as the Philadelphia. and
having been recently renovated is in
shape for long service. She started
for Apia about six weeks ago from
New York, making her way around
South America. She sailed on the 18th
from Montevideo. Uruguay, for VAL
paraiso, Chile, and at the latter point
will receive her instructions to put
straight across the Pacific for Apia.
The Newark is due at VALPARAISO
few days to coal, should make the
passage across the Pacific by the mid
die of June.
When the commission sailed from San
Francisco 1t was not settled whether
or not the Badger was to remain at
Apia awaiting the convenience of the
commission 1t was supposed that the
commission would decide that matter
for themselves; if their mission could
be soon executed, then the Badger
would wait. The intimation contained
in Admiral Kautz's cablegram that the
commission may decide to return on
the Badger is therefore construed at
the State Department into an indica-
ton that it expects to make short
work of the adjustment of the Samoan
imbroglio. OF course. the desire of the
commission will be respected by the
Navy Department, and instructions
will at once be forwarded to Captain
Miller of the Badger to remain at
Apia.
| The American member of the Sa-
moan Commission, Bartlett Tripp. did
not make any report by cable to the
State Department to-day, and all the
departments information of the move
ment of the commission came from
the naval cablegram and the press dis
patches.
Respecting the reported approval by
the commission of Admiral Kautz's acts
| IL can he stated that LITTLE do,bt wa G