The record-union., 1899-05-03
Reported to Be at Present Of a
Very Serious Nature.
The Rebels Hold the Main Food Supplies,
and Are Again Menacing Apla.
Germans and Rebels Said to be Al
ready Jubilant, and Claiming a
Victory Over the British and
American Eorces-The Difficult
ties Will Remain Unsolved I'M
til Mataafans Are Made to
Submit.

WELLINGTON IN. ~, May 2-Ad-
vices from Samoa indicate that the in
structions received from the Powers to
cease hostilfties make the situation IN
the islands very serious, as the rebels
hold the main food supplies, and are
again near the municipality of Apia.
The correspondent of Reuters News
Agency thinks it is evident that the
home authorities have misunderstood
the situation in Samoa. The Germans
and rebels are already jubilant. AMI
claim a victory over the British and
American forces. The correspondent
says that unless the rebels are made
to submit, the difficulties will remain
unSolved. The white people in the
outskirts of the city are at the mercy
of the rebels.
The American Vice Consul's store al
Falifa was looted last week, while q
German store adjoining it was left UNI
touched.
British and american residents all
strongly condemn the actions of the
Powers in ordering a cessation of hos
tilities at this stage.
Two days after the last battle at
Vailima Lieutenant H. A. Gaunt of the
British cruiser Porpoise marched his
brigade into Vailima unopposed, and
was followed by a company of British
blueJackets under Captain Sturdee and
Lieutenant Cave. Inspection OF the
battlefield shows that the defenses
erected by the rebels near the home Of
the late Robert Louis Stevenson were
strong and well planned The loss
en- 1iron1 Nv
was much greater than was at first
supposed. The main section of Ma
taafa's followers, who We're engaged in
the battle of Vailfma. retreated west
ward to Lulumoenga, where they lay
in wait for friendlies. Orders had been
given them to capture Lieutenant
Gaunt's head The rebels were also
anxious to secure the superior weapons
with which his brigade is armed.
1t is rumored that thirteen boats filed
with armed rebels are approaching
from the east. The town appears to
be safe.
NO RESTRAINT UPON KAUTZ.
WASHINGTON, May 2-It is denied
ofhclally here that any undue restraint
mas been imposed upon Admiral Kautz
which should encourage the insurgents
AZ 9eAAllOel~ vi lIl0 contrary, AQnlral
Kautz has been advised that the Pres
ldent supports him in all that he has
done; that he is entirely satisfied with
his conduct, and that any injunction
laid upon the Admiral has been to avoid
unnecessary slaughter and bloodshed.
This injunction is not understood to
restrain the officer in any way from
such military and naval operations as
in his nnininn
fully the interests of the United States.
British and German residents in Samoa
for it is expressly understood that Adj
miral Kautz is present simply for the
purpose Of carrying out the treaty OBJ
legations as to the interests of the cit
liens of the tripartite agreement, and
not a representative of any one Power.
SO far, no advices have come to eth
er the State of Navy Department as to
the latest dispatches hence it is as
sumed that no events of very great i'm
portance have occurred warranting the
sending of a cablegram by either Ad-
miral Kautz or United States Consul
Osborne.
MRS. STEVENSON'S CAUSTTC LET
TER
LONDON, May 2.-Robert Louis
Stevenson's widow has written letter
to the Westminster Gazette" from
Funchal, Madeira, on the bombardment
of Samoan villages by British and
American warships. Mrs. Stevenson
says:
President Mckinley allowed no fir
ing on Cuban towns unless they gave
active cause of offense. and Commo-
dore Watson was ordered not to attack
undefended Spanish cities Does the
President keep his humanity for civil
lied countries alone?"
Mra Stevenson declares that the Sa-
moan villages are inhabited in time, of
war by non-combatants, who have ITO
choose between the shells of the way
ships and taking to the bush" I'm
der such conditions she says, DELEGATE
women can hardly exist while children
die like flies.
Mrs stevenson's letter concludes as
"Chief Justice Chambers has been
as saying in a letter to his
brother: L never was happier He
must be person singularly devoid of
if he ever pictured to him.
self the scenes being enacted in the
bombardment of those villages; the exo-
dus of panic-stricken people rushing
hither and thither; shells bursting
everywhere; the cries of bed-ridden and
hapless wounded people burning alive
in their blazing houses; women in the
pangs of childbirth; mangled children
crawling on the sands, the sea before
them and the bush behind them. And
we read that the woods also were she'll
ed. Who is to be held accounta nle for
these deeds that disgrace both England
and American"