The age-herald., 1899-02-09

all consuls pending the settlement of the whole question by their respective govern ments. The British and American consuls agreed to this provisional arrangement with the understanding that it was in no wise to affect the Berlin treaty or any official of the powers or any office under It, and that the Malietoa people who had been taken aboard the Porpoise should be allowed to go to their homes, their arms being retained on the Porpoise.
 The first act of the provisional govern- ment, however, showed the fixed determina- tion of the German officials to assume an ascendency in Samoan affairs. By pubic notice the provisional government aboiish. ed the supreme court and then decided that the president was the acting chlet Justlce, and that Chief Justice Chambers no longer held office They seized the supreme court and placed new locks on all the doors. Chief Justice Chambers and the British anu American consuls issued proclamation that the court would be opened by him as usual in the morning. Captain Sturoy' ol the Porpoise. gave notice that 1T any re sistanee to the opening of the court py Chief Justice Chambers was offered the Porpoise would open fire on the town. cap tain Sturdy also appealed to the German captain for assistance without avail. Ma taafa upon receiving Sturdy's ultlmatuIn withdrew his armed guard from the court house, and on January the ehier 1ustice' with a guard of twenty-five men, landed. 
 Cheercd for Chambers
 The chief justice and the two census walked to the court house, and after an ex- citing colloquy with the German ofhciais, Chambers ordered the doors broken m Wltn a sledge hammer. The session of the court was then held. Three cheers for the chlet justice and the British and American cen suls were given by the British ana Ameri- cans and the crowd dispersed.
 All is now quiet and, so far as hghtlhg is concerned, is so up to date.
 The chief justice has sent his famlly to Auckland and he himself is on the Por- poise The Germans still insist that pr. Raffel is chief justice.
 On January 10 the wealthiest German res ident in Samoa smashed all the windows m the supreme court building. He was nned S100 and sentenced to 100 days imprison- ment In the court he insulted the Juoge and gloried in his deed. He was sent to jail, and late that night pr. Raftei cialiI- ing to be the chief justice, ordered the keeper a Swiss with German sympathies, to take the prisoner to the German consul. This was done, and the next day the mer- chant was fined 93O by the German consul.
 Awaiting News of Action
 Everybody in Apia is anxiously awaiting news of the action by the three powers, The action of the provisional government in deporting the Malietoa chiefs is claimed to be in direct opposition to the agreement made with the consuls. Sixty chiefs were sent to Mauua, but owing to bad weather could not reach that island. They were taken to Tutuila by the Pago Pago people, who have declared their allegiance to Ma lietoa. They tried to capture the guard at the prison, but the schooner got under way too quickly.
 Everything points to another fight among the natives at no distant day. Part of the Mataafa people are dissatisfied with the footing and deportation of the chiefs and are now talking of uniting with the Male- toa faction
 During the fighting between the natives, Mataafa's party lost thirteen killed and fourten wounded, and the kings parey lost four killed and six wounded.