Evening star., 1899-04-12
OFFICIALS RETICENT
Unwilling to Discuss the News
From Samoa.
SEIZURE OF THE GERMAN PLANTER
May Result in a Serious CON-
pIication.
THE COURSE OF KAUTZ

The news from Samoa telling of the kill
ing of American sailors by the. natives
was received here with feeling approaching
dismay. There was a refusal on the part
of the higher officials to discuss the sad
event at this juncture that served to indi
cate the gravity of the situation in their
estimation. The secretary of the German
embassy called early in the day upon Sec
retary Hay. Neither of the officials would
disclose anything as to the nature of the
exchange that took place, and it is not
known whether Baron Sternberg had any
thing to communicate to Secretary Hay or
whether he came TO ascertain what official
information the State Department had.
The German Planter.
There was no statement in that part of
Admiral kautzs dispatch made public by
Secretary Long relative to the part alleged
to have been played in the attack on the
American troops by the owner of the Ger
man plantation. 1t is suggested by some of
the ma 'al officers VINO are in a measure
1amlllar with Samoan affairs that this Ger
man is one Hcfnagel, who has in the past
SHOWN uncompromsing hostility to all
American and British interests and has
been one of the mischief-makers on the
island.
If this man has been arrested and is
marks one of the most dangerous features
OF the present controversy. 1t is said that
the consuls of the three powers stationed
at Apia claim eXtla-territoral jurisdiction
involving the right to try the subjects of
their respective countries for any offenses
dlesed TO nave been committed. 1t is ap-
prehended that under this practice the Ger
man consul, Rose, may demand the sur
render TO him by the British officers of
dhe German subject held captive on the
Iauranga charged with having urged the
natives to attack the sailors If the man is
suilty: II is very improbable that the Brit
lsh VIII yield to this demand unless lInon
some adequate guarantee that he is to he
suiilclehti. punished. ard it is believed
10 be unlikely that Consul Rose will make
any such promise " -s'Ae
Now as to the future If is be1io,,od .lo.
Admlral kautZ, with the co-oDeration Of
tie BRUSH, will continue his efforts to
prlng the rebellious natives to terms n iS
!eahEeo that TINS is not likely to be an easy
lask IN view of the small force at the com
mand of the American and British ofttcars
put IL is possible that in view of these la ta
developments the British government nav
see NJ 10 accept the proposition of the au
ment of soldiers to Apia.
The Samoan Commission.
The Instructions to the American member
VI INC samoan commission are apparently
completed as to the general SCOPE. bIt
to make them public at this time. If is the
nope Of the President that the three COM
mlssioners, being persons who have IN 70
TINS moment been removed from anv mar
lclpatlon in the Samoan tangle will he
aDle TO act together in a broad-minded
manner to secure restoration of peace in
the unhappy island OF course it is nos
sible that, imbibing the preiudices Of tbeir
respective consular representatives at Ania
the commissioners may not be able to act
as unit. 1t is hard to predict what will
happeh IN that case, but it may be pointed
out that II one of the commissioners OBJ
posed himself outright to the combined
Judgment of the other two commissioners
ne would assume great responsibility and
the nation he represents would be put NOR
ally wrong before the world.
No Protest by Germany.
1t was said at the State Department
today that no protest against Ad-
miral Kautzs action nor demand for a dis
avowal had yet been lodged. Not much ac-
count is taken of the eruption Of bitterness
in the German newspapers this morning
this being ascribed to the arrival in Berlin
of the eccentric DIR. Raffel, fresh from Apia
and boiling with indignation at the action
of the American and British representa-
tives.
Commission Will BE Delayed
At the British and German embassies the
news of another serious outbreak in Samoa
was received with deep concern. Sir Julian
Pauncefote expressed profound regret at
the loss of life and the continuance of dis
order, at time when there had been such
favorable prospects of a satisfactory ad-
justment.
Mr.. Eliot, the British high commissioner
on Samoa, also deplored this unfortunate
turn in affairs. The British view is quite
hopeful, however, that this last collision
will not defeat the plan of a commission,
although it may cause embarrassments and
delays.
The German ambassador, DIR. Won Holle-
ben, while having no official advices on the
outbreak, said the news of further loss of
life was to be very greatly regretted The
German authorities have been giving most
earnest attention to a complete settlement
by means of a high commission and they
had felt satisfied up to last night that the
commission would get away on the 10Th in
slant and begin its work of settlement.
But today it developed that Lord Salisbury
had declared that 1t would be impossible to
give the necessary instructions to the COM
missioners by telegraph. This raises Il
sharp difference between Germany and
England as to when the commission will
start. The German desire Is to have the
start made on the 10Th, Notwithstanding
the objections raised.
The German View.
The German view was summed UP, as fol-
lows. in a quarter fully Informed as to the
facts:
After Germany and the United States
had arrived at such an understanding that
the commission could have left San Fran
cisco on the 10th instant England raised
difficulties of such complicated ma
turc that they cannot be dealt with tele-
graphically. German feels justified, under
the circumstances, to hold the name of her
commissioner still back. The Berlin news
that Germany would demand satisfaction
for the arbitrary action of Admiral Kautz
Is not credited in official German quarters,
and seems to be malicious invention The
whole question on account of Samoa is
pending at present, not between three pow
ers, but between Germany and England"
Soldiers Deaths in Cuba.
The following death report has been re-
ceived from General Brooke under yester-
W Inf