The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-16

were considered neutral The first col
lislon took place at Matautu. and Mat
aafa was victorious. driving the loyal ma
ives. as the Germans called them, into
the promontory Of Mulinuu. where they
remained under the protection OF the war
ships guns. Germany as Yet only had
given moral support TO their duslly al
lies. of course supplying them with an
unlimited stock of guns and ammuni-
ton and the strategic advice of their Of
icers. but soon after the defeat OF Ma
tautu Germany was forced 10 undertake
the active support OF Tamasese for 9TH
erwise Mataafa would have been victor
lous. proclaiming himself the rightful
king of Samoa. and Leary would have
been only too happy TO back him up with
the guns OF the Adams. which vessel he
commanded. This was Just one year after
Tamasese had been crowned by the Ger
man commodore 10 the tune Of Leary's
band
Where Leary Acted.
"And now is where Commander Leary
was in the front row Tamasese was at
Mulinuu and Mataafa was surrounding
1t on all sides but one-the Sea-where
the German warships lay. y war party
of Tamasese braves one dark night seized
the house OF an American near by, point
ing their guns menacingly at the owner
Leary saw his chance and was not long
in taking advantage Of 1t. He landed his
men at the outraged house within easy
guntre OF the Tamasese lines and
anchored his ship in a commanding posi-
| ton 10 support him He was master OF
the art OF loose speaking, and by sunset
all Apia knew that Leary would at dawn
| avenge the insult upon an American sub
ject
Here is where the Germans lost their
nerve, and in so doing knocked the props
from under their puppet king. Tamasese
In the night evacuated Mulinuu and car
red his wandering government six miles
to wlndward OF Apia. At Lotoanuu he
made his camp. and Mataafa slowly col
lecied his forces to move against his en-
trenched enemy.
About this time another German war
ship arrived TO swell the gathering fleet,
II came from the Gilbert islands, where
1t had been dlsarming turbulent natives,
Tamasese was thus reinforced with many
more guns and ammunition enough to
kindle the heart Of a savage. Besides
other things landed from the German gum
boat was an assortment OF German flags.
''These flags were the wedges that per-
mtted the German commodore 10 enter
the ring with his own men and guns
, Mataafa finally attacked Tamasese In his
headquarters at Lotoanuu, and In doing
so insulted the many flags purposely. and
with German authority. displayed by the
Tamasese warriors Germany had @ been
I declared at once upon Mataafa. To re-
count all the amusing incidents Of the
next few months between the German
commodore and Irish Leary would take
me all night 10 tell" Bick added. but
/ there was one incident which IN our navy
/ has become classic
| Mdtd3la, OnOdnnieU. KNOWING lIdt tDe
Germans would attack him at the first
! opportunity, gathered his forces at Lau-
| lii. The rivals for Samoan supremacy
| were inactive for over a month. and dur
| ing this time made their camps a near
| impregnab bic as possible from the Samoan
| standpoint. Mataafa was bein" openly
! supplied with ammunition and stores by
the English and Americans. and Germany
was giving all possible military aid 10
Tamasese The Mataafa camp began TO
! cause the German commodore n great
deal OF uneasiness. A-procla nation was
/ issued by him that no Samoan soldiers
must encamp within five miles OF a Ger
! man plantation. and that II u occurred
he would be forced 10 use punitive meas
ures 10 enforce his order. This was. Of
course aimed at MaJaafa for Laulii was
| the plantations-Vaieie. whose oversecr
/ was iSlngeT.
This order reused a storm OF protest
! from both the English and Americans.
! but Lcarv was In the front seat, IS usual
! Bv his loose talk again ne made the
! Mataafa adherents believe that II the
! German warships attacked them he. with
| tunity was not long in coming. The
! German commodore sailed early one
morning from Apia and the Adams quiet
ly slipped It's moorings and followed
after. Ieary. running the risk ~ putting
his ship on the dangerous coral reefs.
| kept inshore Of the Germsn gunboat
Adler. When off LBulii the German low
out the commodorc's threat. The Adams
| was directly In the line Of fire
| THE Adler maneuvcred TO get inside
OF the Adams. but the willy Ieary out
maneuvercd her. The two war3hips were
within 'hailing distance.