TAKING OF SAMOA

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2272, 5 October 1914, Page 7

TAKING OF SAMOA

THROUGH GERMAN EYES.

Writing of tho taking of Samoa by tho New Zealand Expeditionary Force, tho only paper published in .Samoa, the "Samoamsche Zeitung,'' said:— "Oh Saturday, August 26, soon after daybreak, smoke was/observed on tho horizon; and it was at onco reported that a steamer was in sight'. Ono, . two, three, four columns of smoke appeared in quick, succession, followed by others, extending from tho far north to tho Bight of I'agaloa. The first idea was that tlio vessels were the Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Nurnberg, and Titania, but as it was observed that there were more than four ships visible it was known that either a British or a Japanoso squadron was approaching. Soon the white ensign was vis- ' showing that the squadron was British. The approach was certainly imposing. ; "Undoubtedly never such a naval display has been seen in the South seas. One cruiser, steaming somo miles ahead of the squadron, dropped'; anchor outside tho entrance of tho harbour. At' once steam launches were lowered and the harbour was dragged ■ in search of suspected mines. A boat carrying a white flag approached ,tho Bismarck Wharf, and two officers landed, carrying a scrap of table Jinen annexed to a broomstick. (We may hero say that no man-of-war carries a' white flag.) . . . The bearers of the white flag brought a dispatch to the Governor of Samoa. After standing passively on the wharf'for a few minutes they asked a civilian to go to the authorities and request that the Governor or his representative should come and receive' a message in the form' of a letter. Shortly afterwards two officials came to the wharf and took a letter to the •Government Buildings. Somo' time elapsed, and the officers requested another civilian to go to the Court-house for the purpose of ascertaining if there was an answer to the communication,and to state that if not it must be taken that no answer was forthcoming. A letter was almost immediately brought by the two officials who had. ' received tie naval officers, and ■ with that they went on board." ' Then follows the news of the landing of-the troops, and a brief description of ' thg/ impressive ceremony of the hoisting of the. British flag. _By way of comment the !'Samoan Zeitung" said: "The Samoan question, like the Eastern question, appears to be eternal. More changes of Government, more'diplomatic questions, and more diverse relations have arisen over these islands during the last decade than.over any other part of the earth of'the size."- ..... . -