Native War in Samoa.

Samoa Times and South Sea Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 10, 1 December 1888, Page 2

Native War in Samoa.

j * ;Vi #RBAT ifyefrrte EJfifc:' *J[ ONE HUNDRED KILLED AND 100 WOUNDED. ¥ THE WAR NOT YET ENDED. Wednesday Evrjinq. Since the attack on Saluafata and Lufilufi hist week by the Monono and SftTaii people, which is already described, the fightings has not been very eev«re, a few shots fired at a distance from both sides with little or no damage done. TheU.B.B. Nipsic which followed up H.I.G.M.'s Guunoat-Ehi-r to the scat of- war yesterday weok and H.M.'s Gunboat Lizard which went to the same place on Snturday returned to Apia on Sunday evening. We learn that thoEbei has had hquiten number of German flags stuck all over the fighting ground. Wherever Tamasese has a cannon placed'the Germans have a flag flying. We are informed that those flags were placed there for the purposo of defining the boundaries of German lands. We btdieve the English have followed auit and placed some flags over their lande.- The whole business appears to us to, be a piece of clever manoeuvring to intimidate the natives sad no doubt if-there was only a Gar-' man warship about the manoeuvre would have been thoroughly successful for the natives have a .terrible dread of the German flag. They have for yean experienced the mercy of a German gunboat, but unfortunately for the suooe/a of the scheme, both of the .U.S. men-of-war in,harbor, the Nipsic and Adams, returned to Salnafata on Monday morning. This of course restored confidence to the supporters of MaUafa. TblSkmoans hitherto were under the impression that if they continued the halt!* inside of the.Gerroon flags the-German man-of-war would fir* on them, but international law has since been thoroughly .explained .to them so that it Tanjaaaac's people take shelter under the German flag and eonI tinue the war there, Mataafa will folI low up his advantage on any ground in Samoa, whether it belongs to Germany

ur any other country. This is now thoroughly understood. No doubt tho appearance of,those German flags has deterred Mutaafa's people from following up their advantage against Tarn?-. si •no earlier. Ou Tuesday the U.S.!}. Adams returned, to Apia. . The U 5.3. Nipsie «md H.I.b.M *s Gunuoat Ebor being npw tfia only vessels left at anchor in Sfoluafata harbor. This morning some hoavy firing was hoard in Apia at an early hour. One woman who canio from near Wailili reported that the Tnumasnga had got into the fort of Tamasese. If this is so, the war will not be of long duration. We expect some reliable news this evening. On Thursday morning the reports that the battle had commenced ' wore fouud correct. At 4 o'clock in the moruiug the Atua mon and tho TuaAttacked Tamasese's grunt fortification, and after about an hour's desperate fighting secured the first of the series of Taniasese's supposed impregnable fortifications. The Atna men were the first iuskle the fort, nj.d were immediately followed by tho Xuamasaga. The besiegers suffered severely, nnd Tamasese who retreated to tho noxt fort also losing bouio of their number. At about 11 o'clock the Tuamasaga. Atua and Anna men attacked the second fort. They hud to rush to the fort -over «• i»*rfectly cleur spuce of level gr.nind, and of couno open to the fu.l tiie of the Tnmiiseso men. Mataafa's men suffered great loss until they reached the fort, and hero the slaughter was fearful, both sides fighting bruvery, but, Tamast'se's men had to beat a hasty retreat. A party of the Suvaii contingent was then placed to take oharge of the fort to enable the Tuamasaga nud Atua men- to attack auwher of Tatnaseso's entrenchments, but Tanmseee's army, being reinforced •itt«t-Jq»d the Savaii men-and recovered the fort Th" Tuamasagas hading .this,out,-.al-though their .kuunu*«it£<>tt was ne.iely wasU'd.H»de a' .*be ptfsit \>m with, em**, <»-«♦, ;«ad 4fee batt-«**;of their, riie*. %&&$ fijahi Wujc,in.eloee,. quarters ,min Iwdflo-adapt* tfefti.j*«aer-Jcii»<L■•jofi woapene, and 4kf »«?«ggfe .whiul* itoo,k Elaee h< re, Was • -unparalleled ' in i; "tlw istery of Barooan < wars.. The. loss ef life on both sides was fearful. The fort, which was One of the strongest, being recovered and retaken several times, but the fighting powers of tho Tuamasaga men .nguiu prevailed, Tamaoese's men retiring back to the last of their forts. Heavy firing could be heard during the night, but Ma'aafa still retained possession of the big fWt which he now h<dda. Some firing waj heard seawards whoro the Monono boats were supposed to make the attack on the fort*, but wo have not heard if they gained, any advantage. Mataafa's people, who wore short of ammunition, did not make any further advance. Probably he is waiting to bring up the Savaii men, who are better supplied with ammunition than the Tuamasagas, and up to going to press we have not heard of any fresh movement. All tho fighting appears as if by common assent to be delayed for a day or two. We estimate the loss, which we believe to be pretty equal on both sides, at about 200 killed nnd wounded. We will be able, very likely to give 'fall particulars in next issue.