The Samoan Question.

Samoa Times and South Sea Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 25, 6 April 1889, Page 2

The Samoan Question.

(From the New Zealand Herald, March MM 1869.) I . In a mtouge from BtrHn it til muA that" the Emptor of. CktW&y bat iMoed • genaal otdw A>ol*rag th* Uh»-

viour of the officers and men at Samoa worthy of the tradition* of the Qermaa ptsrjv This i» a most extraordinary statement, and it is difficult, to understand why his Imperial Majesty should have offered seemingly sneo a deliberate insult to the whole German nation. For we can harldly regard it as other than an affront to the whole people to insinuate, nay almost to say, that the traditions of the navy of the Empire had been traditions of infamy. It is true that very little is known of the "traditions" of the German navy, inasmuch as till recently it was so insignificant that it could hardly be said to have a

history, much less tradition*... It is probable that his Imperial Majesty referred to the time; wljjftL fcrr four of the French navy,jfcfiisi*ed itself behind torpedoes and ventured not to sea. But in doing so it did not seem to deserve the scathing remarks of his Majesty When he referred to the recent disgraceful proceedings at Samoa as characteristic of the German navy. There was no disgrace in hiding from the French ships. Indeed, "anything else would have been foolhardy iu the circumstances. But wo fail, to see in that any parallel to the utterly base and discreditable conduct of the German officers and men in their late proceeding! at Samoa. We do not know whether his Majesty, who was evidently very angry, refers more particularly to the German navy having carried off King Malietoa in defianee of international comity, and the rights of treaties, which was indeed disgraceful; or whether he refers to the German marines having run away from the soldiers of Mataafa, leaving thirty or forty dead on the field, after having made a treacherous and unprovoked attack on the islanders. In either case indeed, their conduct was cowardly and disgraceful enough to warrant even this severe censure from his Miijesty. But what surprises us is that he did not make this unfortunate episode itself a distinct ground for sharply reproving the officers at Samoa instead of casting a slur on the whole past history of the German navy, by saying it was just like it to behave so dishonorably at Samoa. One would think from this that his Imperial Majesty must have broken ({uite loose from the restraints of tne Iron Chancellor, and no doubt this exceeding bitter censure and taunt directed against the conduct of the German forces at Samoa, were meant to conciliate America, which had so strongly resented the same -misconduct. Wo cannot help fueling that it reflects the highest credit ou the gooo feeling of his Majesty ; for it shows that from the high-handed conduct of his Minister and obedient myrmidons his Majesty stands aloof; and in saying that their unworthy and disgraceful conduct at Apia has been just like them, ho repudiates and deprecates them and their conduct in the most striking and significant manner that words could convey.