THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect Am I." SATURDAY, APRIL 20. 1889.

Samoa Times and South Sea Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 27, 20 April 1889, Page 2

THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect Am I." SATURDAY, APRIL 20. 1889.

It must be most gratifying to the people of these Islands and the United States and Germany to find such a general feeling of regret and •expression of 'sympathy as was shown in the colonies on the receipt of the news' of the great loss of life and shipping in the harbor of Apia during the hurricane on the 16th of Inst month. Nearly all tbe Colonial newspapers have expressed their sympathy with those countries for their and our misfortune, and in some instances tho Colonial Governments were moved to render what assistance they could in forwarding provisions' and other aid for our relief. All the various consulates in the Colonies, the Government offices, and many merchants and private citiaens had their flags half-mast immediately after the arrival of the disastrous news. The Australian press expressed their belief that the deplorable loss of life suffered by tho. United States and. Gernranr will go a great length in hastening a settlement, between these nations, of the Samonn difficulty, fhiii feel assured will be the case.- & We cannot believe it possible that-a great nation iike Germany can any longer wish to, revenge herself on the Samonn peo- . plo lor committing a simple act of self-defence in returning the fire of the German sailors in December last Wo do not desire to reopen this matter; it is already well ventilated, bat in oommon justiee and fairness to Hataafa and his follow* en, it nay be still necessary to make known that by instructions from the Gertie* Consul the Herman sailora *tre' aeot up in the eight W»i|Xlg>ily to sobdue . jMyfflt lb | aggressors , fiv ,;. listen pi v-;.- .t mhi i

by firing upon and killing two of! bis people before Mataafa fired a ; shot. Surely the German offieejw! could not expect Mataafa's soldiers! to stand quietly by without making j any resistance. This would be ex-' pec Hag too much, and certainly j have advanced Mataafa or hia . ehiefit in the estimation of his j followers. The Germans themselves ■ I would have looked upon the newly . appointed Samoan King with contempt, had he or his people been cowards enough to fiy from an attack ! of something under 200 men-of-' war in the bush, when he (Mataafa) had at the time 700 men on the

ground. Under the circumstances | what honor can l>e gained by Gev- ; many in seeking revenge on Matnafa or his people. Would not the world attribute to n movement of; this kind a feeling of vindictiveness | or spite for the lass of German prestige in Samoa. The manner Mata-; afa and his followers treated thn \ Germans in their trouble by render-1 ing aid to the German men-of-war l should be taken into account. It j is questionable of any other nation in j the world, under the circumstances, j wouloTTiave conducted themselves : so well. It must be borne in mind j that if Mataafa had felt inclined to ' follow up his advantage after the j defeat of the German sailors in j December last, which after being '- attacked he was perfectly justified I in doing. He had at the time GOOO ; men within two miles of Apia \

Nothing could have prevented him j from destroying German property | in Apia, but Mataafa did quite the | opposite. He issued orders to his ; followers not to interfere with German property in Apia, and He also exerted all his influence over bis people to prevent them from taking food off the German plantations. This was Mataafa's manner of retaliation. Is it necessary for a great civilised nation like Germany to take a lesson on discretion from Mataafa. Let the past be buried, the remembrance is not pleasing, and Germany can now with honor withdraw the war threat which her representatives in Samoa are still holding over Mataafa's people. Our telegraphic despatches from Germany we are glad to see are suggesting this peaceable solution of the Samoan troubles, which we earnestly trust will be followed out