THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1878.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 50, 14 September 1878, Page 2

THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1878.

In our last issue wo published an article from the New York Tribune, of April 12th, ou "Polynesian Affairs as Viewed from Washington." Were wo to allow that article to pass without commenting upon it, WO would be wanting in our duty to the public, and would be aiding and abetting the poor, deluded and bigoted fool who wrote it, in attempting to doi- 'ive the world at large. It is one mass of f:dsc statements from beginning to t.nd, nnd we marvol that the New York Tribune—a newspaper of the very hest standing for truth and independence—.should have given it insertion without taking some trouble to ascertain the facts. The writer tells us that " the interests at stake are no less than the possession of the principal harbour in the iSamowi group of islands, and the right of free trade with the islands. These interests were coded us by treaty ami amount in commercial value alone In several million* of dollar* aiiiiiml/i/.'' Millions of dollars annually! This is simply an absurdity, and Ims all the appearance of emanating from the imaginative brain of an erstwhile special agent from the States to these islands. If, has a close affinity to many of the very ilowery statements made in the report of the said special agent, ami which !Senaioi\Sunsot) O'ox so ably dealt with and ridiculed. We believe that we are safe in saying that the entire cxpurts and imports l)f our group do not amount to more than $1,000,000 annually, and as the American trade certaiuly does not. exceed one tenth of the whole, we leave our reader* fo conjecture when, where, and how (he trttit with the United .States.can Is- of " millions of dollars " interest to them. Steinlierger, during his ear \ like the late .1. B. M. .Stewart, had his brain so tilled

with gigantic projects is for instance the one mentioned in the article v.c an- now commenting on. of foruiing a coufed, 1:1tion of the -.'dim) Pacific islands, witk Samoa as the capital, tliat wo tan not) feel surprised at liis coming to the belief that some of Lis ethereal castles wen sober truth. Then we are t<>Ul that the Qovenun mt which Steinberger formed m overthrown by British interference and intrigue, what ore the facts ' Steinberyer «b----tained the position of Premier by offering his services to the natives for nothing, hut the King having his eyes open to his arrogant pretensions and dangerous proclivities, requested tbo American Constil to have him removed as an obnoxious American citizen. Aceordtngljr at the request of the I'. S. Consul Captain Stevens, of the Barracoota removed him. and that is how British interference overthrew the Steinberger Government.

With regard to" the statement that •• English diplomacy has employed every possible agency to destroy American influence and interest in these islands and to get control both of their Government and trade," we will simply state that in April] 11577, the.Snmoau G'overnmentsont a deputation of chiefs to Fiji for the purpose of obtaining protection from Great Britain, through Sir Arthur Gordon. If England wen; so desirous to get hold of the Government and trade of tlu-Samoan islands, was not this a splendid opportunity to put in the small end of the weefge by giving them the protection they desired ? But no, the reply from England is iionest and straightforward, that they cannot undertake the protection of the islands, but would aid them to form a Government on a sound basis, and give them their moral support. Sir Arthur Gordon was sent here by the British Government to aid the Samoans in tiie formation cf their Government in such a form that it could be looked upon as stable, and he would have succeeded had it not been for the underhand work of the late American Consul.

The writer goes on to say, " in spite of these endeavours the Sauioana remain faithful to their American predelictions, having from time to .time during the past two years returned American agents to their islands as the authorised agents of their own Government to procure recognition and a treaty of amity and commerce from the United States.'' True, Mr. Griffin, the late American Consul, was sent home to America, but why ? Because he told them that if they sent him he could obtain for them six ships of war, and soldiers to tight for them. So firm were the Samoans to " their American predilections " that whilst he (Griffin) was away on this important mission, they sent the deputation above mentioned to Fiji to obtain the protection of Croat Britain.

Now comes the sentence that T/vpnovmces tne writer a bigot. "lie i Mamea) sailed for the United States last t )etober, after tiir Englisli had exhausted prevent his embarkation." To this we simply state that the writer either deliberately prevaricates the truth, or he does not know what ho is writing about. We boldly assert, and at the same time defy contradiction, that the English had nothing whatever to do with the matter. The captain, who was an American, refused to carry Mamea because his accommodation was filled up. and because his charterers told - him that if he took more passengers lie did so at his own risk. The American Consul then, against all law and equity oi. - the matter, refused to deliver up to the captain his papers, upon which those citizens t>f the United States residing amongst us wl.ohad acted in the capacity of either Consul or Vice-Consul signed a letter to the cap'ain advising him to put to sea without his papers, but he finally took .Mamea, who was put on board by the United States Consul as mail agent, under protest, and received his papers. Where there has been strategy used by the English in this matter we fail to see. And here is where the writer shows himself a fool. Referring to certain statements made by a legal agent here, in a letter to a resident of Washington, he says, " In addition to this the letter itself containingthis significant news, isstamptd with an English stamp, printed for the Samoan (loierimieiit. hearing an EnglishSaiiwan deriee, characterising if as ' Samoan Express Pontage Sixpence.' More pertinent and conclusive evidence of the establishment of Englisli authority and influence in these islands can hardly lie demanded." How .small the poor deluded writer of the article referred to must feel when he is informed that this clincher t,> his argument against the English is nonu other than a sixpenny stamp, printed for, and at the expense of, the proprietors of Ibis journal, who, seeing the necessity of •sonic system of postage between Samoa Bljd the outer world, established the Samoa Express Postoffice.

When- have those letters been to for the lust thirteen mouths' lluv. they i. . -ti lyiug in th- Sua Francisco p. ntafiice, 01 haw they t*en cruising round ! lu any ca-»' it exhibits an anmunt of carekasnwM that ought 11 1» strictly investigated.

Boat AccißQrT.—Ob.Saturday last a large taumualua belonging to Fuaitoouta either .sank or swamped between Apoliuia and Savaii, the whole crew of thirtythree, with the exception of two, losing their lives. From what we can learn it would seem that three large tauniuahias (boats) belonging to Fasitoouta left Mnnono for Palauli. Savaii, on the morning of Saturday with a strong S.K. wind, and heavy sea running. Two were being paddled, while the third went under sail ; the former reached .Savaii in safety, but that under sail must have either capsized or sunk, nothing having since been heard of it or its crew. Of those lost some twenty were young; men, the remainder women and children. The two who saved themselves—one of whujn was I.enu, n chief of Fasitoo—swam from the taumualua while close to Apolima, with the intention of getting another boat to take part of the clew and property. This boat he got, hut, although every effort was made, nothing could be discovered of either the boat or its ill-fated crew. Since then bouts from Monona, Aana, and Savaii have been searching the Straits but unavailing, and there can now be but little doubt but all have perished.

The May.—On Wednesday last the usual annual May, for those members of the Apia division of the London Missiou Society, was held at Apia. From an early hour the town presented quite a lively appearance, in consequence of the number of natives arriving to take' part in the day's proceedings:. The variety of dress, colour, make, and quality, was quite a study in itself. About ten o'clock a goodly number of natives, and foreign visitors, had arrived at the place of meeting, and the proceedings commenced. Whilst the Rev. Dr. G. A. Turner was addressing the assembled people, the standing army, or armed constabulary force, consisting of about a dozen men with arms shouldered, headed by one man beating a drttm and another making a noise on a tin whistle, arrived upon the scene. So much contusion was caused by the man in charge shouting at the top of his voice left-a-ham, right-a-harn, and ground-a-ham, that the rev. speaker had to wait patiently till the fellow got through. With this exception and a slight shower of rain, everything passed oil' very satisfactorily.

Riotous Conduct.—lf the Samoan " Government " are anxious to let people know they have a dozen men at their call they might do it with more credit to themselves, and secure the thanks of all the foreign population, by sending them to patrol the streets ami keep order, than marching tliem up in iront 01 a ivngiono assembly, and interrupting the proceedings for the purpose of showing off. On Tuesday night last a number of German sailors were severely assaulted by a lot of half drunken half-castes. On Wednesday last a native, wc believe one of the native teachers of the Catholic Mission, had a very narrow escape with his life, from a drunken native who was pelting him with stones. And, on the same afternoon, a native, in a state of intoxication, and in company with one of the armed constabulary, standing army, or whatever it is, indecently exposed his person in the middle of the public road. How long will the foreign residents be content to sit quietly down anil submit to the incompetency of the present abortion of a Government to enforce law and order ?