THE WAR IN SAMOA. ENGLISH OFFICERS FIRED AT BY GERMANS. AMPLE APOLOGIES TENDERED. RIOTOUS PROCEEDINGS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 333, 12 January 1889, Page 3

THE WAR IN SAMOA. ENGLISH OFFICERS FIRED AT BY GERMANS. AMPLE APOLOGIES TENDERED. R IOTO US PROCEEDING S.

Fukthkk details of the stale oi attune in Samoa go to show that the Euvopeuu residents ab Apm are far from enjoying security. The tailors of the German wars hipsaio in no way particular as to what hey do. lately they seized a small sanoo which was passing: in front of the low n bringing food. They threw the food into the sea. crippled the canoe, and sent- the natives ashore in the ship's boat. >iext clay, a boat from the Adler intercepted a boat occupied by a haiicaste and Ihing the English tiag, and were conveying the boat fco the Adler, but the .-jailors of H.M.s. Royali&b were evidently watching the proceedings. A boat wa-5 immediately loweted and sent after them. The Adlcr's men, on seeing the English boat coming, letunidd to their ship, telling the half-caste to go bis o\t'tr t road. Their next attempt' was even 1 ' more daring still. On Friday afternoon, 14th December, a boat Ctime oH fiom the Ehav fully warned and armed. On neuring the \\ r a}sag,u>o River they tired one shot. Natives' were seen running fiorn the vivei and se\eral white residents went to see what was the matter. Amongst the number happened to be Capt. Hand, of the Royalist, and Lieut. Plummer. Just as the latter gentleman was about to croofc the river, foui shot* wcreUired by the Germans from their boat, across the road. The object of their vi>it was here apparent. Two of their number jumped out' of the boat, carrying their rifles, and rushed to the bank of the river, where they took possession of a boat and dragged it out over the bar of the river alongside of their own, taking a man with them who was engaged as ferryman, and took him and the boatTaboard the Eber with them. Captain Hand and Lieutenant Plumer were witnesses of the whole pioceedings. and Captain Hand teemed gi eubly " annoyed. He demanded wnat the Eber's men meant by such a proceeding. He received no satisfactory answer. He immediately went on board the Ebci, and obtained full and satisfactory apologies Irom the commander of the vessel, and the v officer in command of the boat. Riotous proceedings frequently take place on shore at Apia, caused by free indulgence in drink, and provoked by the strained re lations existing. On a lecenb Safcuiday evening a serious affray took place in the Matafele saloon. Two young men, one a journeyman baker and the other a waiter at an hotel, were having sonic refreshments in one of the rooms, and were laughing at something which one of the girls .was saying. About this time two men, one of them supposed to be an officer, entered another r_oom and called for something to drink. They heard the laugh'injr'in the next- and being slightly under the influence of liquor at the time went into the room where the baker and his friend were sitting. One of the Germans pushed the baker, who retaliated, throwing him over a table, breaking a lamp, glas^cc, etc. The officer seeing his friend on the ground, drew his sword and slightly stabbed the baker on the arm. He then rushed out arid got on board his &Eip as soon as possible. A complaint has-been made to the German Consul. On the Sunday night following, a dis ■ferradefuf riot occuned in Matafele. It appears that two half-castes got into some quarrel with the liberty men from the two German warships, in the harbour, opposite the Occidental Hotel. One of the half-castes, a powerful fellow, 'knocked down • two or three German sailore, but a reinforcement of twenty or thirty more who were sitting inside -were immediately called on and the two halfcastes made tracks, running into a relation's house near Mr John&ton's stoic, where one of them took shelter. ' The sailors rushed in after them, and mistook an old lady for the half-caste, and delivered sea eral blows on the head and ribs of the poor woman, besides gi\ ing a terrific blow which broke , her arm. The two half-castes weie cut in several places and some nasty blow=- were given to some of the German sailors.

GENERAL MASSACRE FEARED. Writing on the present situation at Apia, the " Samoa Times" &ays : ~" Mataafa and his people are outlawed so far as German power is concerned. They are now, we learn in a terribly excited state of mind. Mataafa has a very large number of followers, and he may not hesitate to find food for himself and people wherever it is conveniently available ; or is it by any means a certainty that he may content himself with only providing his people with food ? He may become desperate enough to take revenge, and even if Mataafa or his people desire to make reprisals on Germans only it may be impossible for them to make distinctions. Should such a calamity as a native raid be made on the town of Apia the consequences would be fearful to contemplate. Mataafa and his people know well in what position they are now placed.' They also know from experience what punishment would be inflicted on them or their chosen king it he or they were captured. This feeling may bring them back to a semisavage state, become reckless of life and commit depredations and acts of ferocity v/hich would nob be thought of by them under ordinary circumstances.' 1

THE AMERICAN ATTITUDE. < Washikgtox, December 1. The Navy Department .to-day received a report from Commander Leary, of the United States steamship Adams, stationed ab Apia, Samoan Islands, on the status of the troubles in those islands. The report indicates that while no immediate danger threatens the lives of foreign residents in Apia, the hostile attitude of the German Consul and of the commander of the German cruiser Adlety now lying off Apia, may ab any moment precipitate an attack upon Europeans by the savages under one or the other of the native chiefp. At the Navy Department it- i 3 said Commander Leary will nob hesitate to use his guns in case the presence on the shore of armed men is not sufficient to protect the lives or property of American residents. ) In the course of his report Captain Leary states: — Ci After certain hostile demonstrations on the part of the Germans I sent a protest to the Commander of the Adler, ' and, after consultation wit>h our-Vice-Con-suJ-General, the British Consul and the Go'inmander of (the Lizard, we conclude^ • that for the protection of our citizens, in tile event of possible and probable hostilities within neutral ground, the consulates should.be' fortified a<j ..plapes, of refugccjor the Americans and English. In compliance therewith I landed a guard of one officer and eight marines, who have fortified the Consulate and guarded ib day and night."