A.—2.

Mataafa, if he be cut off from Apia and the sea, lies inexpugnable in the foothills immediately behind with five thousand warriors at his back. And, beyond titles to a great deal of land, which they extorted in exchange for rifles and ammunition from the partisans of Tamasese, of all this bloodshed and bullying the Germans hold no profit. I have it by last advices that Dr. Knappe has approached the King privately with fair speeches, assuring him that the state of war, bom-bardments,-and other evils of the day, are not at all directed at Samoans, but against the English and Americans, and that when these are extruded peace shall again smile on a German island. It can never be proved, but it is highly possible he may have said so ; and, whether he said it or not, there is a sense in which the thing is true. Violence has not been found to succeed with the Samoans ; with the two Anglo-Saxon Powers it has been found to work like a charm. I conclude with two instances —one American, one English : —First: Mr. Klein, an American journalist, was on the beach with Malietoa's men on the night of the recent German defeat. Seeing the boats approach in the darkness, Mr. Klein hailed them and warned them of the Samoan ambush, and by this innocent and humane step made public the fact of his presence. Where much else is contested so much appears to be admitted (and, indeed, claimed) upon both sides. Mr. Klein is now accused of firing on the Germans and of advising the Samoans to fire, both of which he denies. He is accused, after the fight, of succouring only the wounded of Malietoa's party :he himself declares that he helped both; and, at any rate, the offence appears a novel one, and the accusation threatens to introduce fresh dangers into Eed Cross work. He was on the beach that night in the exercise of his profession. If he was with Malietoa's men, which is the real gist of his offence, we who are not Germans may surely ask, Why not ? On what ground is Malietoa a rebel ? The Germans have not conquered Samoa that I ever heard of: they are there on treaty like their neighbours, and Dr. Knappe himself (in the eyes of justice) is no more than the one-sixth part of the Town Council of Apia. Lastly, Mr. Klein's innocence stands very clearly proven by the openness with which he declared his presence. For all that, this gentleman lay for a considerable time, watched day and night by German sailors, a prisoner in the American consulate. Even after he had succeeded in running the gauntlet of the German guards and making his escape in a canoe to the American war-ship " Nipsic " he was imperiously rcdemanded from under his own flag, and it is probable his extradition is being already called for at Washington. Secondly : An English artist had gone into the bush sketching. I believe he had been to Malietoa's camp, so that his guilt stands on somewhat the same ground as Mr. Klein's. He was forcibly seized on board the British packet "Eichmond," carried half-dressed on board the "Adler," and detained there, in spite of all protest, until an English war-ship had been cleared for action. This is of notoriety, and only one case (although a strong one) of many. Is it what the English people understand by " the sovereignty of the seas " ? I am, &c, The Editor of the Times. Bobekt Louis Stevenson.

[Extract from the Times, Tuesday, 12th March, 1889.] Samoa. Mb. W. M'Aethub asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he could state to the House the name of the representative of this country appointed to the Conference on Samoa shortly to be held at Berlin. Sir J. Fergusson: As the date of the Conference has not yet been fixed, no appointment has been made.

The Eeported Naval Action at Samoa. Mk. W. Eedmond asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any news had reached the Government as to a conflict between German and American war-ships at Samoa. Sir J. Fergusson: Her Majesty's Government have received no such information, and the report in question is entirely discredited.

[Extraot from the Times, Wednesday, 13th March, 1889.] Germany and Samoa. In answer to Dr. Cameron, Sir J. Fergusson said, —I have seen Mr. Stevenson's letter. The statement is substantially correct; but I should add that the German Government have spontaneously disavowed the action of their Consul-General, and he has since been recalled. The property referred to is probably a house which is in dispute, and is the subject of discussion. We have heard of the removal of British subjects from the " Eichmond " by German armed boats to the " Adler," and their subsequent release on the demand of the British naval commander. We know nothing about his having cleared for action. The German Government were asked for explanations, and replied that the German civil and naval authorities in Samoa have been instructed by telegraph not to subject the foreigners settled in Samoa to martial law, and to refrain from searching foreign ships for contraband of war. Papers are in course of preparation, and will be laid in the course of a few days. '

[Extract from the Times, Thursday, 14th March, 1889.] The Samoan Question. Washington, 13th March. The Star publishes a report of an Interview with Admiral Porter on the subject of affairs in Samoa. The admiral is represented to have spoken as follows : " We are weak on the ocean now, but there is a plan which will meet the emergency—namely, to cripple Germany while we are getting ready. We have surplus revenues enough with the minimum of taxes to carry on a desultory war until we

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