STATEMENT BY A RESIDENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 14, 18 January 1899, Page 5

STATEMENT BY A RESIDENT.

GEEMAN ANNEXATION SUS- , \

iPECTED.

A resident/of Satooa who ariived In / Auckland by the mail steamer Alal^/' rneda to-da^- states that this 6neX of the most, exciting times eyerr knpwp in Samoa/ But for. the presence ' at the Britisli warship Porpoise it is cjftir sidered certain that the German Yrarr ship Fallie would have hoisted,'''the v German flag over, all the islands ;and taken . pcissession.^Great itidi^natign was felt* when :*thfe German- Consul, Herr Rose, closed Supx-cine Court and declared r.ny decision given by the Chief Justice invalid, and; the prompt action "taken by Captain Sturdee^-of th« Porpoise, in hoisting the British1 and American flags'over-the Court, thiis vetoing;the action oitlie Get"niaii,Cb.n.^ sxil, was hcariily approved of. ' The/Mataafa party outnumberell/jliie opposing side in the proportion :dfjftve to one, and were better armed, 'Malietoa's Supporters were obliged to' sijr- : render owing to tlieir great inferiority j of numbers', and to the fact that they ,' ran out of ammunition. But lOritlle I lack jof iighting,. materials, thei Euro- M peamsi consider .that they would' navef' mades a.stubborn resistance. : : . •:. ; |

Captain Stxirdeiesiplacefl'a.jgfuard op. bluejackets and marines under. Heu7. (3aunt round the buildings !of the Lbudqn Missionary. SpcietyJ^to,, protect; : ; Europeans and ,]V{fili€!toa!s-'follpwe|sv about four hundred pi .whom availed themselves of the; protection offered. Mataaiia's follpw^s approached ;; 'ito, withinten yards of the guarcl, bis Mid :■ not attack it.', ..■;.; \; ■:-•■■,-. ;•• .■..--. -v/c-'t1' ''■ The elected King- Malietqo; f Tftnif, who was, within.-, tjke building, {was taken out by... a, party f rom tht:^war- '. shi.p ; tinder '.Captain Stiirdee, vij;Lther: ■presence of bet\v,een two lranc|re(|i:,a,nd ■..• three, hundred of itataafa's. fplUi\vers,: who,lojpked quietly;,6n, &jxd..yyd:f:cpnyeyecWtn board tHe^ Porpoise,^whsrelhe now remains. Tamasese and.five; otlier 'higli clilefs are alsq, on ffije ■■v?ar^|iip waiting for affairs to quieten down. Owin.? to threats made agaihst.the: life of,the Chief .Tiis^icevMi-Chjamberr-, with his wife, and family, Hyhofhi^ for some days been protected byja. guard of Malietoa's, foliowers, also jWent.;on board the warship. Owing t-!> the unpleasant state of affairs, Mrs Chambers' brbx^ght her fajjniiy to jillickland, one of the sons remaining with his father; who will remain on: the Pprpojse for two oritlifee weelSs more. Great admiration was expressed"at the proiri])t and decisive measures^ taken by Captain Sturdee f'sr the protection rof Malietoa's"' partjr: and theEnglish and Americans.' j ' ' -