NEWS BY THE MAIL STEAMER.
DESPERATE FIOHTINO, A DISASTROUS ENGAGEMENT. ANGLO-AMERICAN FORCE AMBUSHED. ATTACKED BY MATAAFA'S WARRIORS. TARES OFFICERS AND FOUR MEN KILLED. SEVEN MEN WOUNDED THE OFFICERS DECAPITATED. SAILORS' EARS CUT OFF. NUMBERS OF SSATIVEi KILLED. LIEUT. FREEMAN OF / THE TAURANGA SHOT DEAD. 2 AMERICAN OFFICERS AMONGST THE DEAD. I OPERATIONS OF THE WARSHIPS. News of the most disastrous event *f the present unhappy war in Samoa arrived here this morning by the R.M.S. Alameda, from San Francisco, : jria Honolulu and Apia. The Alameda, , V/hich arrived at the Queen street. iVVharf about five o'clock thi^ morning, 1 brings news from Samoa up to the 6th inst,, and amongst her passengers she brought two wounded American sailors for treatment at the Auckland Hospital. Our correspondent at Samoa supplies the following interesting account of the recent exciting events there.
(From Our Special Correspondent.) APIA, April 5. | ' The last budget of news from Samoa was despatched from here to Auckland on the 22nd of March. Since .' then some most stirring things have occurred, the most notable being a disastrous land engagement about three miles from Apia. —•_._ _■ On Monday, March 20, H.M.S. Porpoise left Apia Harbour and sailed along the coast, shelled and destroyed several native villages, captured two boats, and destroyed 16. She returned at 6 p.m. the same day. . . Owing to the strictness of the guards many of the Apia people have been put to inconvenience, but the authorities deem this necessary owing W$Q the fact\that they have reason to suspect that correspondence is carried on with the rebels from the town. On Tuesday the Porpoise went out again and shelled several of "the villages and destroyed /boats, some ot which she brought into port. ' On Wednesday morning, March ZZ, ■ Whilst a party of American bluejackets were out scouting, they came across a party of natives, and at once shots were exchanged.- The, recall was sounded soon afterwards, and the men withdrew, but three of the Mataafa natives were killed. At 2 o'clock H.M.S. Royalist threw shells in the direction of Motootua, where it was : stated the natives had been seen and still remained. During the afternoon the English and American sailors were mustered and marched inland, but none of the Mataafa natives were" met with. ' • . ~ ■'. H.M.S. Porpoise went out again the same morning, and it is.said she destroyed several villages and captured a number of native boats belonging to the Mataafa party. I have been informed that up till now she has captured and destroyed 37 of the rebels ! boats. . , r %oq 7 On Thursday morning, March 2A. at about 6 o'clock, the Royalist commenced to shell in the direction of Vaiusu, where it was rumoured that a number of natives were building a ■fort on an old site which had been y ttsed for that purpose before.
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Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 85, 12 April 1899, Page 5
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468NEWS BY THE MAIL STEAMER. Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 85, 12 April 1899, Page 5
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