AN ENGAGEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 85, 12 April 1899, Page 5

AN ENGAGEMENT.

THE PRACTICE OF DECAPITATION.

H.M.S. Royalist made a trip to Tutuila and returned with about <iSO fighting men, who were all well armed for that purpose, for it was thought they would act better than the natives of the place and so far surmise has proved correct. Oh Wednesday fMarch 29) the combined forces went iut and surprised the rebel party at Magiagi, about 2 miles, from town An^nf agement took place the result being that about 16 of the natives were&kffled or wounded-. Amgt/ug fortunate affair was that the Tutuila pa£y. who fought well, came triumphant through town with^he head of One of the victims. On this bemg. known by the Admiral, he at once tookTteps so that it should not occur S3n aPnd Captain Stuart at once Se ashore and had an interview the King who promptly issued a proclamation putting *>*%J°J» fiSffewta dFd P>t 4ow that there wafa law forbidding them decapitav£t or mutilating the dead or woun8L He promised no SSfi" aa|ooci dell excuse for the 0l? were enSged on Wednesday 2& wS S ude c On^e ttfthet^To ;Un ateVuM S^Surrg?. Even Lieutenant

Gaunt said his squad as he terms them, were all right, and Lieutenant Monaghan who had charge of another detachment said they were all right. It appears that the rebels, were completely taken by surprise, and did not expect the blue-jackets with that death dealing gun so close to their retreat, and immediately they found out their mistake they made a bolt, but too late to avoid the American gun which kept throwing them in at the rate of 600 per minute. The representation made to the newly-crowned Malietoa forcibly presenting the abhorrence with which civilised people regarded such barbarity as head-cutting quickly bore fruit. The new King, who, personally, it is presumed, resented the recurrence to a custom, the practice of which has, on previous occasions, been abused, as unworthy of the present state of civilisation of the people, immediately issued a proclamation, which was circulated. A translation of it is as follows: — 1.- It is strictly prohibited in this war.for anyone to take the head of another man. 2. If anyone disobeys this order his punishment will be death according to his breach of this' law. 3. Let every thing be done in the fashion of the wars of enlightened governments. This is the advice of the two Great Governments of Britain and America. 4. This order shall be upheld and strictly enforced. I am, - MALIETOA TANU MAFILI, King of Samoa. The German Consul wrote to the Admiral asking whether two Christian . countries countenanced such practices, which were an outrage upon Christianity and a violation of a decree of the Supreme Court. The Admiral replied tartiy that he qxtite concurred in condemning the inhumanity of such proceedings, but Mataafa, whom the Germans were now upholding, practised them upon good German subjects ten years ago, and if the German Consul had supported the other two Consuls and the decree of the Supreme Court three months ago, theve would probably have been uo occasion for bloodshed or opportunity for the revival of the barbarous practice of decapitation.