GERMAN CRUISERS AT SAMOA

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 91, 14 October 1914, Page 8

GERMAN CRUISERS AT SAMOA

THE VISIT OF A LOCAL PLANTER. HIS EXPLANATION. (IT .TELEGRAPH— SPECIAL 10 THg POST.) AUCKLAND, This Day. Another account of the visit by two German cruisers to Apia was given by Mi 1 . M. D. Davies, who arrived by tho Navua after a sojourn in Samoa, compulsorily extended to eleven weeks. He has lived in the Islands during the past six years 'and his explanation of the departure of the cruisers is interesting. Mr* Davies said that great excitement was caused by the appearance of the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau off Apia. Within an hour the cruisers had again disappeared, and alarmist reports flew from month to mouth regarding the intentions of the enemy. Speculation was renewed by the arrival of Herr Wilhelm Hagedon, one of the largest planters in Samoa, who had driven, in a buggy at a gallop from Nulifanua, 27 miles distant, into Apia, stopping only at- a plantation to telephone to Colonel Logan a request for an interview. It was soon generally known that Herr Hagedon had rowed off to the German cruisers and had an interview with the Commander, Count Spec, Mi 1 . Davies said he had been informed that Herr Hagedon had made a request to the Admiral that there should not be any interference with British provision .ships, as there was likely to be trouble with the Chinese and natives, and that the cruisers should not bombard and destroy private property. "This seems to be a reasonable version of Herr Hagedon's escapade," Mr. Davies remarked. He is the director of a large company and has large . private interests which he would be anxious to protect. Its probability has so far been confirmed by the fact that nothing has yet happened to disprove his explanation.