COLONEL STEINBERGER AT SAMOA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4462, 2 March 1876, Page 3

COLONEL STEINBERGER AT SAMOA.

By the arrival of the bilgantine Helena, ' from Samoa, we are in receipt of further ' particulars respecting the carious episode of - Colonel Steinberger at Samoa, and as many < conjectures have been made as to the man- ' ner in which the handsome little yacht now lying quietly at anchorin the Waitemata ha: bour came into the possession of Captain ;i McKenzie, her present it may -• out of place to give tbem. The •. the case may be briefly described ' • few particulars concerning f Colonel Steinberger and thr . . . by the Peerless in the r . . 1 ' , deavour to create "refo" . group of the Navig?*.. ' ' • years ago this Colo:--: *' ;v ' , •' I•with credentials fr<" • -<• ■ • ' ! vernment, was • •: . Islands by tlr- •* : • . ; , certain missi' . .. • » i,ime was- v ....... . butwhic 1 . ; ' 1 1 . inducir_ . - * • - ; ing t 1 the: i :'- t ; 1' - i - .of , tV . ••••-, :•• • ; • , . i/fiat - - t -•- • • •• -' •: • *6y of ... •; : • -• JL States ... _ ; ~ime being r. - ; v.. plenipoten- •• ' fulfilled his •: = i r • lonel's duty to c return to peace- ( United States, but ; cupidity appears to j , . :... what had come before •ourning in the fair islands .nd he at once expressed • : . jii to effect reform amongst • - 'jsg children of the Southern j . he has succeeded in this has 1 iibed by a San Francisco journal, w r • :erts that he has made out of them a , cros> oetween a full-grown American citizen and an angel of lis'ht, precedence being given ; to the wiser of the two. In the first place, « he organised something like a Parliament, and obtained for himself the election of i "Premier," taking the x>recaiition to make the position a life office, whilst the King's term of office is limited to four years, and be cannot be re-elected. The constitution proposed by him was, at his persuasion, ac- . cepted bv the people, who were led to the imagination that he was backed up by the power of the United States. Thus begau the reign of " Steinberger the First," graniis ] gratia Rex Samoarum. A code of laws was drawn up by this potentate, who, having 1 secured his position, began to levy taxation i on his "subjects" and on foreign residents 1 alike. The latter objected to this system of ■ " black mail," and resisted his authority. * Unless his schemes were to be thus thrust i aside, his orders annulled, and his authority ( set at defiance, it bccame necessary for the < Colonel to use armed persuasion in enforcing J his system of taxation for his own aggran- < dizement. With this object in view, he ' caused to bo built, in San Francisco, ( the scliooncr Peerless, which was fitted up at great cost; and being built on an « improved model attained great speed as a sailer. She was taken across from San 1 Francisco by Captain Harrison iu the brief 1 space of 18 days. Arrived at the scene of her future buccaneering expeditions, the Peerless was manned by a crew of 26 men. 1 armed with a coaple of " Gatling" guns, and supplied with stacks of rifles, revolvers, cutlasses, boarding-pikes, and other arms ' and warlike stores.- Thus emboldened, our ' American fililbuster proceeded not only to enforce his system of taxation, but also tft lev a toll on all vessels passing, and blackmail on all and sundry persons landing in the viciuity of his stronghold; for, in addition to his armed schooner, the bold buccancor had erected a fort on shore, capable standing, as he imagined, a siege. Whetv not engaged in his " reforming occupation," the colonel appears to have " indulged" a little, for we are assured, hy the same journal to which we have alluded, that he bad I discovered that a "Jittle wine for his stomach's sake" was recommended by St. Paul. Wine being scarce, or rather none of the taxes coming in, his Majesty and his Staff drank brandy instead. Not wishing to do anything secretly, tlie3 r shewed to the "reformed" natives how a white man acts when feeling in good spirits, and the natives being of an imitative turn of mind, followed their example with Great rapidity. They, having imitated the Court, the Court felt bound to return the compliment, and accordingly did so in the matter of " Heaven's la*t, best gift to man." According to the old maxim, "Every dog has his dnv." nnd the power of "Steinberger the First" was doomed to wan and his reign be of short duration. Emboldened by his own success, the colonel followed up his to'ile\ ying propensity to an obnoxious extent. Tt chanced, however, that one morning he espied from bis fortress a horseman who had ventured on his preserves. Swaggering out, he demanded, in a blustering manner, a certain sum of the English gentleman on liorscback. or, in default thereof, the pains and penalties of confiscation and imprisonment were threatened. The English gentleman, being no other than Captain Charles E. Stevens, of Her Britannic Majesty's ship of war, Barracouta, which had called at Samoa during her cruise, considered it beneath his dignity as commander in Her Majesty ? s navy to be thus accosted by one whose authority he doubted and defied, and, therefore, declined to pay the toll demanded. Having stated his determination to enquire into the doings of the " filibuster," Captain Stevens rode away. He lost no time in placing himself in communication with Mr. J. S. Foster, the United States Consul at Samoa, the result of which was that Colonel Steinberger was politely requested to produce the authority of the United States Government, under which flag he carried on his practices. This the Colonel refused to do, and after a consultation with the Gcrmon Consul (Mr. A. E. Poppe), and with the sanction of the United States Consul, the captain of the Barracouta, without any further fuss, seized upon the Peerless for a breach of the neutrality laws, in carrying arms, and the pretty little pirate was taken alongside the man-of-war. Having been disarmed, her foremast and gear were taken out of her. and otherwise rendered 7iors de combat. With the consent of the representatives of the British, United States, and German powers, the schooner was afterwards sold as a lawful prize. Captain Murdonk McKenzie, then at the island with the schooner Mary Melville, becoming the purchaser, and the once dangerous little craft was brought to Auckland, where she has since excited the admiration of many, and the envy . of a few. She will shortly pass into the hands of some gentleman, who will employ her in the peaceful pursuit of yachting, in place of the occupation given her by the American adventurer, who has caused his name to become so notorious. Following upon' the seizure of the armed schooner, the auhorities named held a further consultation, in conjunction with the commanders of H.M.S. Barracouta, and H.I.M. German ship of war Gazelle on board the latter vessel, to diseuss and decide what course should be taken for the safety, freedom, and protection of property of subjects of the respective countries. This was rendered necessary as .the Samoan Government had endorsed the actions of Colonel Steinberger in the committal and adoption of his numerous malpractices in direct opposition to civilised laws, customs, and usages. The decision arrived at on that occasion has already been set forth in the proclamation issued bv : the powers named, and which was published in zxUn&o in the New Zeaxaxd Hera.lt> on the 12th instant. What further action will be' taken with the Colonel, who claims American citizenship} but "Whose extraordinary is, far from being _ endowed by that nation, remains to be seen, but at present he may congratulate himself that he possesses a whole skin.