PROCLAIMING TANU KING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11396, 13 April 1899, Page 2

PROCLAIMING TANU KING.

. .Malietoa Tanu, having been installed "as" King with all due cor.embhy, "the following proclamation was issued by the United,(States and the British consids: —" It is hereby made known to all Samoans, that Malietoa Tanu Mafili has-been installed as. King of Samoa by the combined naval .forces of Great Britain and the United States, of America. On March 23 his.flag was-saluted by the -worships of these Powers. Now all Samoans of the so-called Mataafa faction are informed that if they acknowledge,' by sending deputations at once from eaoh district to Mulinuu, their lawful King. Malietoa, Tanu Mafili, who holds his position by the great treaty, and the decision of the Chief Justice under it, they will be allowed to return to .their homes and reßume their usual vocations without molestation. The very strongest measures will be taken at once against- all rebels who do not comply with this proclamation." The admiral and Captain Stuart added' their approval, and stated, .that; they were prepared with all the .force at their command to enforci its observance. This' proclamation came like a, bolt out.of the blue.

The British and American residents in Samoa •to a man were thunderstruck, and the American- vice-consul, a very sensible and capable man,'.who thoroughly understands the situation, at once sent off. an indignant protest _to the American consulate about the utter disregard mauifested for the property and lives of American' subjects. What did it all mean? ; Were'the. Samoan rebels who had defied -tiie, Chief Justice and all the constituted authorities (Britain and America), who had plundered and pillaged and beheaded the poor loyalists in January last, even killing an iroffensive 'woman, and who during the last week or two'had plundered and wrecked the houses of European's, and even spilt the blood of British aiid American sailors, were they, now,''like spoilt children, to be allowed to come in and go unpunished ?. Had there not already been sufficient excuse to warrant the, combined navies ih wiping the whole rebel army out of existence and to hang such vil-j lams as Suatele, Muluiti, and Laviti, without trial, at the yardarm. But it was only Captain Stuart's humanity. If he could prevent further bloodshed he would- do so. - But we who had seen knew he must fail in this, though his humanity did him credit.

The priests of the French Catholic Mission, at the: request of Captain Stuart, also intervened, but it was all of no avail., They.saw. Mataafa 'away back in the bush, and had a long talk with him, but he would not yield. But to return-to the proclamation, it was dated the 25th March. The rebels, of course,, treated it contemptuously, as everyone who knew the history of the affair said they would. They had become so used to empty threats

and proclamations by this timo that they laughed alqud at this apparently fresh evidence of vacillation on the part of , the ( great Powers. Instead of. complying with the proclamation tiie rebels ignored it completely. They looted more houses, they burned and tore up bridges on the main roads, they erected forts and barricades, at' various points, they shot the cattle and pigs of Europeans, and they even went the length of destroying the plantations of white" people. But they would not attack; thoy would do everything but fight. And tho reason of it all was that the German consul had urged them to wait for another mail, which might bring them satisfactory news from Europe.

THE BATTLE OF MANGIANGI.

•In the afternoon we went into the bush— this time up tho Tivoli road. Lansdale and the Americans, with the Colt gun, led. The friendly Samoans. under Lieutenant Gaunt, were next, and Cave, with tho British bluejackets and a seven-pounder field-piece, followed. Captain Sturdee was in command fof - the whole force, which formed quite a 'respectable-looking column. After marching about a milo wo debouched to the left and entered a comparatively clear space near Mr Blacklock's house. Across a deep ravine, where a river flowed through the tropical bush, wo got a view of the village of Mangiangi. There wa3 a white wooden church that stared at us with it^ commonplace glass window's, and to the left of that we could discern the brown thatch of a few Samoan houses clustering in the trees. Here we sighted the enemy. They were evidently surpi-isod. Thoy came out of the houses and looked at our red-turbancd friendlies. Ono man took off his white turban and waved it at us defiantly, and one of our Samoans made an insulting return to the signal. Tho moment the enemy saw the sailors, however, thoy began to retreat. But the Colt gun was hurried up, and wo pumped a stream of lead into the village. You could see a line of waving bullets stream through tho air as tho gun popped off at the rale of 4GO shots a minute. We saw two men drop, and ■s£___»

must have been hit. No sooner had tha , marine gun started than the friendlies began,, to let off their rifles from cover behind us,Ono man, standing almost behind my elbow) without oven putting the gun to his shoulder, fired over my head into a cocoanut tree. This fire had promptly to bo. suppressed. Then tho seven-pounder, which had been stationed out on tho road, came up, and was put into action. The first shot was a-regular beauty, the shell bin-sling in a house just to the right of the church. Another shell was shot into tho loft, and a few sent at longer ,- range into the bush in the direction in which the enemy had retreated. Gaunt and hie men went through the bush into the ravin., across our front to tho left.. Almost at the samo time Tamasese and his friendlies charged up into the village from the rear, and for 15 minutes thero'-wa. a sharp engage- ■• ment. The village was soon in flames, some men burning and others engaging tha enemyill retreat. The Mataafa men returned th. fire, and their bullets whistled unpleasantly close over our heads. Presently wo saw the Rod Caps coming back 'into tho village, and ..' to tha left of the burning houses we saw them dancing about and could hear them yelling. Evidently they had come upon somo of the enemies dead.; Presently wo saw a- ~ man pass with a head on a stick, and then, leaving the , burning ' village, they marched . 'back through the bush, singing weird war songs." We ato oranges in tlio shade, and ' watched the strango pantomime for a while. Then we returned to the road,, and'pushed t .our way on. About 50 of our friendlies wero reclining at the gate where we came out. One of them pointed to a. man on the centre of the road, and lo and behold, a human ear I Gaunt, riding past, clearly expressed his utter disgust at this mutilation of the dead or wounded. But the Samoans only laughed at his finer feelings. Wo went on for some dis- .. tanco up tha road. I looked into the house of Mr Skcen, the resident magistrate. It ' was a picture of utter ruin. Everything.that could not be carried away was smashed or , turned upsido down. -The rebels must have gone through it like very devils, looting and destroying. A new piano was a strange sight. Tho case was smashed," the ivory keys torn off, and the wire and hammer_j broken and twisted into an inextricable mass. . On the ; lawn I found the' lens of an optical lantern, which I convey-xl to the owner in Apia. I - wa3 also able ito save an oil painting of Mr SkeenV father, which I found in the.front - garden.; The damage done in. this house was , between £500 and £600. A little farther ; on wo came upon an ambush of natives .behind some big branched : trees that . had been -.cut down,- and. placed across the road, they, however, r ran..away, and did not fire on us. The Colt and / the Nordenfeldt' wore quickly brought to bear and a few shots sent into the bush after them.,'. Just here,' on the right, was the house of Air Trood, a British Bubject. He had been here ' all the time of the shelling, and had been re^ ceiving daily visits from the rebels. ; He said they, wore afraid of the shells, but that, though; . there were some.narrow escapes, none of-tho rebels had been hit by. the "shells that, fell in that locality. Mr Trood now decided to leave and came into Apia the same evening ; Mean,,-, time, the head had,been carried in triumph through,the main street of Apia, a native " j.mping and dancing fantastically before' it. I had returned from the expedition, and was ' just diving into the sea for a swim when Cap- • ■ tain Stuart, of H.M.S. Tauranga, landed m . front of the hotel, accompanied by one of his , lieutenants. His looks were black as thunder, 7 and as he told his boat to follow him to ' Mulinuu, I guessed'he was sem, on :serious business. Slipping down to Mulinuu on my.: bike, I found the'captain talking very plainly '. to the young King. "Tell him," he. said, through an interpreter, "that I am very angry that any heads should have been taken, ; Any -. man. who cute off a head after this, or any who - is seen carrying a head, will be most, severely. , - % punished. I'll1 have him hanged on the nearest " tree without trial. Let that be known to, all, . j . the people at once. Good-night." Siibs.e- . q'utntly, I learned that the head was not taken -by any of-the Apia people, but by those who,; : . had only the day before arrived from the Island of Tutuila. and,who did not .know 1 about the antipathy of the white people to- : this mutilation of the dead. The Tut-uila.meji" - now expressed their deep regret, and promised,, that .they would bear the captain's words in' '_ mind, and the King .promptly issued a pro- - v ' elamation warning his warriors that men cut- - ■ ting :off heads .would be promptly hanged, or,, 1 shot.. The|German consul, .'however, jumped.. at the chance, of sending another letter to the ; i" admiral..; >He understood that one ot the Ma:-' ... ; lio'toa sj-idisre li^^h.co^'seon.carr^ugtholi'ead.. ; ' i o.f::a Mataafa man,' and he wanted.'to know ; s if'the two great Christian nations of Great i Britain.and America agreed with such ah mii human and barbarous practice, which was _.cj;'> 7 i trary to the .. principles of religion i and in violation of a decree made by the Chief. i Justice of. Samoa. I believe tho admiral's ,r.e----1 ply to this effusion was' a snorter, and, accord;". r ing to my information, he completely turned ' 3 the tables on the, consul.' He said, he coi,:^, 1 curred with all that had been iwitten by tb., s German consul-general that thd practice. was, i barbarous and in violation of Christian prih-7\ -, eiples. As to the remark about a decree made s' by the Chief Justice, he pointed out that hoc: . the representative of one of the three great. • t Christian nations (Germany) holding, equal . y, rightf in these islands had respect for thr- .-ft 7? 1 decree, of the Supreme Court in : Januar ;•* :1 last, in reference to a matter which .ho ha I. c been instructed through the treaty to support,. •- there would have been none of this bloodshed ' t ond head-taking at .all. He now appealed *. him, the consul-general of Germany, to stop .- it. Coming to the question., of the head-taking ; c itself, thispoVtion of his reply must have been ' d gall and wormwood to the Gorman consul, c' He-agreed again as to its barbarity, but re-' >-'. minded him ttat it was an ancient custom of - c the Samoans, but one with which the' world y first-became acquainted in December 10 years :t ago, when this barbarous chief Mataafa cut d off the heads of honest German soldiers. .It i- was, he added, this same barbarous chief who o was now receiving the support and encoiiragee ment of the representative of the German Gen vernment. ' '

CAPTURING A'FORT

But to return to our expedition. On gettJDg. back to Apia late, in the afternoon, the' column marched ..out' to the village bf "Vaiiriusu, the scene of the battle in which our-. friendlies routed the. Mataafa men a few days . previously.- With the aid of my bicycle; I ' was able to catch them up just as they "were burning the village on the Friddy. We pushed but in the.same direction lo clear the road and capture a large stone fort in which the natives were reported to be in strength. AYe passed through the smoking ruins of Vc.musu. Captain Sturdee was in command, with Lieutenants Freeman (Tauranga), Cave (Porpoise), and Lansdale (Philadelphia) ui.der him. Flog-lieutenant Stiller,' the British consul.- and Mr Rowlett, one of the war correspondents, also accompanied the expedi-' tion. Lieutenant Gaunt had charge of the friendlies. The road, which went through a thick forest, soon became a scene of devastation. Bridges, large and small, had been cut down, and barricades of trees and stones elected at many points. The bluejackets and the Samoans worked with a will to clear away,, the obstacles, and one could not help admiring the British consul as he went in with the men ' rolling away trees and. helping to pull dowta slone forts and barricades. He was second in .command under Gaunt of the friendlies, and day after day, often under fire, through dark forests and ovei hot roads, absolutely fearless, —as brave as a lion. If the Foreign Ofiice has many men like Maxse, the British nation has. every reason to bo proud of its Foreign Office, and the American and British navies are well seived by such men as Admiral Kantz, Captain White, and Lieutenants Lansdale and Miller on the one side, and Captains Stuart, Sturdee, Freeman, Cave, Guant, Parker, and James on the other. It would lake too long to tell of our expedition through Vaimusu tc Lctopa. We cleared the roads and proved to tlm Samoans that broken bridges are no bar to British and American sailors, who have tc make' horses of themselves and haul the ma chine guns for hours at a stretch under a tropical sun. We wended our way.up a long road, through a plantation of breadfruit aud bananas, and then tall trees and thick jungle on either side of us. It was a splendid place for an ambush. We went along slowly and quietly, peering into the dense forest, iind keeping as good a look-out as we could. There was the rattle of the machino gun and tho independent crackle of musketry. The friendlies fired off their rifles in the rear at nothing in particular.and a few of the younger bluejackets dodged for cover in tho roadsid. ditches, and also blazed away at nothing it particular. Everyone who could not see the machino gun in front imagined we were attacked, but it was only Lansdale, with the Colt, firing at a thousand yards range at a fow rctreatinff rebels.. Two. of them dropped. The general firing was, however, quietly controlled, and we marched on to a stone fort, one of the machine guns guarding, a cross road. In the fort was found an old rifle and a boltlo of German lager beer, not long opened. Then we retreated to the cross road, and the men ate mummy apples and smoked for a few I minutes. I was now with Gaunt's friendlies. £.n officer walked up. "The enemy is r.iv.y.tei.

lo be in a stone fort ahead," he said to Guant. " Tho captain wants to know if your fellows could turn Ihem out after we have tired tho gun." "Certainly, turn them out of anywhere," replied Gaunt. There- had been so much criticism of these friendlies, and as to whether Gaunt's training had done them any good or not, that I was particularly anxious to see for myself. After thu Coll had streamed out its leading, tho Nordenfeldt had rattled out hoaVior bullets, we charged up al tlio double. We went for three-quarters of a mile, but not a rebel was to be. seen. How close they were we could not tell. We returned disappointed, but there was no doubt Gaunt's men wore backing up. AYo passed the spot where the two men had been dropped, but the bodies wore not there. 1 found the trail whero they had been dragged through the long grass at the roadside, and following it up a littlo way found a few drops of blood on tha ferns and twig-.

■Mataafa and his chiefs, still held out. The; had till 1Q p.m. on the 30th March to sur render, but that hour arrived without result

A COASTAL EXPEDITION.

On Good Friday Captain Stuart and his galley proceeded along the coast to the wostward, in command ot a boat expedition. The Tauranga tent three armed boats and a machine gun, tho Porpoise one boat with a machine gun, the Philadelphia 0116 boat with a one-pounder Hotchkiss, and the Royalist one boat with a machine gun There were also 96 friendlies lo act- as a landing party under Lieutonnnt- Gaunt, and the British consul as a sergeant-major. They went up tho const as far as Malia, Mataafa's stronghold. This village was burned by the friendlies, and 15 boats destroyed. n'wo beauti- - fully built big boats -were brought back as prizes. As each village ivas passed the boats with the machine guns formed the inside squadron, and shelled and peppered away for about fivo minutes. Then Gaunt. brigade landed and burned the Mataafa houses. No resistance was met with, except at Malia, whero, after the shelling, Gaunt's company was suddenly attacked from behind an old stone brenkwatei. The friendlies charged it at the double, and drove the enemy out, and for a time there was quite a -little skirmish in the bush. Some villages farthei up were destroyed.' As the boats began io return, and when opposite Latonga, near Malia, the rebels began to come down to the 'beach and to firo on the boats. There was quite a hail of bullets, especially round Captain Stuart's boat; but the captain put his eyeglass in his eye and coolly gave orders, remarking occasionally, on the adjective impertinence of tho rebels. No one was' killed on out side, but the rebels must have lost considerably, for tho machine guns and the 'one-pounder implied briskly to their fire. Tbe same day Hip British and Americans went out again to Lolopa. They saw no one, but the forts we had knocked down the day before had-been rebuilt, and more trees were cut down across the road. Lieutenant Peikins. was out in the afternoon to the eastward from the American consulate, and his marines engaged about .•• hundred of the rebels for a brief space, when, as usual, they retired. ' In the evening we went up Ihe Tivoli road under cover of the darkness, and threw a few shells from the seven-pounder into one or two likely spots. It was an eerie job,, stealing up ir the darkness under the tall palms and with the dense forest on either side, but' our friendlies were out as scouts, and there was little risk from a night attack. Indeed, t'-o Samoans seldom fight in the dark. THE BATTLE OF VAILELE. We were beginning to think ther.o was no light in the Mataafa warriors, when suddenly, on April 1, we met with a terrible -everse that cost us three of our best officers and four men, besides seven wounded. Tha land for.c on that, day consisted of 15 marines under Lieutenant Perkins and 30 bluejackets under Lieutenant Lansdale and Ensign Monagliah from the Philadelphia, 16 bluejackets under First-lieutenant Freeman from the Tauranga, 25 bluejackets under Lieuten-_ ant Cave from the Porpoise, and 11 marines and 11 bluejackets from the Royalist under Lieutenant Hickman. In'addition, there was a stretcher party of six men Avith Dr Lung of the Philadelphia and 150 friendly natives. The'whole force of 26. men was under the command of Lieutenant Freeman, The column, moved out along the coast to the eastward, with the intention of reconnoitering towards Fahgala,- the Royalist having preceded them in that- direction to shell the villages. On the arrival -of the land forces the bombardment was discontinued, and the . •village of Fahgala Was burried'bj' the: friendlies. The force then moved on tb Vailele and Latonga villages, which were burned in turn. None of the enemy were seen, though in the last-named village there was ample ci .ence'in the shape of food supplies and couking ovens that the place had been quite recently occupied. It is a small village, quite close to the German plantation of, V Uele. The column passed the house of, Pvrr Hufmagael, the manager of the planla--1 _,h, and he was interviewed by Lieutenant Cave,' who asked if ' there had been any Mataafa; men near his house. Hufmagael assured the British officers that there were

.one there nor in the vicinity, and the force therefore moved on. In this house there' were, ihree other .Germans, some black labourers, and a native woman. The latter Volunteered the information that the Mataafa .iarriqrs had been; iv the Latonga village .Turing the day, quite close to Mr Hufmagael's 'louse. The march was continued, and almost immediately the rebels were observed in tho road within'2so yards of Hufmagael's house. Fire was immediately opened on them, but they ran away and did not return the fire. They retired through the German plantation. Here Lansdale attempted to bring the Colt automatic gun into action, but it would not work.. It was then discovered, that, unknown to. Lansdale, the armourer had ■ tho day previous taken the gun to pieces, and apparently not put it properly together again. The extractor had been put in the wrong way. The gun having been tixod tip, after a short delay the whole force moved along the road where the enemy had been seen, intending to drive them out and return to Apia by way of the roads leading through the Vailele and Vaivase plantations instead of along the beach. All went well until reaching the district of Fangaliu, where, -from behind the crest of a low ridge in the bush, the force was suddenly attacked in tho rear. The friendlies, who had been in skirmishing order on either side of the main column, bad just before had to come into the road owing to the rough and precipitous nature of the ground, and so the rebels, who were in ambush in the bush here, were passed unobserved.

• Almost simultaneously with the attack from the rear came shooting all along the left of the line nnd in front, and while scarcely an enemy ■ could be seen their bullets poured intq the British and Americans from three sides. The Colt quick-firing gun was promptly brought into action, but it suddenly jammed after firing a few rounds and became useless. Lansdale quietly set to work to fix it up. Under a hot fire the British and the Americans, lighting shoulder to shoulder, stood the fire splendidly. After the fight had been 'in progress for about a quarter of an hour, the -friendlies broke through the lines, and there was a- momentary disorganisation. By this time heavj' firing was going on all round, and the bluejackets fired wherever they saw a rebel, and also fired at the cocoanut, trees wherever a puff of smoke indicated that there was a white cap behind one. We afterwards fcund that many of the enemy, sheltering in this way, must have been killed and wounded, for next day pools of blood were foupd behind . many of the trees. The modern rifle sends its bullets through cocoanut trees that would easily stop the old Snider bullet; but the fighting Samoan rebel in his bush ambush had yet to learn that important fact. The enemy, however, were very persistent, and they fired from the tops of the tall cocoanut palms, where they remained hidden in the dark green fronds. One man was dropped from the top of a tall tree by an American sharpshooter. It was at this period that a white man was seen urging on the rebels. His description, even to the clothes he had, tallied exactly with that of a well-known German, who had been seen earlier in the Jay. While Lansdale was vainly trying, in the midst of a hot fire, to fix up the machine gun, he was shot in the leg, and one or two of his men went down also.

The fire became so hot, and the British and Americans were in such a corner, that it was deemed advisable to sound the retreat. The order was given by Lieutenant Freeman, but only the American marines obeyed it. They went back quietly and orderly, covering their wounded by their firo as they went. The bugle had to be sounded a second time before the British bluejackets would retire, and a third time before the American bluejackets retreated. The gun, whicli was the cause of all the delay, was now abandoned, after being first of all "further disabled. Lansdale asked one of his men to bind np his leg. " Tie up my leg. Jack," he said. " Tie it up good and tight, and drag me along with you." Then the brave officer, helped along hy Ensign Monaghan and one of the sailors, joined in tho retreat. They began to drop into the rear The bullets came thick and fast, and Lans-

dale, seeing the game up for him, told his men to go and save themselves. 'Tho sailor's ammunition was done, and he retreated, but Monaghan refnsod to go, and when last seen he was still standing guard and fighting for his poor comrade. Tho rest is soon told. They found his body next morning, not far from Lansdnlo's. shot through the back and heart. Between Mb body and Lansdale's lay ii dead Mataafa warrior. Two other dead whilo caps lay neai, and Lansdale, in addition to his shattered leg, had now another bullet through his heart. It was easy, lo rend tho story. The bravo young ensign; surrounded by Iho rebel horde, stood by his wounded comrade till the last, and not till he was shot dead did ho think of retreat. And I have no doubt it was his rifle or revolver that had accounted for the threo dbad Samoans that lay between the bodies of the two I'omrndos. The American navy has lost two bravo officers, but the American nation is tho richer for a legend that will live in history. It was as gallant a deed as could be done.

Hunt, a seaman from the Porpoise, appears to havo been with Lansdale near tlio end. He says he saw him in a fainting condition. Then he remembered no moro. He was clubbed and fell insensible. He awoke to find tho rebels cutting off his right ear, and as they were turning him round to cut off the other ear a shell from the Royalist burst near al hand, and scattered the natives. Hunt then roused up sufficiently to got up and retreat. Arriving at the beach, ho ran into the sea, being still dazed, and was picked up by a boat from the Royalist. Truly enough, his right ear had been cu1 off, and there was a wound in his log, where ho said a rebel had stabbed him. There is no reason to doubt his story. Everyone says he was the last man in. Further, he has previously distinguished himself by his bravery, for he has the Royal Humane Society's medal, and also a-j'Ameri-can, the latter " For saving a number of lives in New York Harbour."

But before this tragedy had worked itself out there were other men falling. Freeman had got over the brow of the hill into a place of safoly, but returned to hurry bis men up. While stooping to get under a barb wire fence that was bothering thorn a good deal, he was shot on top of the shoulder, and the bullet went through his heart.

The American bluejackets, with the loss of Lansdale and Monaghan, were without-an officer, buf young Dr Lung, of the Philadelphia, afterwards took up the command. He took up the rifle of a wounded Englishman, and, firing himself whenever opportunity offered, set a splendid example by his coolness and courage. Young Reid, of Apia, who was acting as interpreter, and M'Donald, a surveyoi, formerly of New . Zealand,- were amongst those in the thick of the fight, tho latter helping to carry one of the wounded, and then going down to the beach for reinforcements. The enemy must ha., been in considerable numbers, and the retreat was ■only sounded by Lieutenant Freeman when the men were running short, of ammunition and darkness was approaching. It. was the only thing to be clone, and the whole force, led by Lieutenant Cave, who was now in command, assisted by Lieutenants Hickman and Perkins, retired over the hill and down through a thick forest and morass to tho beach. In such country it was utterly impossible to take the machine gun or to carry the dead away, especially under the, heavy fire of the rebels, who followed the retreating troops for a considerable distance. The wounded, however, were all got down in safety and taken to the American consulate.

The Royalist, which'has been lying off Fangala all the afternoon to support the troops, was now signalled, to open fire, and this she did, with the result that tho pursuing rebels were driven back. A hundred more men were then landed from the American and British ships, and then came hours of weary waiting and suspense. Everyone prayed that Ensign Monaghan would yet come in, but this was not to be.

At 2 a.m. on Easter Sunday the friendlies were sent out to bring in the bodies. They .found the three officers lying headless on the battlefield. The heads were not to be found. The bodies of four dead sailors were also found, but they were not beheaded, only the ears had been taken off. It was a.sad.Easter Sunday in Apia for the Americans, and the British. There were seven killed and seven wounded, the list being as follows: — BRITISH KILLED. Freeman, first lieutenant, Tauranga.. Prout, leading seaman, Royalist. Long, leading seaman. Royalist. '.'.•' •-'-..'•'■•■ -WOUNDED. ■'.--.- -'.-.- Fo'xworthy, corporal of marines on the Royalist. Shot in the leg. Hunt, A.B. on the Porpoise. Shot in the arm and his ear cut off. . AMERICANS KILLED. Lansdale, first lieutenant of the flagship Philadelphia. Monaghan, ensign, ditto,' Butler, seaman, ditto. . . Edsall, electrician,, ditto.

WOUNDED.

Andrews, fireman, leg shattered. Laird, landsman. Shpt through the thigh. M'Carthy, a marine. Shot in the wrist. AVellington, coxswaiu. Badly shot in the elbow. » . ■ •-.-'•'

Johns, landsman. Shot through the shoulder.

In addition to these, there is amongst tie wounded one Jlalietoa soldier. 7 The bullet took away a piece of his jawbone and.just missed the. throat. ' A woman who' was carrying water for the Malietoa men was also shot. She was standing near Lieutenant Cave, who was one of the last to leave the field. Hickman also acted with great coolness.

Many of the men had never been under fire beforo, so their steadiness was the .more remarkable. There was no undue hurry in ihe retreat. Indeed, the difficulty was to get the men away. Tiie bugle had to be sounded three times, and even' then Lieutenant Freeman was shot in going back to hurry up some of his men.

Freeman is well-known in New /.aland, where he was very popular during the cruise of the Tauranga. He was a single man. Lansdale was also a popular and clever officer. He was married quite recently in San Francisco. Nearly everyone: thought-that he "had got away, and many were the regrets • expressed when it was found that both he and Monaghan had not come in. Personally, I had seen a great deal of Lansdale, and also of Freeman. They were, both . fine fellows, and their loss came to me, as to many others, in Apia, as the loss of personal friepds.

It was a terrible blow to the British and the Americans. Out of six officers who went -into the field three, or 50 per-cent., had been killed. The bodies were buried on Easter Sunday afternoon at Mulinuu, where the painted head boards of those lulled by Mataafa's warriors are . becoming all too' numerous. Then someone suggested that the French priests might be. able to.get in the heads. They were communicated with, and agreed to doso. One of the'fathers and three native pastors went out into the bush. In' the afternoon they came back with flic heads of the American and British officers in their possession. Then it was found that, in addition to the cutting off of Freeman's head, the Mataafa rebels had chopped his ears off as well, and these were still missing." It is quite evident that the heads wero taken to •Mataafa. The friendlies scoured every inch of the battlefield on tiie Sunday morning, and though the bodies were there there was no trace of the heads, but apparently the priest had warned Mataafa, and1 he had sent some of his warriors to takq the heads back to the battlefield. In the afternoon, as soon as the heads came in, they were taken down to Mulinuu. The coffins.of the three officers were opened and the heads put in with the bodies. It was noticeable that not a single officer from the German warship Falke was present at the funeral, though a'wreath was sent. Some of the Germans openly expressed their pleasure at the result of the engagement. As the coffins passed the German quarter one man was heard to say: -That is not the last they will have to follow down to Mulinuu by any means."

As already stated, the rebels must havo been in considerable force, though it is, ofcourse, impossible to form any accurate estimate of their numbers owing to the way they kept under cover. They lost pretty heavily. The friendlies found three bodies, and the priests report having seen eight others, so it is as near certain as can be that at least 30 were killed, while many more must have been wounded. The friendlies,' who went out next day, reported that one of the rebels' forts was full of blood, and one place where they had been dragging the dead and wounded across the road was like a slaughtering place. They place the rebel dead at fully 50. The Catholic native teachers have buried 41. The wounded must be fully that number, and many are mortally wounded.

Lieutenant Field, of the Philadelphia, has taken Lansdale's place on shore. He tells me that in packing up Lnnsdale's belongings, he was glad to find " a nice fat letter to his wife," evidently written the night before. When Field came ashore with reinforcements in the evening he had no time to lake his dinner. Afterwards, at the American mess, ho asked if they had anything for him.

" Yes," thoy replied, " Hero's Monaghan's dinner." II consisted of cold meat and potatoes. " I guessed that Monaghau was pretty cold also by thai time," said Field," and you may be sure I could not eat much of that dinner." Field is one of those who was wrecked hero in the Nipsic during the great hurricane. Monaghan's ring has beon mysteriously returned to tho Chief: Justice.

LATEST ITEMS. Last nignt an attack was expected on the town. Every precaution was taken and the searchlights played all night, but though ono or two shots were fired nothing: came of it. Two house, near tho British consulate have boon purposely burned by the naval authorities in order the belter to defend any further attack on the consulate. One belonged to a German, another to an American. The building belonging to, the Union Steam Ship Company at the back of their copra shed lias also been burnt.

Tho Chief of Police, who, when fined for contempt of the Supremo Court, claimed tho protection of Germany, and has lately been harbouring 611 tho German warship, returned to his duties yesterday, aud it is reported that 180dol fine, and the fees left in a cigar box in tho police station by him have been stolen. The authorities say it is an extraordinary thing that ho should leave the money so long io a cigar box these times. . After the battle-of Vailele, tho three British ships went outside and shelled the bush in places whore the Mataafa rebels were supposed to bo located. Tho Tauranga threw some L'iddilo shells. The Philadelphia operated from the harbour, and there was a brisk cannonade for an hour or two. There were 5000 rounds of ammunition lost with the Colt guii. The rebels have one.of the ■American rifles, in which the same ammunition can be used. The Royalist has gone to Tuluila and Funloele to bring in moro friendlies. Some more stands of arms arc wanted for the friendlies',. and then we shall have a force of 2000 ready, to go into the bush against the rebels when the full strength of Milling men is procured. 1 One of tho warships,. with some of the friendlies, will be employed going: round the islands for food supplies for the native army. Mataafa says ho will now fight on to the death.

Hufmagael, an employee of the German firm, and manager" of Vailele plantation where the ambush surprised the troops, has been arrested and conveyed on board the Tauranga. Two American, two British, and one officer have sworn important affidavits in regard to his movements before and during the fight. The German consul and captain asked that he should be sent aboard the Falke, but the request was refused.