A DISGRACEFUL LIBEL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11397, 14 April 1899, Page 6

A DISGRACEFUL LIBEL.

A PRIEST'S PREPOSTEROUS

EPISTLE.

(Fhom Oub Own Cokrkspon'dent.)

• LONDON, March 3. Some most extraordinary allegations have found ■ currency' in tho German press this week in reference to Samoa, mostly in the form of complaints from German residents in the group. There has, in fact, been an airing of Teutonic grievances on an unprecedented scale, even petty fines imposed in the past being put forward as evidences of injustice. One of these letters, written by Herr Yon Woltersdorf, is disavowed by his Government. But what this gentleman says is trivial compared with some preposterous charges made by a- priest—Father La Roche, of the Roman Catholic Mission in Samoa. The rev. father is worth quoting verbatim. He says:— . ; "When Tanu's and Tamasese's party taw themselves surrounded■> by Mataafa's warriors they fled to the'vicinity of the Eriglish crusier Porpoise, whose ~.protection .' they claimed. Tho Englishmen, who had unjustly incited them to war, .let them approach their ship, as they had promised to help them should it come,to a fight. These poor people, about; 700 or SOO, who had no provisions, received from their protectors 30 cases of biscuits, which did not suffice to satisfy their hunger. As tho conditions of their capitulation were not yet decided, all were forced to remain alongside tho' Porpoise. About a quarter-to 1 i"l' tho morning there came a sudden squall from the. northeast, and the sea ran high. The "boats,1 which were full of water, could only'bo kept from sinking with the. greatest difficulty. Toward half-past 1, one of the smallest boats, with'2o occupants, capsized; in a rough: seii,' and they had to keep themselves above* 'water rby

swimming. , '.' A feiv minutes later a second boa*t shared tho same fate, and the occupants were also 'struggling in the waves, which, every moment , beer.mo higher. The best swimmers were able to reach the larboard: ladder'rope and to climb on to tho railing.. From the verandah of the Catholic Mission House in Apia I could count, with a good field-glass, about 20 persons who in their despair were hanging to tho ship. But none, of them were allowed on board the Porpoise, and everytime the English cruiser heeled over they disappeared under the water. Every time fewer came to the surface again, as ' many of them had not the strength to hold out any longer.

"I was soon able to see that a number of tho shipwrecked were hanging to the projections on the sides of the vessel, nets, etc. It was a sight that would make the blood of anyone but an Englishman run cold. In the meanwhile their position became more and more untenable. Sixty to eighty people were swimming in despair around tho vessel. As it became evident to them, that they could not withstand the sea any longer, some of them had the lucky idea that perhaps the Germans might have pity on them, and so they swam to the Falko. ' Tho cominp.nder took them all on board. One sailor went on to the ladder rope to pull them up, and an officer received them on board. When the others saw that their comrades were being taken on board they followed their example, and, to the disgrace'of the English, the people who had held on to the companion ladder'of the Porpoise sprang into the water to beg the. commander of the Falke for the protection which had been denied them by their would-be protectors.

" Tho eye-witness of this scene, wHo polluted with fresh disgrace the flag' of old. Eng-" land, the commander of the Porpoise, now consented to receive a limited number of the shipwrecked persons on his ship. One. of those with whom I had occasion to speak assured me that only the chiefs were allowed on board, the others being all heartlessly turned away. This awful scene lasted till about half-past 3. The storm, which was accompanied by torrents of rain, made it appear still more horrible. "When, between half-past 3 and 4, the wind and rain had abated a number of boats, thanks to an agreement which the commander of the Falke.had made between both ships, put off from the Porpoise to get behind the Falke. Only now did the English sailors throw lifebelts to the shipwrecked persons, by means of which they held themselves about water, and very cleverly got their boats to float again. I think ony further discussion about the behaviour of tire English commander is superfluous. All those who, like myself, were witnesses'Of these occurrences must burst with indignation at the English officers, "whilst everybody must agree in praising the blameless behaviour of the commander of the Falke, when he protected the poor shipwrecked people. '

• I need hardly add that not an atom of credenco is given to these charges; in fact, their very absurdity is their own refutation.