THE SAMOAN CRISIS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8423, 23 January 1899, Page 4

THE SAMOAN CRISIS

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

GALLANT CONDUCT OF BRITISHERS

EXTRAORDINARY BEHAVIOR OF GERMANS.

Auckland papers give further particulars of the stirring incidents at Samoa. During the night the Malietoa forces having to a large extent run out of ammunition, and feeling keenly the treachery that bad been shown towards them by men whom they trusted, and knowing that the Mataafa people were Well supplied with ammunition, made up their minds to call upon the British Consul to endeavor to effect a settlement, and offered to give up their arms to the British' authorities. Some swam off to the Porpoise, and begged Lieutenant Parker, who was in command, to allow them to seek Bhelter under the British guns until morning. Lieutenant Parker permitted them to do so. Over 1200 souls came off in the first boats they could reach, which were on the beach, and they were moored to the warship. Many could not get boats, and swam off with their guns and knives. Lieutenant Parker allowed these to go on board on condition that they handed in their guns as long as on the vessel. A message was sent ashore to Captain Sturdee and the British Consul, who highly approved of the action. Had this not been done many lives would have been sacrificed in the morning by the rebels. Some of the leading chiefs sought shelter in the Mission ground, and were allowed to remain there.

Morning came, and a strong gale began to blow with a strong swell setting in. The Samoans, who had been fighting and had been exposed all night, were in a perilous situation. Their boats were in momentary danger of being smashed up. Lieutenant Parker and all on board did all they could to ameliorate their sufferings, and in order to lighten the boats many were allowed to go on board. They piled their firearms and other weapons upon the deck, about 700. Biscuits were served out from the ship. Some of the older people began to show signs of suffering from exposure. Many had been in the water for hours. These were all looked after by Dr Andrews, of the Porpoise, who had also to look after many of the wounded in the fight. During the day the gale increased. Captain Stutdee was ashore endeavoring to exact the best terms of surrender he could from the victorious rebels. In the fury of the gale, and finding many hundreds still in the boats and unable to get on board, for the decks were then already crowded, a word was sent from the German warship that if boats could get to the Falke they could have shelter there. This, though late, was the only attempt of Germans to save life. The Samoans, before going over to the Falke, passed most of their guns to the Porpoise, Shortly afterwards an officer from the Falke stated that the Samoans ■were on board "under no conditions." Treachery was again feared, and Lieut. Parker was about to send for the Samoans to disembark from the German ship and to come again to the British when it was announced that the Germans claimed to have oaved the Samoans from drowning, and they were now under the protection of the German flag. SUREENDER OF MAIJETOa'S SUPPORTERS. The hours of the day passed, Captain Sturdee was still working for the distressed. He had to deal with the German President, who put himself at the head of a Provisional Government. It must be here stated that that same President refused to obej' a summons from the King to attend and advise, as he was bound to do under the treaty. The captain succeeded in forcing a condition that upon the surrender of the loyal troops no lives would be taken and no bodily harm inflicted upon them. At At 6 p.m. the captain went off to the ship and announced that all except Malietoa and Tamasese and several other chiefs j whose lives could not be deemed safe, no matter what the conditions, were to go ashore. The people asked to be deported anywhere rather than go ashore, but the whole situation depended on the strict compliance with the agreement Captain Sturdee had made, and obedience to his wishes: The people willingly submitted. It took nearly all night to disembark. The boats were insufficient, and Mataafa's people did not help by sending off other boats. The British Consul and Captain Sturdee had decided to make the London Mission House a rendezvous for the British and Americans who required protection, and a large number of white residents took advantage of the protection afforded. Very frequently the situation was critical, and had it not been for the great caution and judgment exercised by Captain Sturdee and Lieutenant Gaunt, very serious results might have followed. At an early stage of the fighting, when the firing was very fierce, the captain and another officer of the German warship Falke availed themselves of the shelter of the Mission House.

The conduct of Her Majesty's Consul, Mr Maxse. and Captain Sturdee has been above praise. Had it not been for their unwearied exertions hundreds more of the Samqans would have been slaughtered, and it is more than probable that there would have been a list of lives of British and other foreigners lost and properties destroyed to deplore. Mr Maxse, Captain Sturdee, and his officers will be ever gratefully remembered by the British subjects in Apia. Mr Osboru, the United States Consul-General, also supported the Chief Justice most ably and loyally, and it was pleasant to see how harmoniously British and American officials worked together. H.M.S. Porpoise was cleared for action, and the steps taken to ensure the safety of British life and property were of the most effective character.

When representatives came from Mataafa to ask for the surrender of Malietoa and Tamasese, the captain of the Porpoise left the chiefs to decide whether they would go ashore or remain. They decided to place themselves under British protection.