GERMAN CRUISERS AT SAMOA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13516, 20 October 1914, Page 5

GERMAN CRUISERS AT SAMOA.

WHAT A COMMANDER SAID "A GALLANT BLADE."

SYDNEY, October 10. Reports from ;Sajiiba, received from private 'sources/ give interesting 1 details of '•the German cruisers Gneisenau and Scharnhorst, which recently».put. 1 m .an appearance at Apia and ■ Mulifunua, \lß;>i. miles west of Apia,-;, shortly 'after the New Zealand troops had taken pos-* session and hoisted the Union Jack. W-

Both the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau ran m close to the Mulifunua plantation belonging to the big German .company, one of them making signals and hoisting a pilot flag. In response, a Gorman subject, . Captain ; Hagedorn, described as '"a ,>r^ti^erj" jovial citizen," went off to, the', ships." -He did more — he weivb aboard "'the Scharnhorst. The commander invited him up on deck, and discussed the situation with him. Captain Hagedorn stated the position, and said that the Germans had no reason to complain of the treatment they were receiving from Colonel Logan and 'the British force generally. He was honest enough to say, m fact, that they were . receiving absolutely fair and impartial treatment, and were being put to as little inconvenience as possible. The commander expressed his pleasure at having this news. "We have no fight with Englishmen who behave well," lie said, "we shall refrain iroin shelling Apia or 'the positions of int. British troops." . Apd he kept his word t Both the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau visited Apia on the morning of September 14. Ono of them steamed m close, and a German tesidjing at Apia, together* with two k natives, pulled off to the ship. It is not known what communications passed, but the German ~ was promptly placed under arrest on his Return. Nothing eVentful happened, however, and Apia was not bombarded. Not only did the commander of the Scharnhorartt say that the German warships would leave Apia unmolested, but he added that if they fell m with the town^s provision sliips — meaning; the Tofua and the 'Navua — they would let them proceed without injury. "We have ho fight with that class of ship engaged m provisioning out-stations,' lie paid, "but we would like to come across some of the British warehink— any of them except the Australia. .We're* not m her class."

When Captain Hagedorn's story reached the ears of Colonel Logan, commanding the British forces, he is reported to have described the Scharnhorst's commander as "a gallant blade," and to have expressed a desire to meet him when the war is over, and ishaice hands with him.V ,

It has been suggested as quite likely that the. German ships were anxious to husband their .ammunition,' and not throw any of it away unnecessarily, for, whilst' it may be possible for them to obtain coal and provisions by waylaying other vesselSj their ammunition is a thing. they canot hope to replace. They were last seen steaming away to the westward of Apia, arid a few daya later thfcy were busy .shelling Papeete, the French capital of Tahiti. i It is stated tluvt- only 'one mailbag arrived from Apia by. the Tofua. Both the Tofua and the Navua were there at the same time, and it is believed that most of the mail was placed on the Navua, wJiich sailed via New Zealand. The non-arrival of -the mail will cause much inconvenience, for the orders from Samoa will arrive too late to catch the Tofua on her return, trip. The Money Order Office m Apia has been .suspended, but it is hoped that before long arrangements will be made with Now Zealand and Australia for the transmission of money. A proclamation issued by Colonel Logan prohibits tho sending o f money out of the islands for the time being, and no traveller is allowed to cam- away more than £5. German paper currency has •been declared a .legal. tender until further notice. The German. lavr is still beinc observed by the new; Administration, and justice is being .administered by Mr Ohai'W Roberts, = .Who appears tv bo giving every satisfaction. now .established au agency of its own at Apia thus ending the long control exercised by tho German firm. The hope is expressed, that the Union Company will now take up the lighterage question, and thatit will be found iS£ aible 4o reduce the charges, which are considered lo ho t too heavy.